How to wake up feeling refreshed: is sleeping on your left side healthier than lying on the right?
Source: How to wake up feeling refreshed: is sleeping on your left side healthier than lying on the right?
Someone told me ages ago that the side you sleep on matters. They claimed lying on one side was better for overall health and well-being, while sleeping on the other side shook your guts. It sounded (to me at least) like rot. But can there really be anything to it?
According to sleep therapist Dr. Katharina Lederle, founder of Somnia, there is evidence that sleeping on the left side can have health benefits. “It’s definitely better for pregnant women: sleeping on the left side helps improve blood flow within the mother and also between the mother and the fetus in the womb,” she explains. But it could also be beneficial for the rest of us: “[Lying on your left side] appears to reduce pressure on internal organs and promotes better blood flow,” she says.
Research has found that lying on your left side may also help reduce acid reflux symptoms, with a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information finding a positive correlation between sleeping on your right side and an increased occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux in the Compared to sleeping on the left side, stomach or back. However, scientists have also found that for people with heart problems, sleeping on the left side can be uncomfortable and that sleeping on the right side is preferable.
How do you sleep “properly”?
believes dr Given these conflicting studies, does Lederle believe that there actually is a “right” way to sleep? “For most of us, sleeping on our stomachs is a bad idea; They want to keep everything aligned, so it’s best to sleep on your back on a “thin” pillow,” she says.
There seem to be some benefits to sleeping on your side, she explains, especially if you suffer from sleep apnea or heartburn, as lying on your left side can improve digestion. “Side sleeping also helps remove brain waste products that have naturally accumulated throughout the day. However, we twist or move during our sleep, and this is necessary to prevent pressure points from forming or blood flow being suppressed (which can happen when you’re in one position all the time), so don’t force yourself into one certain way to sleep.”
How to sleep better for your overall posture
What we really need to avoid, she says, is lying on your stomach. When you sleep on your stomach, you are forced to turn your head to one side, causing misalignment of the spine, which inevitably leads to increased back pain. dr Lederle said she wouldn’t go so far as to say there is a ‘right’ way to sleep, but it’s important to make sure you’re not in pain because of the way you lie in bed.
Try to lie symmetrically in bed, making sure your neck, spine, hips and knees are at the same level. She recommends using pillows to help with this. “Next, try sleeping on your side, but don’t force yourself or beat yourself up if you wake up on your back or front. Just try again the next night. And remember that changing sleeping positions while you sleep is normal.”
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