Saudi Gazette The healthiest sleeping position is on the right side, as recommended by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Today's science uncovers the wisdom behind this Sunnah. Sleeping on the right is the safest and most comfortable position for your heart. This position places the left lung over the heart. Since the left lung is lighter and slightly smaller than the right lung, when it rests on the heart, it does not burden the heart. Similarly, the liver and respiratory passageways are in the optimal situation to function smoothly in this position. Lying down on the right side places the least pressure on the stomach, and subsequently, digestion is more efficient. On the other hand, sleeping on the left side means the heavier and larger right lung will lie on top of the heart all night. In this position, the stomach and liver also exert some pressure on the heart; which cause it to work harder. The stomach is also affected by the weight of the liver when you sleep on your left side, and digestion is slowed down. Clinical studies have shown that it takes up to 4 hours for the stomach to completely empty its contents when the patient sleeps on the right side. However, for thise sleeping on the left, it takes 5 to 8 hours for the food to move out of the stomach. Sleeping flat on the back has some disadvantages too. After a couple hours of sleeping on the back, most people involuntarily open their mouths. Routinely breathing from the mouth makes you more prone to catching the cold and flu, dries up the mouth, may cause gum inflammation and infections, labors breathing, and snoring. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) strongly urged against sleeping on the stomach. It is a habit that could be very hard to break, but one avoid it for better health and in order to adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Sleeping on the stomach may cause difficulty in breathing as the weight of the back exerts pressure on the chest and lungs. This pressure prevents deep breathing which may interfere with the recuperating powers of sound sleep. Sleeping on the stomach is considered as the worst position for the health of the heart and brain. Pediatricians warn against putting newborns on the stomach when they are asleep. Research has shown that babies who sleep on the stomach have a 3 times higher incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. Such scientific findings help us understand the wisdom behind the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who explicitly criticized the practice of sleeping on the stomach. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once entered the mosque and saw a man sleeping on his stomach. The Prophet said to his companions, “Do not lie in this manner, for it is a way of lying that Allah hates.” __
