Sleep left or right side?

[4Laur]

Hello All! Re: AF I’ve read many difference of opinions regarding which side is best to sleep on left or right side? What are your thoughts, thank you !

[TamlaMotown]

Hi there. Left side a definite no no

[BobD Volunteer]

We just did this whole thing with TamlaMotown under Nightmare at Night Time if you care to look as there are lot of ideas.

[Gmc54 in reply to BobD]

I did a search Bob, but can’t find the post you mention.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Gmc54]

It is only five posts earlier than this one!

[Gmc54 in reply to BobD]

Thank you. 🙂 I’ve found it now, but it didn’t come up when I did a search. Odd.

[Hidden]

If you have reflux problems they are made worse by lying on your right side. Not many people realise this ! Many AF -ers have this problem.

[Hidden]

Thought it relevant as question posed was left or right side best to sleep on.....

N'est-ce pas?

[rosyG]

I sleep slightly raised up and slightly to the left but avoid any pressure on the heart area!! Everyone seems to do different things!!

[CDreamer]

Whichever is most comfortable, doesn’t make any difference to me, I think it’s very personal. I tend to switch during the night. I used to always sleep on my stomach and tend to find myself attempting to do just that - but difficult to do with CPAP on.

[BobL123 in reply to CDreamer]

Same for me. I'm a stomachache sleeper that struggles with the cpap hose.

[3papagee]

I find since I was diagnosed and after a successful ablation I do not sleep continuously through the night I do tend to toss and turn.

Sleep tight.

[Angie06]

I always go to sleep on my right side so that I don't feel my heart rhythm quite so much, but always wake up on my back anyway.

[Spiritji]

The right side is the best to sleep on for the heart......seems to settle the heart.....the left side causes the heart to be more active but sometimes if i start on the right side for a while later in the night I can switch to the left side and it will stay calm

[dragonflyjan]

Since my pacemaker I’m uncomfortable sleeping on my last side ican feel my heart beating. So I sleep on my right but end up always on my back and apparently snoring🤭

[Sillysunshine]

I like sleeping on my left side but my heart doesn’t it jumps around crazy, so I always end up switching to right so I can get to sleep.

[Thomas45]

I used to sleep always on my right side, but thought I'd read somewhere that you should sleep on the left side, so have done for a few years.

[4Laur in reply to Thomas45]

Hi & Thank U. I read the same. They say to sleeping on your left side is better for your stomach if you have re flux? Yet, sleeping in your right side take less pressure off you heart- better if you have a cardiac condition. I know they're both related . I sleep on my right side and I feel less pumping, beating of the heart. I've read here many with Afib say right side is better. Sleep well and in perfect rhythm all

[Thomas45 in reply to 4Laur]

I try to sleep on my right side but during the night I turn to my left side which is more comfortable.

[jedimasterlincoln]

When in AF I can't sleep on my left side at all, and even in the weeks immediately after an ablation I find it uncomfortable and disturbed - not sure if it's because HR is more intense, strong or I'm just more aware of it.

I always seem to settle better on my right side these days, and occasionally roll over onto my left when trying to get off. Failing that I just try to go to sleep.

[Rubymurray25]

I have noticed an improvement with my AF episodes when I make sure I sleep on my back. Left side has triggered off an episode in the past and for some reason sleeping on my right stops my circulation and have on occasions woken up with a dead right side. I have tried so many pillow variations to try and keep me in position, now using a large square one with a smaller one on top and that works for me. Like CDreamer I use CPAP so being Central also helps.

[Krames25]

The AF Association recommend you sleep on the right side as then you avoid pressure on the Vegas nerve. I notice my heart beating more when I lay on the left side.

[KMRobbo]

No effect on me which side

[momist]

I always swap around, probably several times, throughout the night. Strangely though, when lying on my right I can hear my heart thudding along, which is nothing I ever noticed prior to starting with AF. I can't hear it when lying on my left. Sometimes this gets so intrusive that I have to turn onto my left to get to sleep in the first place.

I've never started with AF during my sleep, or lying down, as far as I know. It's always happened (only 3 times so far) when standing and moving around a lot.

[Jay10]

Always on my right side, I find that best. I do wake up on my back sometimes though.

[GordonS]

I sleep on my back is right side. Too aware of my heart beating in the left. Also uncomfortable after ablation, must be too much pressure I think.

[Barb1]

It doesn't make any difference to me but I need my head to be on at least 2 pillows

[TerriMo]

I find myself favoring sleeping on my left, but it does seem to cause more problems with my heart rhythm, so I turn to the right which seems to cause more problems with acid reflux, so I'm trying to go back to being a stomach sleeper even though I'll probably end up with more wrinkles. I've tried elevated back sleeping and I just can't seem to stay with it.

[Breezera]

Prior to my PVI cryo-ablation (21 Aug. 2018) sleeping on my left side would trigger ectopic beats (at a minimum) and eventual a-fib (the usual result) - therefore definitely a no-no. Since having my ablation I no longer experience ectopics or a-fib when I lie/sleep on my left side. So far my ablation has been an extraordinarily good thing for me - nothing but blissful NSR at this time.

- Richard

[Alfieros in reply to Breezera]

That’s awesome Richard!!

[Janith]

I sleep on left side, right side but mostly back. My husband says that l don’t move during the night. I never have afib but l was diagnosed with it several years ago. Had two episodes in total.

[Sportfix]

The very first feelings I had of heart flutter started when I lay down to sleep, having had a very late night, on my left side. Wouldn’t stop & couldn’t get to sleep for ages & ages. Eventually awoke when it was morning & no more flutters. Next night, the same thing happened so looked online & decided on a trip to doc’s. 2 ablations later & I think I’m fixed. However, I now never try to lie on my left side. Asked my electrophysiologist cardiosurgeon why and he said the left atrium lies right there.

[Nanopiano]

After coming to the realization that this AF is gonna be permanent, I sleep on the side with the most room that the dog has left me. 🤪

[emilyboom]

No effect on me but I was told by the Dr. is if you lay on your left side it gives your heart a bit more room to relax.

[DTS54]

I can only sleep on my back....

Either side will aggravate my afib,

My coworker bought a adjustable bed and this helps his afib/sleep apnea

I’ll follow this one

[Flutter-1]

I find I can only get comfortable going to sleep on my right otherwise I can ‘feel the weight of my heart’. Having said that, if I wake after a few hours I can then switch to the left ok.