Best Sleeping Position to Reduce Night-Time Heart Attack Risk, according to a Veteran ICU Nurse

A US-based nurse, who worked in the cardiac intensive care unit for nearly two decades, has revealed the best sleeping position that can prevent 90 per cent of nighttime cardiac events. According to Patricia

Moore, who has monitored over 3,000 heart attack survivors, sleeping on the left side with knees slightly bent can be great for your cardiovascular health. “Everyone sleeps however feels comfortable,” she said, as quoted on Instagram. “But sleeping on the right side and back puts mechanical pressure on your heart. The left side removes that pressure and improves blood circulation by about 40 per cent,” she added. According to doctors, your nighttime sleeping position affects many other health issues that are related to your cardiovascular health, like sleep apnea.

How does left-sided sleeping benefit you?

Studies have found that sleeping on the left side is associated with changes in ECG readings. Many kinds of research, which used vectorcardiography – an imaging technique – found that left-sided sleeping caused the heart to shift and turn. According to Moore, sleeping on the left side and putting a pillow between your knees helps attain spine alignment as well. “Patients would always say that we always sleep on the right side, and I tell them your comfort position is what put you in the ICU,” she added. Moore says that while the first week may feel unnatural, as you may roll over unintentionally, gradually, as time passes, by the third week, it may become automatic. “Your heart does not care about your preferred sleeping position but about the mechanical pressure trying to stop it while you sleep,” she added.

Why does a sleep position matter for your heart health?

Your body posture during sleep directly impacts:

• Blood flow
• Lung expansion
• Venous return to the heart
• Autonomic nervous system balance
• Sleep quality and oxygenation

What happens when you sleep on the right side?

According to studies, sleeping on the right side is usually comfortable for many people, mostly those suffering from heart failure or palpitations. This position places the heart higher than the rest of the body, reducing strain and making breathing easier. Research, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, has found that patients with congestive heart failure preferred to sleep on their right side and experienced fewer apnoea episodes when doing so. A few benefits include

• Reduces sympathetic nervous system activation
• Improves cardiac vagal tone
• Decreases dyspnoea (difficulty breathing) during sleep.

Tips to adopt a heart-healthy sleeping position

Changing sleeping habits can be challenging, especially if you have spent years in a particular position. Here's how to make the transition smoother:

• Use a body pillow to help you stay in a lateral position
• Place a tennis ball sewn into your back shirt to prevent rolling onto your back
• Keep the head of your bed slightly elevated
• Invest in an adjustable bed base if you suffer from orthopnoea or frequent nocturnal breathlessness
• Practice relaxation techniques before bed to help your body adapt to new sleeping positions