Typically, your sleeping position is a “whatever
gets you there†kind of scenario. There are lots
of common positions people assume as they
drop off to sleep, including on their side,
stomach, back, or curled up in the fetal
position.
Some folks lay relatively still all night, and
others toss and turn. It’s all okay as long as
you aren’t waking up sore.
However, your sleep could be better than okay.
It could be great. Your body is actually still
pretty active during that time, filing away
memories, digesting dinner, and recharging your
batteries, plus, of course, taking in oxygen and
circulating blood. As it turns out, the position
you take during sleep makes a huge difference
in how effective these processes are, and there
IS a best position.
Sleeping on your left side is the gold standard
in slumber positioning, and we’ve got 7
compelling reasons why that is. Not convinced?
Stick with us as we count the ways.
7. Improves Digestion
Did your parents ever tell you that it is bad to
eat before bed, that the food will just sit there
all night and make you fat? It’s an oft-repeated
tidbit, but it’s not true – digestion continues on
whether you are awake or asleep.
And there is a reason that a bedtime or
midnight snack is a thing. Our bodies are still
busy during sleep and need some fuel to get
the most out of that time.
Now, even though digestion will occur no matter
how you sleep, you can help your body do the
work with as little effort as possible by sleeping
on your left side.
That’s because our stomachs sit to the left side
of the abdomen, and when you lie on your left
side, it allows food to pass into the large
intestine more easily. It also keeps the stomach
from lying on top of the pancreas, which
supports the free flow of digestive enzymes.
6. Gives Your Heart a Break
From the very moment of its existence, the
heart must beat without pause in order to
sustain life. That’s a big job, and it can be
impacted by a host of factors from diet to
environmental air quality. It’s no wonder that
heart disease is the leading killer of adults
worldwide. To minimize your risk, make your
heart’s job easier by sleeping on your left side.
It sounds like such a little thing, but when you
sleep on your left side, you let gravity help the
heart move blood. Your aorta carries blood from
the heart to the rest of your body, and it arches
to the left as it begins its route. When you lay
so that it is pointed down, the heart has less
work to get that blood moving.
5. Relieves Back Pain
Who among us hasn’t woken up tweaked
because we slept in some odd position and
caused a strain in the back or neck? (If you
never have, we want to know your secret.) If
you’re waking up sore more often than not,
sleeping on your left side might just help you
out.
For starters, left-side sleeping relieves stress on
the spine. The more pressure on your back as
you sleep, the more effort your muscles require
to keep everything where it should be. Going a
bit deeper, when you sleep on the left you
improve your circulation. That has a cascading
effect that reduces the inflammation associated
with strained muscles.
4. Supports the Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels
that carry a clear fluid called lymph. This
system plays a key role in moving fluid
throughout the body, and also in our immune
function. Lymph can carry away toxins and
other waste products, so a blockage anywhere
in the system is associated with poor health.
It has long been thought that sleeping on the
left side of the body helps the lymphatic system
filter out waste. Lymph drains to the left
through the thoracic duct, so once again, this
position lets gravity assist a natural bodily
function.
3.Less Heartburn.
Wow, does heartburn hurt. It can be a side
effect of eating before bed, as a prone position
may allow stomach acid to more easily creep
up your esophagus. Interestingly, scientists
have found that sleeping on your left side can
minimize heartburn while sleeping on the right
can cause it to flare up.
It may be down to the stomach’s residence on
the left side of our bodies. When we lay on our
left side, the junction of stomach and
esophagus is kept higher than the level of
stomach acid. On the right side, however, the
lower esophageal sphincter is relaxed and can
let acid creep through.
2. Critical for Pregnant Women
Pregnant women are circulating blood for two
bodies, an intense job that requires a greater
blood volume to accomplish. Meanwhile, a
growing infant expands the uterus and puts
pressure on the spine and other organs.
Lying on the left keeps circulation flowing freely
and takes the pressure of the baby off of
mom’s spine, plus protects the liver from being
squeezed too much. Overall, lying on her left
side provides the best blood flow for both
bodies.
1. Prevents Snoring
If your spouse snores, or you’re the one
aggravating your spouse with room-shaking
noise all night, left-sided sleeping could make
all the difference in your mutual happiness.
Before you get too excited, this won’t cure all
causes of snoring. But it does keep your tongue
and throat in a more neutral position and leaves
the airways clear .
In sleep, the mouth, throat, and tongue relax.
Back sleeping is the worst for snorers, because
those tissues relax backward and may partially
obstruct the airway. Snoring is the vibration
caused by pulling air through that crowded
space.
If you’re not used to sleeping on your left side,
it can take a little bit of effort to get
comfortable with it. Try sleeping with a pillow
between your knees or at your back to
discourage rolling. Another trick, if your partner
agrees, is to move to the other side of the bed.
This forces your brain to decide again which
position is “right†and you can more easily make
a new habit of sleeping on your left side.
However you accomplish it, left-sided sleeping
clearly has many benefits and may just be the
key to the kind of rejuvenating sleep you’ve
been missing.
