Of course, there is a direction that we are all used to when falling asleep, and we usually prefer to sleep in that position. However, the direction in which you fall asleep matters more than you might imagine.
In this direction, what kind of opinions do the experts on the subject have and which side is more correct, let’s make a detailed examination.
According to a scientific study conducted in 2017, approximately 54% of adults sleep on their side.
He conducted a study on sleeping style at a university in the USA and revealed that sleeping on the side is much more effective in clearing the brain. In general, regardless of whether it is right or left, lying on the side is much more effective in the functioning of the lymphatic systems than sleeping on the back or face.
The working performance of the lymph systems also plays a significant role in the accumulation of unwanted chemicals in the brain. In other words, the lying position positively affects both the lymph systems and the removal of chemicals in the brain.
In the meantime, the space between the nerve cells and capillaries in the brain expands and waste cleaning begins to accelerate. Thus, the risk of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s is greatly reduced. So, do the right and left sides have a distinctiveness on our sleep quality?
In fact, it is not possible to reach a clear consensus on whether the right side or the left side is healthier. Both sides have some advantages in terms of various ailments.
For example, if you go to sleep with a right-handed position, the right nostril is blocked and the left nostril is opened. Breathing through the left nose increases the function of the right brain hemisphere and stimulates the right hemisphere; It allows the heart rate and gastrointestinal activities to slow down, the nervous system activities to increase and blood pressure to decrease.
In this direction, the heart gets less tired during sleep and in fact it becomes much easier to fall asleep, and the quality of sleep reaches the highest point. Again, the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates blood pressure and heart rhythm, works much better in right-sided sleep.
Experts say that when it comes to the digestive system, it is much healthier to sleep on the left side.
If you lie to the left, the stomach stays lower than the esophagus, which makes it difficult for stomach acid to rise up the esophagus. In a study conducted in 2022, it was determined that people who sleep on their left side suffer less from reflux complaints compared to the right side.
If you have sleep apnea, it is useful to choose the right direction. Researchers state that sleep apnea symptoms are much more reduced when the right side is preferred, and yet another study confirms that sleeping on the right side reduces the complaints even more in people with moderate or severe levels of the disease.
Although the most important detail in protecting heart health is getting enough sleep, of course, there are advantages to one side.
As predicted, patients with heart failure feel more pain and discomfort when they lie on their left side and tend to sleep on the right. On the other hand, falling asleep to the left helps blood move more easily towards the heart.
When it comes to pregnancy, opinions vary considerably. When pregnant women sleep on their back, there is often a risk of high blood pressure, and there is an increased chance of decreased blood flow to the baby.
The answer to the question of whether the right or the left is healthier is both. A study conducted in 2019 does not see any risk in pregnant women sleeping on both sides and states that the important thing is not to sleep on their back. Of course, in this process, as we mentioned above, if there are some health problems, a direction can be chosen accordingly.
Bonus: If you are one of those who say that my skin beauty is more important than anything, you should forget about the side sleeping positions, whether right or left.
Lying to the right or left during sleep can cause fine lines and wrinkles in the long run. You must have noticed the thin pillow lines on your face as soon as you get out of bed. To avoid these, sleeping on your back will be very beneficial for skin health.