Sleeping switch up

May 1, 2011 1:46 AM

How come I sleep on my other side all of a sudden?

My whole life, I've slept curled up in a ball on my right side. I toss and turn, but I always end up in the fetal position on my right side. My right ear even has a crease on top from always sleeping that way. Lately, for the past few weeks, I've been finding it way more comfortable to sleep in the same position, but on my left side. I know that human nature is a curious beast, but does anyone have an explanation for me?

posted by LarrenD to science & nature (4 answers total)

Or... maybe the wear on your mattress has reached a point where it's now nicer to sleep the other way.

Or... maybe some minor injury (or just regular wear and tear) to your muscles or bones means it's less comfortable to sleep on the right.

Or... maybe allergies or a recent cold or a slight infection has done something to one of your sinuses such that sleeping on the other side reduces the pressure and makes your head feel clearer.

Or... well, just about anything (except the om of nature)
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 4:26 AM on May 1, 2011 [2 favorites]

Do you have heartburn or reflux? Sleeping on your right side can aggravate heartburn; sleeping on your left can ease it.
posted by hot soup girl at 5:34 AM on May 1, 2011 [3 favorites]

What le morte de bea arthur says, but I'd be thinking about your breathing first of all, just because it's kind of important and stuff.. It could be that you have or are developing obstructive sleep apnoea, and flipping onto your other side is your body's way of trying to keep your airway clear. Check out the wiki article and see whether any of the symptoms fit.
posted by Ahab at 7:12 AM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

I sleep on my left side for the same reasons hot soup girl suggested. I believe it's due to the the way the stomach is curved that lends one side to be more comfortable than the other. When sleeping on my right side, I feel more acid building up than when I'm on my left.
posted by samsara at 11:51 AM on May 1, 2011