Menu
Up, Healthy And Fit
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Nutrition
  • Weight loss
  • Quick & Easy Healthy Food Recipes
  • Natural Remedies
  • Mental Health
  • Reviews
Up, Healthy And Fit
why-sleeping-on-the-left-side-is-better

Why Sleeping On The Left Side Is Better? 8 Health Benefits.

Posted on November 5, 2018November 6, 2018 by Marina Curilov

I remember I would fall asleep on the left side, when I was little. Oddly enough, my body still feels more comfortable sleeping on the left side, and there are at least 8 reasons why sleeping on the left side is better for your health.

 

It looks like sleeping on your left side is the most natural thing. According to some research there are at least 8 health benefits of choosing left over right.

Why sleeping on the left side is better? – 8 health benefits

 

#1 – It makes lymphatic drainage easier

According to traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, sleeping on your left side boosts the lymphatic system, which has a key role in detoxicating our body. Flushing out toxins is more effective if we sleep on the left side, because the lymphatic system is more active on the left side in our body.

A study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggests that sleeping on the left side may also help to remove brain waste and thus prevent neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

 

#2 – Improves cardiac activity

As strange as it may sound, sleeping on your left side is actually good for the heart. Clearly it happens because the lymphatic system gets boosted, and not just that! In fact, when we lie down on the left side, our heart pumps the blood more easily, because aorta – the main artery – has a curved shape on the left side and up towards the abdomen. Sleeping on your left side is a good way to take care of our heart’s health in a natural way.

 

Did you know that: an average adult changes sleeping position every 60 minutes?

 

#3 – Is good for back pain

Sleeping on the left side is better for your back, especially if you sleep in the slightly curled-in fetal position. This can help in case of chronic backache, because it relieves pressure on the spine and makes you much more comfortable in bed.

#4 – Prevents the gastric reflux

Sleeping or just lying down on the left side can help prevent and soothe acid reflux symptoms. The explanation to this is very simple: the stomach lies on the left side with the way out towards the right. If you lie on the right side, the gastric juice will struggle to go up the esophagus, causing a burning feeling.

 

Did you know that: Lying down on the left side for 10 minutes after a meal may be a good way to fight the unpleasant heartburn sensations and improve digestion.

 

sleeping on the left side is better for digestion

 

#5 – It aids in digestion and prevents stomachache

When we sleep on the right side, the stomach “squashes” the pancreas and prevents it from working properly. Sleeping on the left side, instead, is a healthy habit to improve the work of pancreas and the digestion in general, because stomach acids are better steered, and the production of pancreas enzymes increases.

 

Did you know that: about 74 percent of people are side sleepers?

 

#6 – It boosts bowel activity

Sleeping on the left side helps our bowel to work properly. Thanks to the law of gravity, this position makes it easier for the food waste to move through the bowel, thus promoting peristalsis.

 

#7 – Promotes spleen’s activity

Spleens is an extremely valuable organ. It is part of the lymphatic system and is on the left side in our body. Spleen filters our blood and cleanses it of waste substances. Lying on the left side is healthy to the spleen because, doing so, its activity is boosted by gravitational pull.

#8 – Is good in pregnancy

Sleeping on the left side is better in pregnancy.

It is beneficial for a healthy pregnancy, because it improves the pregnant woman’s circulation, increasing blood flow to the uterus, fetus and kidneys. This habit can also help fight back pain, by relieving pressure on the back.

A study on “Typical sleep positions in pregnant women” conducted in 2014 showed that the majority of pregnant women sleep on their back, which may compromise the cardiovascular system and cause stillbirth.

 

Sleeping on your side (whether it is the left or the right side) can help people with breathing and snoring problems, as it helps open the airways and breathe better.

 

What are the cons of sleeping on your left side?

 

  • numb arms, causing the unpleasant “pins and needles” sensation;
  • shoulder, neck and back pain, that can be solved by changing the pillow and the mattress in order to support both your neck and the waist;
  • skin ageing, it may cause facial wrinkles and even saggy breasts.

 

What is the worst sleeping position?

 

On your stomach.

It doesn’t support the natural curve of the spine and puts extra pressure on your muscles and joints. Although this could be the perfect sleeping position for the snorers, sleeping on your stomach can cause neck pain and backache, due to a 90-degree neck angle.

 

 

Thank you for reading and if you find this article useful, please share it with your friends and leave me a comment. I would really appreciate it!

Stay healthy!

 

2 thoughts on “Why Sleeping On The Left Side Is Better? 8 Health Benefits.”

  1. Deborah says:
    November 6, 2018 at 5:52 pm

    This is a very interesting article. I think many of us don’t give much thought to our sleep position and how it may affect our health.

    Reply
    1. Alessandro Ventura says:
      November 10, 2018 at 10:36 pm

      Hi Deborah,thanks for your comment. Please keep following my blog

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Me

Anti Anxiety

Partner Website

Better than hypnosis

Tags

antioxidants anxiety apple brain breakfast cancer cellulite chocolate cholesterol coffee depression detox diabetes diet digestion food ginger green tea heart honey immune system insomnia liver meat memory metabolism muscles natural remedies nutrition olive oil omega-3 omega-6 pineapple protein serotonin skin sleep stress sugar supplements symptoms tomatoes vitamins walnuts weight loss
©2022 Up, Healthy And Fit | Powered by WordPress & Superb Themes
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.