If you’re like me, you probably don’t think much about how you sleep.
Imagine this: after a long day at work, you’ve played with the kids, made dinner, tucked them in, and maybe had a little time to chill with a show or a book. By the time you’re ready to go to bed, you’re so tired that you just stumble to your room and turn off the lights before you crash.
Everyone has different routines, but I’ve never really considered how I sleep. The main thing is that I get enough rest before facing another busy day, right?
Well, it turns out that might not be the case. You might be surprised to know that a lot happens in your body when you get those eight hours of sleep (even if I often get less). So, it’s worth thinking about how you actually sleep, even down to which side you lie on.
Most people have a favorite way to sleep. Some like to snooze on their right side, others on their left, and some even sleep on their backs like a pharaoh!
But guess what? Sleeping on your left side can have some great health benefits, and we thought it would be cool to share some of those with you, our awesome readers.
So, where’s all this coming from? Well, a few different online sources actually, and while the side you sleep on will ultimately come down to personal preference when comfort is taken into account, sleeping on your left side is said to help with the following:
Nighttime Heartburn
If you have acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, trying to sleep on your left side might help you feel better. This way, your stomach stays lower than your esophagus, which can reduce the chances of acid moving back up into your esophagus. This is important because that acid can cause the annoying feeling of heartburn.
Spleen and liver function
Sleeping on your left side is good for your spleen. It helps blood flow to this organ, which makes it work better at cleaning out impurities from your body and boosting your immune system.
Your liver, which is on the right side, can also get some benefits. When you sleep on your left side, it helps your body detoxify more effectively, making it easier to get rid of toxins and other substances.
Pregnant women
According to Sleep Foundation, pregnant women should sleep on their left side when possible, Sleeping on your left side helps the heart pump blood more easily throughout the body. This is really important in the last trimester of pregnancy because it reduces pressure on the liver and helps the heart work better.
Sleeping on your side is usually seen as a safer option during pregnancy. This is because some studies have linked sleeping on your back to a higher chance of late stillbirth.
Healthy bowel movement
The ileocecal valve (I know, it sounds complicated, right?) is the part that links your large and small intestines, and it’s found on the left side of your body. It’s said that sleeping on your left side can help move waste from the small intestine to the large intestine more easily. This is because gravity helps out, making it easier for your body to get rid of waste.
When to consider a switch in sleeping position
Sleeping on your left side isn’t the only option, and different sleeping positions can have their own advantages.
The key thing is to make sure you feel comfortable all night long and be ready to change positions if one doesn’t feel right. For instance, sleeping on your side might make shoulder pain worse because you’re putting more pressure on that side if you stay in the same spot for too long.
We hope you found this article helpful! Do you have a favorite way to sleep? If you do, let us know in the comments so we can get a conversation going!