Table of contents:
- How can sleeping position affect digestion?
- A good sleeping position to prevent digestive problems
- The head is raised
- Sleep on your left side
- Prone
Since you were a child, you may have been reminded many times not to go to sleep right after eating. Many say, lying down after eating can hinder your digestion. Maybe you are wondering, how big is the effect of sleeping position on the body's digestive system? As it turns out, experts agree that sleeping position affects your digestion. So, before you rest tonight, first try to pay attention to the following information.
How can sleeping position affect digestion?
Your digestive system, from the esophagus, intestines, to the stomach has been designed in such a way to work best if you are sitting or standing upright. This is why it is not recommended that you go to sleep right after eating.
Even if you don't lie down or go to sleep right after eating, your digestive system will continue to work as long as you sleep at night. If you have digestive problems such as stomach acid disease (ulcers), wrong sleeping position can trigger stomach acid to enter the esophagus. You will also feel symptoms such as nausea or chest pain. So, finding the best sleeping position can help keep your digestive system working like when you are sitting or standing.
A good sleeping position to prevent digestive problems
Since sleeping position affects digestion, you must know what positions are good and which need to be avoided. Based on a number of studies conducted by experts and health workers, there are several sleeping positions to avoid if you don't want your digestive problems to recur. These positions are sleeping on your back without a pillow and on your right side. Meanwhile, there are three good sleeping positions to prevent indigestion. Check out the following.
The head is raised
If you have eaten something heavy, spicy, or trigger an ulcer, you should sleep with your head a little high. Support your head with a pillow until your head is between 15-22 centimeters away from the mattress. You can also rest your head against the backboard of the bed. With this position, the force of gravity will prevent stomach acid from rising up into the esophagus.
Sleep on your left side
A study published in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology reveals that sleeping on your left side is the best position for those of you who have digestive problems. When you sleep on your left side, the junction between your stomach and esophagus will stay above the acid reflux. Meanwhile, if you sleep on your right side, the circle of muscles that hold stomach acid will stretch so that stomach acid can flow into the esophagus.
If you frequently change sleeping positions at night, try supporting your back with a bolster or pillow. That way, you will find it more difficult to change positions and sleep on your right side.
Prone
According to a professor who is also the head of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service in the UK, Chris Idzikowsi, sleeping on your stomach is also good for preventing various complaints about your digestion. You can put your hands on the sides of your head to make this position more comfortable. However, make sure that your pillow is not too high if you sleep on your stomach.
