It is a known fact that getting a good sleep promotes good health and yes, this is most certainly true. Imagine if you fail to sleep for a day; you won’t be able to rest after the all activities you have done all day. Your body won’t be able to regenerate, your mind won’t have tranquility, and a lot more.
It is a general advice that we all should get a nice relaxing night. Many of us have our own way of sleeping and the first phase of it is our position. Little did we know that different sleeping positions have their own benefit.
“Emphasizing the left side for rest and sleep offers some time-tested wisdom for very real health and longevity benefits,” said Dr. John Douillard, a health expert.
So what health benefits could I get if I start to sleep on the left side?
It can improve digestion
Sleeping on the left rather than the right can improve digestion because of the help of gravity. Lying on your left side allows food to easily move from the large intestine into the descending colon. If you do this, you would notice that you need to visit the restroom in the morning because of the bowel movement that happened the night before. Aside from the easy movement of food, it also helps the pancreas and stomach to h**g naturally (the stomach is on the left side of our body) which aids for the development of pancreatic juices and digestion accordingly.
Refer to this photo for better understanding:
Relieves/Reduce Heartburn
If you are experiencing heartburns, then lying on the left side can dramatically help you. A study written and published in he Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that lying on the left side can help reduce acid reflux symptoms – since our stomach lies on the left part of the body. Lying on the right however, can worsen the situation. The effects are fast; try lying down on your left side when you experience heartburn, you can notice the fade in just under 20 minuets.
It eliminates back pain
Experiencing back pain lately? Try sleeping on your left side. This is to lessen the pressure on your spine making your body more comfortable.
Better circulation
Another benefit of sleeping on the left side is the promotion of better circulation because the relevant heat arteries lie on the right part of our bod. In line with this, it decreases the varicose veins in a person’s body. “If you have varicose veins, it’s a good idea to sleep on your left side — this improves circulation by reducing pressure on your vena cava (the body’s largest vein), located on the right side of the body,” according to The Vein Clinic.
For pregnant women
Sleeping on the left side is a gold mine especially for pregnant women. It does not only lessen the pressure on the back of a woman, it also helps a woman’s circulation. Since little to no pressure is done on the spine, it keeps the uterus from squeezing the liver that increases blood flow down to the fetus. For this reason, it is advised that pregnant women sleep on their left sides.
Isn’t it great? Who knew that even our sleeping position can provide astounding health benefits that would literally change the way our bodies work. Although this is good, shifting or making it a habit is one difficult task. So how do you make this habit a memory?
- Try sleeping with a pillow on your back to stop you from rolling while you’re asleep.
- Some people tape a tennis ball in their backs to keep them from rolling.
- If you’re sleeping on the right side of the bed and lying on your right, do the opposite. In this way your body won’t be too confused with the orientation of your body to your bed.
Just as we know what health benefits sleeping on the left side does to our body, it is important to be aware that these are just compliments. Of course, you also need to be healthy even while you’re awake.
