Sleeping On Your Left Side Is Surprisingly Great For Your Health
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Over the years, many people have made an increasingly big deal about how they sleep and what it means about them. For example, some folks are convinced that if a partner sleeps on their side facing away from them, it means the other person isn’t really committed to the relationship.
Now, somehow, we doubt that what side you sleep on will have an impact on your relationship or your love life in general. However, it does have a profound effect on the last thing you’d expect: your health. Specifically, sleeping on your left side has a number of health benefits that might be major game-changers for your body.
What kind of benefits are we talking about? Keep reading to discover for yourself!
Leftside sleepers have better livers and spleens
When thinking about their health, most people never consider their livers and spleens. However, these inner organs have a major impact on your health. And sleeping on your left side can have a major impact on how well they function on a daily basis.
For instance, your spleen is on your left side, and it functions at maximum efficiency when it is receiving good blood flow. Sleeping on your left side provides the flow that it needs, helping it filter the impurities out of your body and generally function better. Conversely, sleeping on your right side can keep your spleen from functioning as efficiently while leading to liver congestion.
Long story short? Being a left-side sleeper provides two benefits in one. It helps your spleen process those impurities and it helps your liver to similarly handle unwanted toxins in your body.
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Sleeping on your left side prevents heartburn
There are plenty of reasons why you might not be getting enough sleep, and they range from the usual racing thoughts to having too much caffeine throughout the day. For some, the biggest culprit is a nasty case of heartburn. This can be caused simply by something you ate, but it can also be a side effect of having GERD or acid reflux.
No matter what is causing it, sleeping on your left side can help prevent that nasty heartburn from keeping you awake at night. That’s because this sleeping position keeps your stomach below your esophagus, reducing how much acid ends up flowing back into your esophagus.
Just like that, you can make painful nighttime heartburn a thing of the past!
Left-side sleepers have improved lymphatic systems
Pop quiz, hot shot: how is your lymphatic system a bit like your liver and spleen? Simple: this is another part of your body that most people don’t consider when thinking about their health. And like those aforementioned organs, your lymphatic system plays a major role in filtering impurities out of your body and keeping you as healthy as possible.
You can probably guess where we’re going with this: sleeping on your left side really helps your lymphatic system perform at maximum efficiency. Why is that? The short answer is that it helps your thoracic duct receive better drainage. That helps get more toxins out of your body, and that can do more than help you sleep…it can also improve your overall health and your daily sense of well-being.
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The side you sleep on affects digestion
What’s a problem that countless people suffer from that most people hate to talk about? Digestive issues, of course! Many people suffer from a variety of digestive problems that cause them to run to the bathroom again and again throughout the day and night. And while there are a number of over-the-counter medications designed to help with this, there is one natural solution you should consider trying.
Sleeping on your left side can help with digestion for a surprisingly simple reason. Your ileocecal valve helps move waste through your intestines, and sleeping on your left side helps make that movement easier. By sleeping on your left side, you can give yourself more regular bowel movements throughout the day.
Having better digestion can obviously help you sleep better at night. But it can also help you enjoy your daily activities that much more, all while helping you reach your weight loss goals. And if that isn’t worth changing how you sleep, what is?
Left-side sleeping is best for pregnant women
You can probably tell from our guide that sleeping on your left side is better for just about everyone. However, one group benefits from it the most, and that’s pregnant women.
If you are pregnant, sleeping on your left side will give you all of the benefits mentioned above. But it will also alleviate your liver pressure while improving heart function and circulation. All of this can make pregnancy (especially in the last trimester) far less stressful and painful.