Certain sleeping positions are specifically useful to get the proper blood circulation flowing.
Unfortunately, lack of awareness has drowned countless people following the wrong poisons and consequently deteriorating their health in the long run.
To make sure you don’t make the same mistake, here is the complete guide on the best sleeping position for blood circulation.
Contents
How Sleeping Position Affects Your Health
Where most adults don’t have second thoughts about their sleeping position before going to bed, a poor sleeping position is one of the biggest culprits behind snoring, back pain, sleep apnea, and other breathing problems.
Therefore, it is necessary to make the right decision before health issues will occur.
The Best Sleeping Position for Blood Circulation
When it comes to improving blood circulation, sleeping on your left side is the ideal sleeping position.
Sleeping on your left improves the blod flow to the fetus, uterus, and kidneys.[1]
In addition, some doctors recommend pregnant women to asleep on their left side keep the uterus off the liver.[1]
Another thing worth mentioning is the posture benefits of this position that not many people are aware of.
The slightly curved spine recreates the spine’s natural curve that we had in the womb.
Once you start to sleep like that, you will get to notice the tension from the shoulders easing up, reduce lower back pain and actually help you have a healthier posture in the long run.
Sleeping on your left side also might help with acid reflux at night.
People who sleep on the left side reduce their chances of suffering from heartburn than people who sleep on the right.[2]
That’s because when you sleep on your left side, gravity helps the food to reach your stomach.
Therefore, many people with gastrointestinal illnesses sleep on their left side.
Also, if you are prone to breathing or snoring problems, sleeping on your side is can help to reduce the severity of the symptoms and open up your airways.
How Should Side Sleepers Sleep?
As mentioned, sleeping on yor left side has a tremendous benefits on your health, posture and sleep quality.
However, there are some impotant adjustments you must do when you sleep on your side.
Otherwise, it can do more harm than good.
The adjustments required specific for you depends on factors as your body type, your mattress, your pillows, etc.
Therefore, seeing an expert who is able to customize the adjustments for your specific situation is the best thing you can do.
Till then, here are some general recommendations:
What do you do with your arms when you sleep on your side?
When you sleep on your side, the shoulder at the top might be internal rotated.
It may result in a bad posture and higher risk of injuries.
A quick fix is to hug a pillow.
It will prevent the shoulder at the top from collapsing into your chest at night.
Another solution is the sleep in the log position where the arm at the top is resting on the side of your body.
Another advantage of the log sleeping position is that there is no pressure against your diaphragm like.
Other side sleeping positions, like the fetal position, might constrain your breathing.
How do you sleep on your side without hurting your back?
It is recommended to have a pillow or two between your knees to prevent a rotation at the hip and to keep your back straight.
The pillow should cover all the area between your ankle and the knee.
Because the leg at the top squeezes the pillow on the leg at the bottom, it might make the bottom leg feel hot and sweaty.
If that bothers you, you can sleep on you side in the tiger knee position.
In this position you move one of your knees foreward.
When you sleep in the tiger knee position, you should put the pillows below the knee you move foreward.
This way the leg at the bottom is free and cool, and the leg at the top is parallel to the mattress, as it should be.
Another issue is that gravity might curve you spine downroad.
Therfore, put a pillow, a towel or anything thing that feels comfortable, to feel the gap between your waist and the mattress.
The softer your mattress is, the more you sink into the mattress, and therefore there is a smaller gap you should fill, so you need to use a smaller pillow.
I prefer to sleep on a firm mattress, therfore I place a big pillow below my waist,
What is the best pillow for a neck pain of side sleepers?
If you are a side sleeper, try using a pillow that keeps your head proportional to the rest of your body.
A too big or a too small pillow will cuase your neck to curve.
Things to Avoid During Sleep
Now that you are aware of the best sleeping position for blood circulation, lets take a look at some of the things you must avoid:
Avoid the right side
The sleep specialist W.Christopher Winter, MD, told CNN that sleeping on your right side is the worst thing you can do for your heart.[3]
The reason is that when you sleep on your right side, you put a lot of pressure on the vein that returns blood to the heart.
The good news is that if you manage to sleep on your right side without squishing that vein, you might be able to sleep safely on your right side.
However, it is always recommended to avoid sleeping on your right side, to stay on the safe side (the left side).
Avoid the Stomach
Sleeping on your belly can case many health problems.
Stomach sleepers tend to put more pressure on their joints’ sensitive areas, which can inevitably lead to aches and nerve issues.
Considering how your neck and spine aren’t aligned well with your body’s natural position, you can expect to wake up with back and neck pain.
Also, you have to turn your head an entire 90-degree angle from your body to be able to breathe while sleeping.
Therefore, unless you have something on your pillow to breathe through, there is nothing healthy about sleeping in this position.
The curvature of your spine is causing direct pressure on your lower back and, over time, causes lower back issues.
Although it can ease snoring and aid digestion, many other serious health problems can arise from simply sleeping on your stomach.
Regular stomach sleepers usually complain about constant numbness and tingling.
To reduce some of the damage, you can prop your forehead up on a pillow so you can breathe without turning your head to the side.
In addition, peform the next adjustments:
- Please don’t place your hand below the pillow or your head, as it might cause numbness and/or shoulder pain.
- Put a pillow under your pelvis to prevent an unnatural extension in the lower back.
- Keep both of your legs flat and equals.
Too Much Fatty Food
Foods containing high-fat content build plaque in your arteries, making your blood fight harder to reach its destination.
Therefore, replace fatty foods with healthy foods that contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fibers.
It is also recommended to stop eating at least 2 – 3 hours before nedtome to digest your food before hitting the sack.
Lack of Movement Throughout the Day
Lack of movement, in general, can be the #1 culprit why you are unable to have a peaceful sleep or perhaps feel numb in the morning.
The more you move, the better your body pumps blood.
Thus, carry out regular workouts to increase blood flow and release endorphins to help you sleep better throughout the night.
If you can’t visit the gym, consider being more physically active throughout the day.
This includes morning walks, a walk after dinner, going to the nearest cafe on foot, etc.
These minor changes can quickly add up to yield results on your blood circulation and sleep.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you are now fully armed with what you need to know about the best sleeping position for blood circulation.
You will probably never improve blood circulation unless you manage your lifestyle choices along with your sleeping position. Therefore, starting from today:
- Quit smoking
- Eat healthier (go for minerals and vitamins rich food)
- Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine
- Get used to sleeping in a good sleeping position for blood circulation
I hope you will find the best sleeping position for blood circulation helpful and get relief from all types of aches and pains.
Good luck!
