According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.

Restful sleep is associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer’s, and restless sleep is linked to a buildup of the amyloid proteins associated with that disease.

These observations led researchers to examine sleep position in lab animals, along with the influence of those positions on brain amyloid buildup. They found that rats that slept on their sides had less brain amyloid.

People with back pain or digestive problems often sleep on their backs. This study suggests that learning to sleep on your side may offer brain health protection.

Nevertheless, if a person finds it difficult to sleep on his or her side, or stomach or back sleeping is more effective, it’s probably best to stick with what works.

The bottom line is that a restful sleep trumps any particular sleeping position.