Let me tell you about the night I realized my favorite sleeping position might be hurting me.
I’ve been a right-side sleeper for as long as I can remember. It’s just comfortable. I curl up on my right side, tuck my knees slightly, and drift off within minutes. I thought I was doing everything right. I wasn’t sleeping on my stomach (bad for my neck). I wasn’t sleeping on my back (snoring). I was a side sleeper – the “healthiest” position.
Then I started waking up with heartburn. Not every night, but often enough to be annoying. I adjusted my diet. I stopped eating late. Nothing helped.
At a routine checkup, I mentioned it to my doctor. She asked a question that caught me off guard: “Which side do you sleep on?”
“Right side,” I said. “Always.”
She nodded. “Try sleeping on your left side for two weeks. See what happens.”
