Sleeping on your left side is thought to have the greatest benefits for your overall health. Even so, either side can offer benefits in terms of sleep apnea and relief from chronic low back pain. You don't have to stay with one side all night. Feel free to start on the left side and see how your body feels.
According to ancient traditions such as Vastu Shastra, the best direction to sleep is to the south. This theory is also supported by some recent research. This means that when you lie on the bed, your head points south and your feet point north. When you rest on your back, your nostrils tend to close, which can cause you to snore.
Sleeping on your left side can help open your airways naturally and make breathing easier. You can also find relief if you rest on your right side, but doctors think sleeping on your left side is more effective. It is also the recommended sleeping position for people with sleep apnea. If you think your sleeping position is affecting your ability to sleep well at night, keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of each sleeping position.
If you snore or have sleep apnea, it's best to sleep on your side. Because of the anatomy and location of your body's internal organs, these incredible benefits only come from sleeping on your left side instead of sleeping on your right side. It can disturb sleep and cause thickening and problems with the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain, face, and neck. Meanwhile, 17 percent of Americans like to sleep on their stomach, 13 percent sleep on their side, with their arms stretched out, and 11 percent sleep on their backs.
If you're looking for additional help when it comes to sleeping with GERD, you can also explore solutions such as an acid reflux pillow, which keeps you in the best sleeping position to minimize acid reflux during the night. Christopher Winter, MD, medical director of the Sleep Medicine Center at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, who spoke to CNN about the pros and cons of sleeping on your side. That said, sleeping on your back seems to be ideal for most people, followed by the left side and then the right side. Your sleeping position plays an important role in the quality of your sleep, which means it may be time to change it.
Research has shown that those who sleep in the north-south position also take longer to enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, an essential stage of sleep for cognitive functioning, emotional well-being and overall health. About 47 percent of Americans sleep in the fetal position, making it the most common sleeping position, according to the Better Sleep Council. People with digestive problems, obstructive sleep apnea, and high blood pressure may benefit from sleeping on their left side. However, it's important to note that if you suffer from positional sleep apnea, experts recommend avoiding the prone sleeping position; in this case, sleeping on your side often serves as a good sleeping position.
If you are interested in other ways to improve your sleep and bedroom design, you may want to consider some additional recommendations from feng shui and vastu shastra. For example, if you suffer from back pain or snoring and sleep apnea, change positions to keep your spine aligned. If you snore or have breathing problems, sleeping on your side is the best option to open your airways and be able to breathe better at night, says sleep specialist W.
