TOP 7 REASONS, WHY SLEEP ON LEFT SIDE OF BODY.

Sleeping is vital for us. But it is not just the number of hours we sleep for, it is also the quality of sleep that is important. A night of good quality sleep gives our body and the mind the rest it deserves! 

WHY YOU SHOULD BE SLEEPING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF OUR BODY.

The left side of the body is completely different from the right. In Ayurveda, it is believed that the left side is for rest and by sleeping on the left side we are encouraging numerous health benefits. They include:

Image: woman lying on her left side of body

1.Encourage Lymphatic Drainage

The left side of the body is the dominant side of the lymphatic system. Most of the body's lymph fluids drain in the Thoracic cavity which is located on the left side of the body may be down to drainage. Any ailments located on the left side of the body may be down to drainage problems. Problems on the right side of the body are thought to be down to imbalances in the Liver & blood; the liver is located on the right side of the body.

2.Improve Elimination

The large intestine travels along the right side of your stomach where it deposits waste into your colon, which is on the left side. So if you sleep on the left side, you work with gravity to encourage good waste to move more easily along the small intestine and then into the large intestine. If you continue to sleep on the left all night, the waste moves easily into the colon hence the colon is then full of waste ready to eliminate in the morning.

3.Support the Spleen

The Spleen is a part of the lymphatic system and it filters not only lymph but also blood. If you lay on your left, you help improve drainage. By sleeping on the left, with a little help from gravity, you help the body filter toxins more effectively.

4.Boost Digestion

Lie on your left side after a meal for around 10 minutes to allow the stomach and pancreas to hang on the left side. The food is encouraged to move through the stomach thus the enzymes are released as of when needed and not all at once.

5.Reduces heartburn

The theory that left-side sleeping aids digestion and waste elimination was born from  principles,but modern research also supports this idea. A 10 participants found a relationship between laying on the right side and increased cases of heartburn than when laying on the left side. theorize that if we lie on the left side, the stomach and its gastric juices remain lower than the esophagus while we sleep.

Also READ: WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID USING PHONE SOME HOURS BEFORE SLEEP

6.Boosts brain health. 

Our minds benefit from side sleeping because we have gunk there, too. When compared to back or stomach sleeping, sleeping on your left or right side helps your body clear what’s called  from the brain. This brain cleanse may help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s,Parkinson’s, and other neurological diseases.

7.Reduces snoring or sleep apnea. 

Sleeping on your side keeps your tongue from falling into your throat and partially blocking your airway. If side sleeping doesn’t alleviate your snoring or you suspect you have untreated sleep apnea, talk to your doctor to find a solution that works for you.

TIPS FOR SIDE SLEEPER FOR GOOD NIGHT SLEEP

Below you’ll find our top six tips for side sleepers:

  • Find a mattress that supports your body. For side sleepers, look for a medium-firm memory foam mattress.
  • Be gentle on the shoulder and hip that you sleep on. Avoid anything that applies too much pressure to these parts.
  • Go with a firmer pillow that will keep your head off the mattress. More specifically, you want your head to be right in between your two shoulders.
    Image: an Expectant woman

  • Use a thin pillow between your knees when sleeping to prevent soreness in your hips or to keep your knees from banging into each other.
  • And while, we’re on the subject of pillows – when it comes to side sleepers, the more pillows the better. Experiment with hugging pillows or placing a pillow behind your back until you find your most comfortable combination.
  • If you’re pregnant, snore, or suffer from sleep apnea, a good rule of thumb is to sleep on your left side.

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