Experts say your sleep position can impact overall health

Experts warn that poor-quality sleep can do more than just leave you tired — it can actually make you sick.

(CNN)-  Sleep is one of the body’s most basic needs — essential for restoring energy and maintaining long-term health. But experts warn that poor-quality sleep can do more than just leave you tired — it can actually make you sick.

“We tend to develop chronic diseases,” said Dr. Nancy Foldvary, a sleep neurologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

Foldvary says your sleeping position plays a major role in how well you rest, especially if you have underlying medical conditions. “Probably 30% of men and 10% of women in their middle-aged years have sleep apnea,” she explained. “And the prevalence of that increases as we get older.”

Her top advice: sleep on your side. Side-sleeping can help people with obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, or arthritis breathe more easily and stay more comfortable throughout the night.

If you have acid reflux, Foldvary recommends sleeping on your left side, which can help prevent stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus. Avoiding sleep on your back, she says, can also help keep airways clear and reduce snoring.

“I’m sure we can all resonate with the story of the loud snore on their back, and the bed partner does the elbow to get that person to roll over onto their side,” Foldvary said with a laugh.

Those with chronic nasal congestion or a deviated septum should also opt for side-sleeping, positioning themselves so the blocked nostril is upright. And for anyone, sleeping with your head slightly elevated can ease breathing and improve overall comfort.

“I’ve got many patients who sleep much better on their right side than their left side,” Foldvary added. “It’s not clear why, but you’re aiming to sleep in the position that’s going to make you feel the most refreshed.”