Current studies reported that sleeping on the left side of your body have many wonderful health benefits, aside from resulting in a better night’s rest, . According to the ancient Indian science Ayurveda, sleeping on your left side contains various positive benefits.
We are going to focus on the 7 most important reasons to start sleeping on the left side of your body.
Health Benefits of Sleeping on Your Left Side:
1. Bolsters the Lymphatic System
As per Ayurvedic medicine, sleeping on your left side allows your body to better filter waste and lymph fluid via the lymph nodes because the left side of our body is the dominant lymphatic side.
Western research reported that sleeping on the left side can help your body process waste materials from the brain. In contrast, if you sleep on your right side, it can decrease the lymphatic system’s efficiency.
2. Improves Digestion
The stomach can be found on the left side of your body, therefore, sleeping on your left allows waste to travel easily from the intestines to the colon. Lying on your right side makes the digestive process a little more difficult due to gravity.
Also, it is believed that pancreatic enzymes are developed more easily while you are lying on the left side of the body. Added to that, sleeping on your left side promotes a bowel movement in the morning.
3. Ideal for Pregnant Women
Sleeping on your left side helps improve pregnant women’s circulation. Also, it can help in relieving pressure on your back, therefore, keeping the uterus from squeezing the liver, and increasing blood flow to the kidneys, uterus, and fetus.
Doctors also recommend for pregnant women to spend as much of their sleep time as possible on their left sides.
4. Improves Heart Health
Included in the biggest players on your left side is the heart. As per Dr. John Douillard, “It makes perfect sense that if you are sleepiing on your left side, the lymph drainage toward your heart will again be helped by gravity, therefore, taking some of the workload off your heart as you sleep.”
The aorta, which is the biggest artery in the body, leaves the top of your heart and arches to the left, before heading down into the abdomen. By sleeping on your left side, the heart is pumping its biggest payload downhill into the descending aorta.
5. Improves Spleen Health
Another organ that will reap the benefits if you sleep on your left side is the spleen.
As per Dr. John Douillard, “When you lay on your left side, drainage back to the spleen is once again helped, and is made easier by gravity.”
6. Relieve Back Pain
People who are suffering from chronic back pain may benefit from switching to left-side sleeping. This is because sleeping on your side can help relieve pressure on the spine. Also, feeling more comfortable, will improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.
7. Reduce Heartburn
Foods that are acidic including pasta, pizza, and even coffee can help trigger heartburn. Anyone who has tried to sleep, and also suffering from heartburn will tell how uncomfortable that experience can be. But, sleeping on the left side of your body has been reported to calm acid reflux.
Since the stomach is positioned on the left side of the body, sleeping on your left allows gravity to do its work. Also, it is believed that indigestion and heartburn will increase, when sleeping on the right side.
Sources:
Life Spa
Medical Daily
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