A gut health expert has shared a straightforward tip that could help alleviate excess stomach air simply by changing your sleeping position.
Giulia Enders, author of the best-selling book ‘Gut’, which has sold over two million copies, suggests that because our intestinal tract is “not a straight thing”, lying in a certain way can help release trapped air.
On Netflix’s Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut, she advised: “The intestinal tract is not a straight thing. It is a bit crooked here, crooked there.
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“On top of it, there is an air bubble, so when you really have a lot of air in your stomach, and you want to get it out, lay on your left side, because then the air bubble can go out quite nicely.”
Healthline reports that sleeping on your left side is considered beneficial due to the asymmetrical placement of internal organs, which may also promote more efficient waste processing through the body. A study from 2023 found that individuals who slept on their left side experienced fewer instances of nocturnal reflux, especially those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Sleeping on your side could have health benefits.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Alex Bell of MedicalNewsToday notes that since the stomach is positioned on the left side of the body, sleeping on this side could potentially enhance digestion due to gravity’s influence, although he mentions that there isn’t a universally preferred side for everyone, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Meanwhile, a 2015 study found that rats sleeping on their back or side experienced improvements in waste clearance from their brain. The research didn’t distinguish between either side but suggested that side-sleeping could be an evolutionary development.
It’s also believed that sleeping on your side can benefit those who snore, as it helps keep the airways open for easier breathing once you’re asleep. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with minor or mild sleep apnoea.
Furthermore, Harvard Medical School suggests that sleeping on your left side could help reduce overnight heartburn symptoms, as stomach acid clears faster than in people sleeping on their right.