Dr. Mohammad Nezar Al Deker, who practices Islamic medicine specifically, raises important issues when it comes to sleep, digestion and breathing. He theorizes that sleeping on the right side promotes better digestion because of the positioning of the organs. The Journal of American Pediatrics also touts the importance of sleeping on the right side. But if you are a restless sleeper, you may start out on the right, and find yourself changing positions while you sleep. Some preparation can help you sleep on the right side all night long.
Step 1
Create an environment for sleeping on the right side. This means you sleep on the side of the bed that is most comfortable to you and where you are less likely to move around in your sleep. Wear comfortable pajamas that won't bunch up or that you'll have to readjust throughout the night.
Step 2
Roll up a blanket and place it close to the edge of your bed, so that you only have a small amount of room to sleep. Giving you these imaginary boundaries will help you subconsciously stay still, even while you're sleeping. Roll the blanket fairly tight, so that you'll be able to feel it if you try to roll over.
Step 3
Place a body pillow, or other large pillow, on the other side of the rolled-up blanket. This will reinforce the roll so that it won't slide around, even if you try to change positions in the night. Tuck the body pillow underneath the roll to keep it firmly in place.
Step 4
Use a curved, U-shape neck pillow on your regular pillow. When you go to sleep on your right side, it will hold your neck in place, so that even if you are tempted to change positions, you're more liable to stay on your right side. A heat sock that can conform to you neck would also work well.
Step 5
Have your partner sleep directly next to you, on the opposite side of the pillow and blanket roll "wall" that you've created. Create minimal space for sleeping so that you don't have room to move around in the night.
Things You'll Need
- Body pillow
- Blanket
- Neck pillow
