Have you ever considered how your sleep position could affect your health? Most of us focus on getting enough hours of sleep each night, but did you know how you sleep can be just as important as how long you sleep?
Whether you’re a back, stomach, or side sleeper, each position impacts your body. Sleep experts and doctors have praised side sleeping for offering a range of health benefits beyond simply getting some shut-eye.
From improving digestion to reducing snoring and supporting brain health, side sleeping can positively affect how your body functions and feels.
Let us explore seven ways that side sleeping can benefit your body and overall health, and why it might be the simplest change you can make to wake up feeling your best.
1. Improving Digestion
One almost unknown side benefit of side sleeping is its effect on digestion. Specifically, resting in a left lateral position aids the digestive system’s functions more efficiently. This is due to gravity assisting food movement from the stomach to the small intestine.
According to Ayurvedic principles, one of the oldest healing sciences, sleeping on the left side is considered best to aid digestion and promote a healthy lifestyle. Many people find that using the best pillows for side sleepers enhances comfort and helps them maintain the left-side position, supporting better digestion and reducing bloating upon waking.
It’s astonishing how small adjustments like this can have such a big impact on overall health. Investing in the best pillows for side sleepers can improve digestive health and sleep quality.
2. Reducing Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Further, sleeping on the left side also helps reduce heartburn and acid reflux. While sleeping on the left side, the stomach lies below the oesophagus, countering the flow of stomach acid.
Heartburn can dampen your mood and make you feel cranky the next day. Numerous people experience sleeping in different positions, like sleeping on their stomachs or using extra pillows, to find relief.
However, if you have trouble sleeping on the left side, the best pillows for side sleepers can make a huge difference. These pillows provide the essential support to align the head and neck, helping to maintain the optimal position for reducing heartburn and promoting restful sleep.
3. Supporting Brain Health
Your position while sleeping impacts how effectively your brain removes waste. Research indicates that sleeping on your side aids the glymphatic system, removing waste from the brain. This phenomenon may reduce the risk of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s.
This process is similar to taking out trash; avoiding the process for too long results in backlogged waste. The ability to shift sleep positions and assist such processes is intriguing, even if these clean-up activities occur while we are unaware.
4. Supporting Spine Alignment
Sleeping on your side can also help maintain the spine’s natural curve. Lying on your side with legs slightly bent helps ease pressure on the spine. Side sleeping may also benefit you if you suffer from neck and back pain.
As with all forms of side sleeping, not all are alike. Proper alignment requires using the best pillows for side sleepers, supporting the head. Some individuals even place a pillow between their knees to enhance comfort.
5. Reducing Snoring
If your spouse frequently complains about the volume of your snoring or you are with an obnoxious sleeper, side sleeping may work for you. If you sleep on your back, the tongue and soft tissue usually collapse into the airway, leading to snoring or sleep apnea.
Side sleeping tends to keep the airway more open than back sleeping, which can reduce the likelihood of snoring. Sleep experts often recommend side sleeping for patients with mild sleep apnea. Shifting to pillows for side sleepers could be worth trying if you have been exiled to the sofa due to snoring.
6. Boosting Circulation
Your sleeping position can also boost your body’s overall circulation. Your blood circulation and heart efficiency improve when you rest on your side with your knees slightly bent. This reduces vein pressure, lowering the chances of varicose veins and swollen feet.
The small changes in posture, such as wedging a pillow between your legs, can help maintain proper circulation. While seemingly minimal, such changes can significantly improve health and well-being. Improved circulation aids your body in self-repair; hence, you wake up feeling rejuvenated and less stiff.
7. Promoting Overall Health Naturally
A more informative reason for promoting health while sleeping is that it does not require sleep trackers or advanced technologies. Due to its simplicity, sleeping on your side can be a more advantageous sleeping position.
With so many technological advancements, we no longer give our bodies the credit they deserve. Instead, we look towards supplements, new bedding, and even fancy new beds. Sometimes, physically changing your positioning does the trick.
Naturally, everyone’s body is unique. For some, sleeping on their back may be preferred due to certain medical conditions, or stomach sleeping for ease (albeit not recommended for the spine). As always, you should consult a physician for sleep or health concerns.
A Final Thought
When we talk about sleep, we usually focus on quantity, getting our eight hours a night. But sleep quality and position matter just as much. Side sleeping offers many benefits, from aiding digestion to supporting brain health. It’s a gentle, natural adjustment that can lead to better rest and improved well-being.
So tonight, when you crawl into bed, consider rolling onto your side and seeing how your body responds. Small changes often lead to big results, and the best pillows for side sleepers might be the key to waking up refreshed, healthier, and ready to take on the day.
