When it comes to sleep, comfort is key. But for those with cardiovascular concerns, the question of whether your sleep position affects your heart health adds a new layer of complexity. While ensuring you get enough rest is essential, the position in which you sleep may influence specific aspects of your health, including your heart.

Let's understand the science and expert recommendations to explore how sleep positions impact cardiovascular health and how you can make the best choices for a healthier, more restful night.

Why Does Sleep Position Matter?

Your sleep position affects not only your comfort but also some physiological processes. Some of the positions will strain your back and exacerbate certain health issues or even compromise breathing. Researchers find that sleeping on your side is generally safer than lying on your back or on your stomach, especially regarding certain heart problems.

However, experts agree on one important point: the quality of your sleep is more important than the position in which you sleep. While side sleeping may have small advantages, consistency in restorative sleep is more important.

Left vs. Right: Which Side Supports Better Heart Function?

Left-Side Sleeping

This sleeping position may indirectly influence the position of the heart through gravitational force. Echocardiography has been reported to find small effects in the way the heart operates when resting on the left side. Nonetheless, this is clinically insignificant and shouldn't make healthy sleepers worry.

In people suffering from heart failure, lying on one's left side may at times be uncomfortable or even induce more breathlessness. However, a medical professional should be consulted regarding the best sleeping position.

Right-Side Sleeping

Right-side sleeping is said to be ideal for patients with heart failure. Even though it is said to be one of the sleeping positions that will cut off the flow of blood, this has no basis. Many heart failure patients prefer it and is mostly recommended by doctors since it reduces fluid retention and promotes circulation.

Back or Stomach Sleeping Harmful to Your Heart?

Back Sleeping

For those who do not suffer from breathing problems, sleeping on the back is comfortable. But for those who have sleep apnea, a condition that increases heart disease risk, back sleeping may exacerbate symptoms. The position may constrict the airway, and thus increase the chance of apnea episodes during the night.

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleeping alleviates snoring and mild sleep apnea but often leads to neck or back pain. Besides, it is considered the least healthy sleep position because it could compress the airway and interfere with spinal alignment.

Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Risk

Sleep apnea is a severe sleeping disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night. It can cause heart failure, hypertension, and other cardiovascular complications if left untreated. The severity of sleep apnea may be affected by your sleeping position.

Side Sleeping: It keeps the airway open and reduces apnea episodes.

Back Sleeping: Often worsens the symptoms of apnea and is not so ideal for people suffering from the disorder.

Doctors usually recommend continuous positive airway pressure machines for sleep apnea, but it is also possible to take up a side-sleeping habit to relieve mild symptoms.

Can Sleep Positions Help Relieve Heartburn and Reflux?

For individuals prone to acid reflux or heartburn, sleeping position matters. While some believe right-side sleeping can ease symptoms, the benefit is minimal. The muscular action of the stomach and intestines largely handles digestion, and gravity’s role in this process is minor. That said, right-side sleeping is harmless and worth trying if it provides relief.

Tips for Better Sleep and Heart Health

Finally, the heart benefits most when you get quality sleep, no matter how you position yourself. Here are tips to help you sleep as best as possible:

• Maintain a regular sleeping and waking time to keep your body in sync with your natural circadian rhythm.
• Limit your exposure to screens at night, lower the lights, and keep the bedroom a calm space.
• Physical exercise promotes better sleep quality but try not to work out at night.
• Other ways that can be used to prepare your body for rest include meditation, warm baths, or light reading.
• Early treatment of sleep disorders like apnea or insomnia may prevent severe heart health consequences.

When to Seek Medical Advice

If you’re struggling with consistent sleep issues, such as insomnia or disruptive snoring, consult a healthcare provider. Sleep apnea, in particular, has strong links to cardiovascular health. Symptoms like shortness of breath while lying flat or persistent fatigue should never be ignored.

The best sleeping position for your heart is that which allows you to have uninterrupted, high-quality sleep. Though side sleeping may be somewhat beneficial, especially in individuals with heart failure or sleep apnea, sleep position has a very small effect on overall cardiovascular health.

Rather than stressing over which side of the bed to sleep on, concentrate on habits that facilitate restorative sleep. After all, a good night's sleep marks the beginning of a healthy heart.

Risk of Developing Heart Failure, and Potential Benefits of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018

Lying position classification based on ECG waveform and random forest during sleep in healthy people. Biomed Eng Online. 2018

A recent study has revealed that 17.4% of college-going women aged 18-25 in Delhi are affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), marking the second-highest prevalence rate recorded in the country. The study, partly funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), was published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Health. It included a cross-sectional survey of 1,164 participants and a systematic review of studies conducted between 2010 and 2024 across India in similar age groups.

PCOS: A Widespread Yet Under-Researched Disorder

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. It is characterised by a range of symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, excessive hair growth (hirsutism), acne, and obesity. Despite being widespread, the disorder remains under-researched, especially in young women.

The study points out that the pooled prevalence of PCOS across India in this age group, based on similar diagnostic criteria, stood at 8.41%. By comparison, Delhi’s figure of 17.4% is significantly higher, highlighting a concerning urban health trend. Previous data from the Ministry of Science and Technology has shown that PCOS prevalence in India can vary between 3.70% and 22.50%, depending on region, setting, and socio-cultural factors.

Urban Lifestyle and Its Role

The researchers observed a higher prevalence of PCOS in urban areas with heterogeneous and migrating populations. Many young women move to cities like Delhi for academic and career opportunities, which often leads to psychological stress, disrupted sleep cycles, and unhealthy dietary habits. These factors, in turn, may contribute to the increasing incidence of PCOS.

“This displacement and the resulting lifestyle changes — juggling education, work, and home responsibilities — seem to be closely linked to the rise in PCOS cases,” the study noted.

The research was conducted by Apoorva Sharma, Naorem Kiranmala Devi, and Kallur Nava Saraswathy from the Department of Anthropology, Delhi University, along with Dr. Yamini Swarwal from Safdarjung Hospital. According to Prof. Saraswathy, ethical clearance for the fieldwork was obtained from Delhi University, and the data collection process spanned two years.

Diagnosis and Testing

Of the 1,164 women surveyed, 70.3% had already been diagnosed with PCOS, while 29.7% were newly diagnosed during the course of the study. The researchers also facilitated ultrasound testing for women who displayed symptoms but had not yet been diagnosed.

Socio-Demographic and Caste-Based Disparities

The study found that women from upper and upper-middle socioeconomic classes, as per the Modified Kuppuswamy Scale, were at higher risk. Researchers attributed this to a “nutrition transition” involving increased consumption of processed foods, fats, and sugars, alongside reduced physical activity. This shift has led to increased insulin resistance and obesity—factors known to be linked to PCOS.

Interestingly, the highest prevalence of PCOS was recorded among Scheduled Tribes (21.4%), followed by women from the General Category (19.9%), with lower rates among Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Scheduled Castes. The authors suggest that this might reflect broader inequalities in healthcare access and lifestyle, underscoring the urgent need for targeted health interventions and greater awareness.

In a landmark medical feat, doctors at SMS Hospital in Jaipur have successfully removed a 210-centimetre-long trichobezoar—a dense, compact mass of hair—from the stomach of a 14-year-old girl from Barara village in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. This extraordinary case is believed to be the longest trichobezoar ever removed globally, surpassing the previous world record of 180 cm.

Rare Case Presents Major Surgical Challenge

The case posed significant surgical challenges. The trichobezoar had extended from the stomach into the small intestine, complicating the procedure. Surgeons were determined to extract it in one piece to avoid making multiple incisions in the intestine, which could increase complications.

Despite the complexity of the situation, the surgical team completed the operation within two hours and did not require a blood transfusion. In an impressive display of surgical precision, the entire hairball was removed intact.

Persistent Symptoms Lead to Diagnosis

The girl had been experiencing persistent abdominal pain and vomiting for over a month. Upon arrival at SMS Hospital, doctors noted a hard, elongated mass in her abdomen, stretching from her stomach to the area near her navel. A Contrast-Enhanced CT (CECT) scan revealed an unusually enlarged stomach filled with a foreign substance, prompting immediate intervention.

Pica: The Psychological Root

Doctors diagnosed the young patient with Pica, a psychological disorder in which individuals develop cravings for non-edible substances. Dr. Jeevan Kankaria from the hospital’s surgery department explained that the girl initially started eating chalk in school under peer influence. Over time, this progressed into the consumption of hair and other non-food items.

“During surgery, we found not only hair but also wooden pieces, rubber bands, stones, threads, and other inedible materials entangled in the mass,” said Dr. Kankaria, who led the surgical team.

A Record-Breaking Removal

“When we measured the trichobezoar after removal, it was 210 cm long, which we believe is the longest ever taken out from a human stomach,” Dr. Kankaria stated. The hospital is now in the process of submitting the case to the Guinness World Records for official recognition. Dr. Kankaria already holds four Guinness World Records for previous surgical milestones.

Patient’s Recovery and Future Outlook

The girl, a Class 10 student from a farming family, is currently recovering well under observation at SMS Hospital. Her post-operative condition is stable, and doctors expect to discharge her soon.

This rare case highlights the critical need for early intervention in psychological disorders such as Pica and the importance of awareness among parents and educators. Dr. Kankaria stressed that behavioral and psychological support will be essential in the patient’s long-term recovery to prevent recurrence.

As the medical team awaits potential recognition from the Guinness World Records, this groundbreaking surgery stands as a testament to the precision, planning, and teamwork of doctors at SMS Hospital—and serves as a crucial reminder of the unusual ways psychological disorders can manifest physically.

On World No Tobacco Day, Dr. Sajjan Rajpurohit, Senior Director of Medical Oncology at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, sheds light on how tobacco affects women differently than men. While the overall dangers of smoking are well known, Dr. Rajpurohit emphasizes the need to understand the biological, hormonal, and social dimensions that make women more vulnerable to tobacco-related diseases and challenges in quitting.

Biological Differences Make Women More Sensitive to Nicotine

“Women metabolize nicotine more slowly than men, which results in prolonged exposure to its harmful effects,” says Dr. Rajpurohit. This slower metabolism, combined with hormonal changes across a woman’s life—such as during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause—can heighten nicotine’s addictive properties.

For instance, estrogen, a key female hormone, may increase sensitivity to nicotine, making it harder for women to quit. “This also explains why withdrawal symptoms might be more severe in women,” he adds.

Higher Risk of Certain Diseases

Women who smoke are more susceptible to certain diseases than their male counterparts, warns Dr. Rajpurohit.

Lung Cancer

Though men historically had higher rates of lung cancer, the gap has narrowed as more women took up smoking. “Women are not only developing lung cancer at younger ages, but they may also face more aggressive forms of the disease,” he says, pointing to biological differences in lung structure and function.

Heart Disease

Smoking significantly raises the risk of heart disease in women, especially those using hormonal contraceptives. “Smoking can cause the arteries to harden and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. When combined with birth control pills, the risk becomes even higher,” he explains.

Reproductive and Pregnancy Complications

Smoking affects fertility and reproductive health. It can lead to complications such as ectopic pregnancies, miscarriage, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. “Women in their childbearing years should be especially cautious, as smoking during this period can have lasting effects on both the mother and child,” Dr. Rajpurohit stresses.

He also highlights severe pregnancy-related risks like placental abruption (where the placenta detaches from the uterus) and placenta previa (when the placenta blocks the cervix), both of which can endanger maternal and fetal health.

Hormonal Imbalance and Fertility Issues

Nicotine disrupts hormonal balance, impacting ovulation and menstrual cycles. Women who smoke often report irregular periods and find it more difficult to conceive. “The damage is not just temporary—prolonged tobacco use can lead to long-term reproductive challenges,” says Dr. Rajpurohit.

Why Women Find It Harder to Quit

Quitting smoking can be a more difficult journey for women due to psychological, hormonal, and social factors.

“Many women smoke to manage stress, anxiety, or depression. This emotional dependence can complicate their efforts to quit,” Dr. Rajpurohit explains. Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can also influence cravings and mood, making it harder to resist smoking.

Additionally, women may lack adequate support from family or peers. “Social encouragement plays a huge role in smoking cessation, and women often find themselves without the backing they need,” he says.

To help women quit, he recommends a tailored approach involving behavioral therapy, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and personalized quit plans. “These strategies must take into account individual stressors, emotional needs, and social settings,” he adds.

Secondhand Smoke and Societal Pressures

Women are often exposed to secondhand smoke in domestic environments, putting them at risk for the same diseases as smokers. “The dangers of passive smoking are real and can lead to respiratory illness, heart disease, and even pregnancy complications,” says Dr. Rajpurohit.

He also draws attention to how societal norms and advertising have historically influenced women’s smoking behavior. “Tobacco companies once marketed cigarettes to women as symbols of empowerment and liberation. Unfortunately, this portrayal led many to underestimate the health risks,” he notes.

In certain cultures, smoking among women may be normalized or not taken seriously, which further prevents intervention and support.

Empowering Women Through Awareness and Support

“Women face unique challenges when it comes to tobacco use, and we must address them with empathy and targeted strategies,” Dr. Rajpurohit concludes. On World No Tobacco Day, he urges women to seek help and become aware of the specific risks they face.

For those struggling with tobacco addiction, he recommends consulting healthcare professionals and exploring support systems that cater specifically to women’s needs. “The goal is not just to quit but to stay tobacco-free for life,” he says.