Best sleeping positions to ease colds, cramps, stomach bugs, and more – and the common mistakes that could be making you feel worse

When you’re under the weather, a good night’s sleep can feel impossible. Yet sleep is crucial for a speedier recovery, as it helps your body repair and boosts your immune system.

And with winter viruses, colds, coughs, and flu on the rise in the UK – and the spread of HMPV overseas – many Brits will be struggling to get a good night’s sleep while unwell.

To help you get the rest you need, Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of Simba’s charity partner, The Sleep Charity, shares the sleep positions that could help ease everything from colds and flu to period cramps, constipation, and UTIs.

Plus, she highlights common mistakes to avoid that could be sabotaging your recovery.

1. Cold, Cough, or Flu: Prop Yourself Up

Best Position: On your back with your head and shoulders elevated at a 45-degree angle. This position prevents mucus from pooling in your throat, which can trigger coughing fits and make breathing more difficult. Use extra pillows or an adjustable support like the Simba Hybrid Pillow for optimal support.

Avoid This Mistake: Sleeping flat on your back. This can cause mucus to settle in your airways, making congestion worse.

Worst Way to Sleep: Face-down. This puts unnecessary strain on your neck and limits airflow.

2. Constipation: Sleep Left Side to Help Digestion

Best Position: Sleeping on your left side can help relieve constipation and ease IBS symptoms by using gravity to support better digestion. This position encourages the natural flow of food and waste through your digestive system, allowing gravity to move waste from the small intestine to the large intestine more efficiently.

Avoid This Mistake: Sleeping on your stomach can place pressure on your digestive organs and make discomfort worse.

Worst way to sleep: Lying flat on your back. This position may slow digestion and cause bloating, making constipation symptoms linger longer.

3. Stomach Bugs, Vomiting and Diarrhoea: Right-Side Relief

Best Position: On your right side. While there's no scientific proof, some believe sleeping on the right side may help reduce nighttime bowel movement during diarrhoea. This position could slow stool frequency by encouraging it to stay in the lower part of the digestive tract longer, preventing it from reaching the colon too quickly and reducing urgency.

Avoid This Mistake: Curling into a tight fetal position. While it may feel comforting, this posture can compress your abdominal area, increasing discomfort.

Worst Way to Sleep: Sleeping on your stomach can make diarrhoea and nausea worse because it can compress your stomach and organs.

4. UTIs: Relax and Elevate

Best Position: On your side in a relaxed fetal position or on your back with legs slightly apart. These positions ease pressure on the bladder and promote pelvic relaxation, which can alleviate discomfort. Have a hot shower and put a hot water bottle on your abdomen or between your legs for 15 minutes before bed.

Avoid This Mistake: On your tummy. It traps heat and pressure in your pelvic area, potentially exacerbating symptoms.

Worst Way to Sleep: Tight constricting nightwear and wearing thong underwear in bed. E. coli, the most common bacteria in the colon and a leading cause of UTIs, can easily cling to the string back of a thong. Even slight movements during sleep can cause the material to shift, potentially transferring E. coli bacteria dangerously close to the vaginal area.

5. Period Cramps: Pillow Power

Best Position: On your back with a pillow under your knees or on your side with a pillow between your thighs. These positions support pelvic alignment and improve blood flow to reduce pain.

Avoid This Mistake: Stretching out completely flat on your back. This position can strain your lower back and worsen bloating.

Worst Way to Sleep: Curled up tightly. While tempting, this can restrict blood flow and increase muscle tension.

6. Migraines: Neutral Neck Position

Best Position: On your back with your head and neck aligned. A firm supportive pillow is essential to keep your spine in a neutral position, reducing tension that could worsen migraines.

Avoid This Mistake: Using too many pillows or overly thick ones can push your neck out of alignment.

Worst Way to Sleep: Face-down. This compresses your neck and can exacerbate migraine symptoms.

7. Kidney Stones: Switch it up

Best Position: Research indicates that the most effective way to ease kidney stone pain while resting is to lie on your side with your knees slightly bent. Studies also suggest that this position improves blood flow, which may help in passing the stone more easily. For added relief, try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees to reduce kidney pressure.

Avoid This Mistake: The fetal position, as this can also increase pressure on the kidneys and worsen the pain.

Worst Way to Sleep: Sleeping in the same position for too long. Sleeping on one side for too long might increase the risk of kidney stones on that side, according to research from the University of California, San Francisco. In a study of 110 people with recurring kidney stones, 93 had a consistent sleep side. Of these, 76% developed stones on the same side they slept on. Researchers found the link was strongest for people who slept on their right side, with 82% forming stones on the right, while 70% of left-side sleepers had stones on the left.

8. Acid Reflux: Left is Best

Best Position: On your left side with your upper body elevated. This position keeps stomach contents below the oesophagus and minimises acid reflux. Elevating the head with an adjustable pillow can enhance comfort.

Avoid This Mistake: Lying flat on your back after eating. This allows acid to flow back into the oesophagus.

Worst Way to Sleep: On your right side. Research shows this can increase reflux symptoms.

9. Ear Infections: Keep the Affected Side Elevated

Best Position: On your side with the infected ear up. This promotes drainage and keeps pressure off the inflamed area. Airflow around the ear also speeds up healing.

Avoid This Mistake: Lying down completely flat can make ear pressure and pain worse. Prop up your head up so your affected ear is higher than the rest of your body

Worst Way to Sleep: On the infected ear. This compresses the area and may worsen pain.

“Ultimately, sleep is the best medicine. A solid eight hours of uninterrupted rest helps the body fight infections, speeding up recovery and restoring energy. Without enough sleep, we wake up feeling overtired and irritable, making it even harder to shake off illness. Taking to our beds to rest and recharge can make all the difference in how our bodies cope with a heavy cold, reinforcing the simple truth that good sleep is essential for good health,” concludes Lisa.