March 1, 2026, 9:08 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Most people have a fixed sleeping position. For example, on the stomach, on the back, on the side, or in the fetal position. Preferences vary greatly; the main thing is that it is comfortable. However, the side position is the most common. And for this group, sleep is now particularly restful—provided they follow the recommendations of an expert.
Side sleepers usually switch from one side to the other and back again during sleep. In principle, this is advantageous at first, as it means that the areas of the body that are particularly stressed are alternately loaded and relieved. In addition to the head, arms, and shoulders, these are primarily the spine and hips. And yet it can still happen that you wake up with back pain or neck problems, for example. However, three small changes can prove beneficial for both health and the entire sleep cycle. Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a scientist and journalist at Harvard Medical School, has now revealed her medically proven tricks for side sleepers in an Instagram video for the “Washington Post.”
Overview
A “Healthy” Aid
According to the expert, these easy-to-implement exercises help to reduce pressure on the hips and naturally straighten the spine.
“The first thing you should do is bend your legs slightly and place a pillow between your knees to help align your back,” explains Dr. Pasricha. However, this is not only beneficial for the back, but also for the hips. This is because using a cushion relieves the strain on the hips. The small aid also helps to prevent knee pain.
Incidentally, it doesn’t matter whether you prefer to sleep on your left or right side. Dr. Pasricha’s recommendation applies to both orientations.
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“Embrace Yourself”
Her second trick for side sleepers is also suitable for the left and right sides. “Take the arm that is underneath you and hug yourself while you sleep,” she advises. “Do you notice how this straightens the spine?” This relieves pressure on the spine and allows it to regenerate better.
As with the first tip, a 2021 study found that side sleepers would wake up with more neck pain if they didn’t use these tricks!1
Medication vs Heartburn: You Should Sleep on This Side!
The Harvard lecturer also recommended another sleeping position for anyone who has to take medication at night or before going to bed. If this is the case, you should preferably sleep on your right side. A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University in 2022 showed that lying on the right side during sleep can speed up the absorption of medication by around 13 minutes.2
“This is because medications can then take a more direct route from the stomach to the small intestine, where they are absorbed,” explained Dr. Pasricha. On the left side, on the other hand, absorption would be slowed down by more than an hour.
But there is also a trick for side sleepers who prefer the left side—and that is if you are struggling with an uncomfortable, burning sensation. “Sleeping on your left side is actually a good way to relieve heartburn,” says the researcher. Studies have shown that this allows less acid to enter the esophagus.3 This has to do with the positioning of the stomach. If you sleep on your right side or on your back, the stomach is positioned slightly above the esophagus. As a result, the contents can flow into it more easily.