Rest after eating
Which side is better to lie on after eating? In order to facilitate the digestion process, it is better to sleep on the left side. This is due to the fact that in this position the stomach and pancreas are not compressed by other organs. Therefore, food is digested faster, and enzymes are produced better by the pancreas.
Also, food masses pass through the intestines faster if you lie on your left side, especially after a heavy dinner. The digestive process will speed up (when compared with another horizontal position of the body), and by the morning the person will feel the urge to defecate.
It is important that if a person lies on his left side, the lymphatic system is strengthened, which also contributes to the normal functioning of the body as a whole. It has been proven that there are more lymphatic vessels on the left side. Consequently, waste products that are processed by the lymphatic system are eliminated from the body faster and more efficiently.
Additional Information! Sleeping on the left side is also recommended for diabetes. But to relieve excess stress on the kidneys, it is recommended to bend your knees.
The liver functions better if a person sleeps on the left side. This is due to the fact that many different processes take place in it during sleep, and in this position blood circulation increases. Thanks to this, congestion in the liver is prevented.
Important points
Recently, experts have begun to say that it is very important not only to get enough time to rest at night. You also need to do it right. Many will be surprised: what does this mean? So, doctors answer that a lot depends on just one position of night sleep, namely:
- The digestive system works first.
- State of immunity.
- The appearance of the skin, especially the face.
It should be noted that, in fact, there are a lot of sleeping positions: on the back, on the stomach, but on one and the other side. People even manage to sleep in a ball, curled up in a very small ball.
Body position is usually the key to comfort. We change positions throughout the night and usually wake up in a different position than in which we fell asleep. If you are advised to sleep on your left side for medical reasons, use an extra pillow or tennis ball attached to your back to discourage unconscious turning.
If your doctors have not recommended a specific sleeping position for you, choose a position that is most comfortable for you.
If you have questions about whether your posture is affecting your health, consult a sleep specialist.
Heartburn
Many people suffer from heartburn, but not everyone knows that you can prevent its occurrence by developing the habit of lying and sleeping on your left side. This is explained by the fact that the stomach is on the left side. And due to its specific curved shape, in this position the stomach contents do not reflux into the esophagus.
Interesting! When does heartburn begin in pregnant women: the mechanism of occurrence
People with frequent heartburn are not recommended to lie down on a flat horizontal surface. It is better to have a pillow under your head, then the upper body will be raised. Therefore, if you have heartburn and pain in the right hypochondrium, you need to pay special attention to your body position while resting.
Which side is best for a baby to sleep on?
Newborns should not be placed on their back. The baby may burp or choke on vomit. In addition, this position contributes to deformation of the skull bones. Some babies prefer to sleep on their stomach because it allows them to pass gas more easily. It is not recommended to constantly leave the baby sleeping in this position, since the child may bury his face in the mattress and suffocate.
It is better to place children on their sides. Unlike adults, babies can sleep on both sides. It is recommended to alternate to prevent the development of dysplasia of internal organs or torticollis. It is better not to use a pillow. Do not forget to regularly change bed linen and ventilate the room in which the child sleeps.
Right side
Which side is better to sleep on for better health? This is an individual question. Sometimes people are still advised to rest after eating and sleep on their right side. Namely, this applies to people with gallstone disease. This measure will help reduce the manifestations of characteristic symptoms and significantly alleviate the patient’s condition.
The disadvantages of this situation are the inhibition of the digestive process. This way food masses can be thrown into the esophagus. The lymphatic system also slows down. Because of this, toxins are not eliminated from the body on time.
Main rules of sleep
These include the following basic concepts:
⇒ the place to sleep should be solely for sleeping, without gathering there during the day or watching movies.
⇒ some scientific studies have proven that “clacking” a laptop in bed before bed causes poor sleep and even leads to insomnia;
⇒ the air should be fresh in the place where you sleep, and also a little cool, so ventilation before bed is mandatory. Even if it is bitterly cold outside, 1-2 minutes of fresh air will only be beneficial and will not cool the room much;
⇒ the room should be darkened without a clearly visible source of sharp, white light;
⇒ bright white light, as well as bluish light from mobile phones and laptops, lead to a decrease in the concentration of the hormone melatonin. As a result, the brain receives information that it is too early for the body to sleep and is in a state of full wakefulness.
Take into account all the above tips and may your sleep be sound and your health good. Good luck!
Recommendations
It often happens that you want to lie down after eating. Doctors still recommend overcoming this desire and staying awake for 1 hour. This will allow the body to digest food faster.
Sleeping immediately after eating is not beneficial, since the body cannot fully rest. The digestion process will be in the active phase, and due to the supine position it will also be slowed down. In addition, if a person falls asleep with a full stomach, then the sleep will be restless with nightmares.
Note! It is generally not recommended to overeat at night. Eating should not occur later than 3 hours before bedtime. If you constantly break this rule, then diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are guaranteed. For example, reflux, obesity, etc.
Sleeping on your back
If the patient does not suffer from breathing problems and snoring, then sleeping on the back will be beneficial. This position allows the body to fully rest and restore strength more effectively, since lying on your back is the optimal position for our spine.
In this position, there is minimal stress on the abdominal organs; the stomach is located below the esophagus, which has a beneficial effect on overall well-being.
What to do?
If nighttime heartburn constantly takes you by surprise, and there is no opportunity to visit a gastroenterologist right now, there are several ways to eliminate the unpleasant symptom:
- replace the pillow with one that provides the head with an elevated position compared to the body;
- have dinner no later than 3 hours before going to bed, the food should be light, low-calorie for trouble-free digestion;
- analyze the medications that are currently being taken, ask the doctor about the possibility of discontinuing them or selecting analogues that do not provoke heartburn;
- adhere to a healthy diet;
- Wear comfortable pajamas that will not put pressure on the abdominal area.
Which side is better to sleep on to avoid nighttime heartburn? Doctors advise choosing a position on the left side, since sleeping on the right side relaxes the muscle that prevents food debris from entering the esophagus from the stomach.
Medications
When severe heartburn occurs at night, many people run to the pharmacy to purchase medication that can eliminate the unpleasant symptom. The pharmaceutical market offers a wide range of antacids and alginates that reduce acidity in the stomach, protect epithelial tissue from irritation and create a thin layer on the surface of the mucosa. The burning sensation in the esophagus goes away after 5-10 minutes and leaves the person alone for several hours. Such drugs include:
- Maalox;
- Phosphalugel;
- Gaviscon;
- Almagel;
- Laminal;
- Gastal;
- Alginates (calcium, magnesium, sodium).
If there is no effect from taking the listed drugs for several days, it is recommended to start using antisecretory drugs - Ranitidine, Omeprazole, Omitox. They stop the production of hydrochloric acid, accelerate the healing of the mucous membrane, and prevent the development of peptic ulcers.
What other medications are needed to eliminate nighttime heartburn:
- prokinetics - Domrid, Domperidone. They improve the digestion process, strengthen the sphincter, which prevents the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus;
- medications to normalize intestinal flora - Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Hilak Forte;
- drugs that stabilize stools and relieve bloating - Smecta, Mezim, Creon;
- vitamin complexes – Duovit, Vitrum, Alphabet. Used to increase the body's defenses.
Advice! Not a single medication will give the desired effect if a person continues to eat dry food, overeat, and abuse alcohol. During treatment, be sure to follow the diet prescribed by your doctor.
Diet
To get rid of heartburn that occurs at night, it is important to review your diet. You should exclude foods that increase the acidity of the gastric environment:
- citrus;
- tomatoes;
- fried, spicy, salty, fatty foods;
- sausages, spices;
- onion garlic;
- fast food and carbonated drinks.
You can consume fermented milk products in small quantities, but it is better to avoid increased amounts of salt, sugar, baked goods and sauces. During a diet, it is important to cook dishes exclusively in a double boiler or oven - frying in sunflower oil aggravates the symptoms of heartburn.
Every day you should drink at least two liters of liquid - water, compotes, fruit drinks, green tea, decoctions of medicinal herbs. A special point of the diet is split meals; you need to eat often, but little by little. This way, the food will have time to digest, easing the load on the stomach and esophageal sphincter.
Lifestyle
It’s now clear which side you should sleep on if you have heartburn – on the left. It is important to ensure that the body is in an elevated position, and in case of severe attacks of burning, it is better to sleep half-sitting. All physical activity should be completed several hours before going to bed. To get rid of heartburn for a long time, it is important to reconsider your lifestyle:
- give up cigarettes, alcohol, or at least reduce their consumption;
- exclude soda and strong coffee;
- do not overeat at night;
- limit stress and conflicts.
If you have heartburn, it is useful to engage in sports that do not require excessive stress, and to spend more time in the fresh air. It is important to get proper rest - sleep at least 8 hours a day.
A healthy lifestyle is a component of good health
Folk remedies
Among the alternative medicine recipes for eliminating heartburn are:
- daily use of viburnum jam - it is prepared from fresh berries, grinding them with sugar and boiling with water over low heat. Take 2-3 tablespoons per day;
- preparing a mixture of potato juice and honey - the composition promotes healing of the mucous membrane and eliminates burning sensation in the esophagus;
- treatment with celery infusion - steam 2 tablespoons of crushed raw material with a glass of boiling water and use during heartburn attacks;
- drinking raw quail eggs in the morning - the product has an antacid effect and relieves burning in the esophagus, like good pharmaceutical medicines.
For frequent heartburn, it is useful to crack sunflower seeds, eat hazelnuts and almonds, and take three tablespoons of rice water daily. For emergency relief from stomach discomfort, you can drink warm milk - it neutralizes hydrochloric acid.
What to do during pregnancy?
How can a pregnant woman relieve stomach pain and relieve nighttime heartburn? It is better to use traditional medicine, but with the permission of your doctor, you can take a drug from the group of antacids - Rennie, Maalox, Gaviscon. To prevent discomfort, you should eat small meals and avoid fatty and spicy foods.
How else to get rid of heartburn at night during pregnancy? Go to bed half-sitting, in loose pajamas, having a light dinner 3-4 hours before your night's rest. It is important to avoid stress, take multivitamins for pregnant women, get proper rest and walk outside more often.
Heartburn medications during pregnancy should only be prescribed by a doctor.
Prevention and treatment
Therapy is carried out only after contacting a specialist and making a diagnosis. For rare manifestations of symptoms, a number of drugs have been used successfully.
- Medicines that restore the functioning of the stomach (Mukofalk, Motilak, Ganaton, Exportal).
- Anti-secretory PPIs (Pantoprazole, Lansoprazole, Gastrozole, Peptazole, Omitox, Sanpraz, Pepticum).
- Enzyme agents (Festal, Pancreatin, Mezim, Somilaza, Pangrol, Digestal, Creon, Panzinorm).
- Antacids (Gestid, Maalox, Relzer, Gastal, Rennie, calcium carbonate, Almagel, Palmagel).
- Drugs that reduce acid production (Neutronorm-retard, Ranitidine, Roxatidine).
- Bacterial agents (Lactobacterin, Bactisporin, Acilact, Hilak, Acipol, Bifiform, Baktisubtil).
Therapy is carried out only after contacting a specialist and making a diagnosis. When symptoms are rare, a number of drugs have been used successfully.
Sleeping with a tendency to snore
When snoring, there is a decrease in the tone of the smooth muscles of the soft palate and uvula. This leads to a narrowing of the lumen for the passage of air into the respiratory tract. The air passes through with difficulty, causing shaking of the walls of the air passages and a corresponding sound. Sometimes breathing reflexively stops for a few seconds - this dangerous condition is called apnea; if it stops for a long time, breathing may not be restored.
To snore less and reduce the risk of developing apnea, you need to learn to sleep on your side. It’s better to go on the left or change sides periodically. Sometimes the prone position may be suitable if the snorer is not overweight.
You may be interested in learning about what apnea is, the reasons for its development, methods of treatment and prevention.
Folk remedies
The use of natural remedies has proven effective in preventing and treating the disease. But it is important to establish the cause and consider the frequency of symptoms.
The following natural remedies will help prevent and relieve symptoms.
Heartburn goes away if you dissolve a little coarse table salt (1-2 grams) in your mouth.
Use a decoction of rosehip fruits or roots forty minutes before meals (200 milliliters warm). The dosage rate is 4 times a day.
The decoction is prepared as follows: boil two tablespoons of berries for 8 minutes in 500 milliliters of water, leave for 20 minutes to infuse; crushed rosehip roots older than three years (4 tablespoons) are boiled in one liter of water for twenty minutes.
Then add to the required volume and leave for 12 hours.
Forty minutes before meals, drink Jerusalem artichoke (earthen pear) juice, two tablespoons diluted with water.
In advanced cases, symptoms are treated with an infusion of corn flour: one tablespoon of flour per 200 milliliters of hot water is kept for 8-10 hours (one night), drink the infusion in the morning, lie down or sleep on your left side for at least forty minutes, course treatment is thirty days.
