The Childhood Tip That Stuck
“Maybe that’s why I clung so hard to a tip my mother gave me as a kid, back when my stomach hurt. It was something I could actually do, with a small hope it would ease the misery. Not much effort required. The trick, my mother said, was to lie on my left side.”
As a child, I had this all-too-literal idea that there was a hole on the left side of my stomach leading to my intestines, and that lying on my left would speed things along and get everything back to normal. (Newsflash: that’s not exactly how anatomy works. But hey, logic takes a back seat when you’re a sick kid.)
So there I was, lying on my side, picturing that aching stuff inside me swirling right out of my stomach. Even now, whether it’s the flu or a pounding hangover, I’ll find myself flopping over onto my left, trying to outsmart the nausea. Does it help? Well… a little.
Mother Knows Best… Or Does She?
It was only recently that I started to wonder: is this a real thing, or just one of those soothing myths moms are contractually obligated to repeat? As it turns out, the idea of lying on your left comes straight from Ayurveda, the 3,000-year-old system of medicine born in India. But science has weighed in, too—more so when it comes to digestion and heartburn than childhood tummy aches.
Recent studies have examined how our body position affects digestion, especially in the realm of acid reflux. And the evidence? It leans left. For example, a study from 2000 found that people who lay on their left side suffered fewer and shorter heartburn episodes in the four hours after a fatty meal than those who leaned right. Turns out, lying on your left really does make a difference.
Why Does the Side Matter, Anyway?
So, why all the fuss about which side you’re snoozing on? There are a few solid contenders for the answer:
- First: your stomach sits on the left. Lie on your left, and your stomach is physically lower than your esophagus, making it trickier for stomach acid to stage a comeback tour up your throat.
- Then, there’s a muscle trick: when you’re on your left, the muscles of your esophagus contract, helping block acid from creeping up. Lying on your right? Those same muscles slack off and let the acid party begin.
And what about good old nausea? Not much research to grab onto. Dietitian Jef L’Ecuyer suggests it might have to do with the ileocecal valve—the little door between your small and large intestines—located on the right. Flipping onto your left could, he says, release the valve and let gravity help move waste along. The idea pops up in several places, though hard scientific proof is a bit thin on the ground.
A Confession—and a Ritual
Full disclosure: for as long as I can remember, my mom actually told me to lie on my right side. Not the left. Only when I started researching this article did I realize I’d been doing the exact opposite of her advice for years.
It just goes to show how powerful the mind is. When nausea comes calling—a foe you can only stare down with sheer willpower—I needed even the smallest glimmer of hope to cling to. Maybe, in the end, the real trick is having some kind of calming ritual when you feel sick to your stomach. Still, it can’t hurt to stack the odds in your favor—and from now on, I’m throwing my lot in with the left side.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
