Should You Lay On Your Right Side for Faster Absorption of Medication?

By Holly Harding

1 min read

Because migraine attacks can escalate quickly and become harder to treat as they unfold, it can matter how quickly we take our medication. A recent Johns Hopkins University study showed that laying on the right side expedites the absorption of medication.¹ In this video, Holly discusses how she put this research to the test.

What should we consider when taking migraine medications?

It’s important to be thoughtful about when and how we take medications. Factors including whether or not to take the medication with food or on an empty stomach and positioning can be especially important when a migraine is at play.

If you are unsure how or when to take your medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Have you tried lying on your right side after taking medication? Do you have any strategies to share to expedite the absorption of medication? If so, please share your experience in the comment section below.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Migraine.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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azreynolds Member
I've never heard this before! But it fits in perfectly with what I've experienced the last six months. I have always been a right side sleeper and in my past, I too could feel my medication hitting my system fairly quickly. But as my right shoulder's torn rotator cuff became worse, I started sleeping on my back and left side. Strangely enough, I have noticed that my pain meds don't ever "hit my system" anymore. I figured it was because I've had to take so much because of having so many surgeries in a row that I just got used to the medication. Now I wonder if it's because I can't lay on my right side anymore(?)!!! I can't wait to heal enough to return to my favorite right side sleeping position and find out if there will be a change in my medications desolviing more quickly. That will be a freaky thing to learn! Thanks for sharing this nifty tidbit! Currently I'm testing out Nurtec as my rescue med. I can't say I'm overly impressed. It lowers my pain from level 6 to level 4, but it never goes away completely. We shall see. I'll keep you posted on my return to right side sleeping...hopefully in the next month(?). Find the joy!
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 Hi Annzie <inline-mention username="azreynolds" user-id="3677307"/> - Glad to hear the Nurtec is working well for you. I'd be curious to hear if laying down on your right side after or while it melts in your mouth would help with absorption. I find it helps with triptan meds. I'm still experimenting with whether or not food helps - and if so, the timing of that. Always glad to learn from your experiences. Stay in touch. Warmly- Holly <a href='https://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team. 
2. azreynolds Member
 I'll try next time!
Nancy Harris Bonk Moderator
WOW! I had no idea. Thank you so much for sharing this - I can't wait to try it out! Hugs, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>Migraine.com</a> Team 
1. Nancy Harris Bonk Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Holly Harding" user-id="3755969"/> <inline-mention username="Alene L. Brennan, RYT" user-id="3663804"/> I've not tried it out yet. And to be honest I completely forgot about this! Hugs to you both, Nancy Harris Bonk, Patient Leader/Moderator <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>Migraine.com</a> Team 
2. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Nancy Harris Bonk" user-id="3845796"/> If you try it, please let us know what you find. All love- Holly (migraine.com team).
Amanda Workman Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="Holly Harding" user-id="3755969"/> This is so interesting! I have never heard about this before your video. One would think that this is something our doctors would inform us about. Now I know to lie down on my right side after taking my abortive. Like you, I am a side sleeper and I primarily lay on my left side. Thank you so much for sharing this information. I am definitely going to share this page with other people! - Amanda W (team member)
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Amanda Workman" user-id="3715820"/> I'm curious to see if it works for people as it has for me. I'd never heard of it before reading this study either. Have you tried it and felt any improvement? Warmly- Holly <a href='https://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team. 
2. Alene L. Brennan, RYT Moderator & Contributor
 I agree! With the research coming from such a credible source as Johns Hopkins, I would hope that doctors will soon share this with their patients. Every little bit of advice can make a difference! - Alene, moderator
Alene L. Brennan, RYT Moderator & Contributor
This is fascinating and something that I am definitely going to give a try! I tend to lay on the side of my migraine so I can lay on the ice pack as well, but I can always switch to that side (if it's not the right) once the medication kicks in. Because it's so true, timing is everything when it comes to rescue medication, so this could be a gamechanger. - Alene, moderator
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="Alene L. Brennan, RYT" user-id="3663804"/> - Let us know what you find in experimenting with this. For me, it has indeed been a game changer. I'm currently also experimenting with whether or not (and when) the ingestion of food could help or hinder release. It seems a lot to do with the precise timing of ingestion. Look forward to hearing back from you on this- and you're right, every little bit helps! Warmly- Holly <a href='https://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team.
di-page Member
Interesting. I always lie on the side that has the migraine, because I find it a bit more comfortable to burrow the painful side in my pillow. I have chronic migraines and seem to have more of them on the right, but they seem to resolve faster than when I have them on the left. This leads me to wonder if the medication rate of absorption is playing a role. I will try to test this the next time I have a left dominate migraine. Thanks for the information.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="di-page" user-id="3724531"/> - This is most interesting. Please get back to us to let us know if you gain clarity on whether this approach works for you. Thanks so much for chiming in. Warmly- Holly <a href='https://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team.
Melissa Arnold Community Admin
<inline-mention username="di-page" user-id="3724531"/> What an interesting observation, to have your attacks pass quicker on one side rather than the other. I am curious about many other factors surrounding that -- are the attacks just as intense on either side? Do you have different symptoms? Have you had anything unusual come up in testing you've had (just wanting to know if there was an obvious cause for the side switching). It's frustrating that we often have to do so much of our own detective work when figuring out the triggers and strategies of our unique migraine experience, but I'm glad you're looking into it. More data never hurts. Wishing all the best to you! -Melissa, <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team
di-page Member
<inline-mention username="Melissa Arnold" user-id="3827796"/> I have been having migraines my whole life. (I am in my 50's. I first started having them as young as 6 and officially diagnosed at 19.) They have intensified in frequency throughout the years. There is a genetic component and I have identified many triggers along the way; food, weather patterns, hormones and later neck pain due to whiplash from an auto accident. (This is when they went from 2-3 times a week to daily.) I feel certain I am victim to what we now know is 'medication overuse'. They didn’t really know about this when I was first prescribed pain meds and now, I feel I am on the hamster wheel. I can have debilitating migraines on either side but have often felt like the ones on the left were a bit worse. I am not really able to quantify it. I find that my symptoms can vary from migraine to migraine, but are generally classic pain behind one eye, sensitivity to light and sound, and occasional nausea. If I get medicine quickly enough, then most will resolve within a couple of hours. I have wondered if having more on the right side has anything to do with being right-handed and/or that I do sleep predominately on my right side. I hope I am able to remember to lie on my right side when I next have a left dominate migraine. Thanks for the interest.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 <inline-mention username="di-page" user-id="3724531"/> - So sorry to hear about how the car accident exacerbated your migraine attacks. I think you're right about medication overuse- it's a very easy and slippery slope= one worth discussing with your doctor about how to break that cycle. The hamster wheel analogy is one I think many of us can relate to as it feels like we're running to stay in the same place while throwing treatment after treatment at our migraine condition. It's so much about playing defense. I'm interested in your idea about migraine and its connection to your dominant hand (and the side you sleep). I'm certain all these things are interconnected somehow. Thank you for sharing your ruminations with us. So glad you're here. Warmly- Holly <a href='https://-migraine.com' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>-migraine.com</a> team