sleep position?

[peachtreepiggy]

What is the best sleeping position for someone with a fibs? Back, left or right side?

[wilsond]

It's recommended not to sleep on your left side as the heart drops against the ribs (?)However, I am such a restless and poor sleeper,any which way is up is me!

[bean_counter27 in reply to wilsond]

"It's recommended not to sleep on your left side..."

Not according to afibamerica.com

"While there is no specific position, certain postures can help. Side sleeping is the favorite position of health experts. They recommend sleeping specifically on the left side. This is the best position for blood flow and breathing while sleeping. However, sleep position is just one factor."

I sleep on my left side, generally without issue. However, we're all different so whatever works for you.

[waveylines in reply to bean_counter27]

My EP said left side.

[Karendeena in reply to wilsond]

I turn over as normal can't stay on the same position all night!

[NewOne2023]

Majority of my episodes in bed happend while laying on my left side, so that's a big no for me.

[Budken in reply to NewOne2023]

It was just the opposite for me. If I rolled over onto my right side, the episodes would start. Have been sleeping on my left side ever since. I was also told besides helping with Afib, sleeping on your left side, reduces the symptoms of Acid Reflux.

[Shopgal67 in reply to NewOne2023]

I agree , I prefer right side or on my back .

[50568789]

I follow recommendation to sleep on right hand side as far as it goes but don't believe you can spend all night in one position and have to vary it to be as comfortable as possible.

[CDreamer]

Ideally if IN symptomatic AF then propped up in semi sitting position. I am a side sleeper and tend to sleep on my right side, purely because if AF started during the night on my left side it would feel and sound much more violent than on my left and wake me up.

I’m not sure there is a favoured side but one thing is important - go to bed on an empty stomach.

[BobD Volunteer]

Whatever suits you best. Nobody stays in one place anyway.

[jeanjeannie50]

Most members on this forum find that it's better to sleep on their right side to prevent AF striking. If I turn on to my left I usually become aware of my heart thumping. I don't think I move much in the night and go to sleep and wake still on my right.

Jean

[mjames1]

Right side best for afib alone.

However, left side is better for Gerd/reflux.

So if you have both, like many of us including myself, you have to prioritize.

Because reflux was one of my primary agib triggers. I ended up sleeping mostly on my left side. YMMV.

Jim

[pottypete1]

For me it’s always been sleep on my right side. I cannot tolerate sleeping on my left side.

Pete

[Iamfuzzyduck]

my heart quivers on my left which is disconcerting. I was trying to explain last night to my hubby about my heart and left side sleeping. I have tendinitis in my right shoulder and a bad back so basically I had a terrible night last night! Have resorted to sleeping on my stomach for much of the time but I am not a stomach sleeper!

[BrotherThomas]

As has been said, whatever works for you. I sleep on my left side without a problem. If I do manage to fall asleep on my right, I always wake up on my left.

[Ducky2003]

I would say whichever way is more comfortable for you and which gives you a better night sleep. Lack of sleep may be more of an issue for AF so just go with how comfy you feel........ plus, if you're anything like me, you do several rotations during a night to get comfy anyway. 🎂

[Tplongy]

I used to sleep in my left, but my frozen left shoulder prevented this, so then moved to my right side and after 2 years of this my right shoulder is now showing signs of freezing, so my only alternative is on my back. Nothing makes my persistent AF any worse, just my shoulder, so as everyone says, we are all different, so what works best for you !

[ochinee]

Sleeping on my Left side exacerbates my AFib. Sleeping on my Right side is somewhat better but still intensifies my AFib. I'm not a back sleeper so this is another problem that AFib presents to me.

[TillyBoss]

I have read an article on this by a cardiologist and he claimed on your left side. I tried this and it seemed to ease my symptoms.

[SamAdmin Administrator Arrhythmia Alliance AF Association]

Good morning peachtreepiggy

Thank you for your post regarding the sleeping position, and whether it should be left or right, we are advised to sleep on the right side with pillows to support your back and find the best comfortable position for you personally.

Please find the link to the booklet of AF and you which you may find helpful.

api.heartrhythmalliance.org...

Kind regards

SamAdmin

Booklet

[30912]

I find the optimal position that produces the least violent symptoms is propped up slightly on my right side although there's nothing really 'comfortable' about it.

[peachtreepiggy]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post.....I guess it is really an individual choice not backed up by the "experts"!

[frazeej]

Right side. No question about it!

JimF

[Emoryrich]

In my experience, left side sometimes leads to some flutters. But to be honest, I don't know if this is an implanted idea or a fact. Psychology is a huge factor in a-fib, as we know. My conclusion: whatever works for you.

[Janith]

Talk about sleeping positions … last night at precisely 3am l suddenly awakened … CHOKING … l couldn’t get any air into my lungs … l couldn’t breathe … l was sleeping on my back … l have never ever had this happen before … l felt a sense of foreboding … like l was going to die!! I was all alone … l also had this awful burning sensation starting from my throat down to my stomach. Finally, it started to subside and all l could say was thank you God. Today, l feel fine … no chest pain or shortness of breath. Has this happened to anyone? No afib at all. Tomorrow morning l will see my cardiologist just in case.

[Madscientist16]

I start sleep on my left side as was recommended to prevent acid reflux since it is the preferred position for the stomach to empty and I still do this to this day. I do eventually roll over to the other side after several hours.