Uncle Wang and his wife have been married for many years, and although there are constant quarrels, their relationship has always been good.
Some time ago, my wife saw an article on the Internet saying that lying on the left side can compress the heart, especially for older people, which can easily lead to heart disease and heart attack.
On the same day, she told Uncle Wang not to sleep on his left side in the future.
But Uncle Wang has maintained this sleeping position for decades, how can he change it for a while and a half, he still falls asleep according to his comfortable sleeping position.
Because of this problem, the two had a big quarrel, and they have not reconciled until now.
Will lying on the left side affect heart health? Follow Xiao Ai to learn more about this problem.
1. Sleeping on the left side will compress the heart and induce a myocardial infarction?
Shi Haifeng, deputy chief physician of the Department of Cardiology at Beijing Hospital, said that the claim that lying on the left side will affect heart health is not scientific.
Our heart is perfectly protected by the rib cage, and even the occasional blow from an external force does not cause substantial damage to the heart, let alone sleeping on the left side without being hit from the outside.
Pan Hong, deputy director of the Department of Internal Medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Southwest Medical University, reminded that ordinary people sleep on the left side or on the right side, which will not affect the normal function of the heart, and there is no need to worry too much about this.
There are many myths about the health effects of sleeping position, but is there any scientific basis for these claims?
Lying on the left side: Sleeping on the left side of healthy people does not have a negative impact on health, but patients with heart failure may experience symptoms such as breath holding when lying on the left side.
Lying on the right side: Some people say that lying on the right side can compress the vena cava, which is a large venous access to the heart, and all venous blood needs to flow back to the heart through the vena cava. But there is currently no evidence that lying on your right side affects liver health.
Sleeping on your back: Sleeping on your back keeps your body in its natural state, which is good for relieving lower back pain, relaxing and cleansing your skin. However, for some people who snore easily and suffer from sleep apnea, sleeping on your back may aggravate your physical discomfort and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation.
Sleeping on your stomach: This sleeping position is very unhealthy, it is easy to compress the chest cavity and cause poor breathing, and it is also easy to cause neck and back pain.
Curled up to sleep: Curled up to sleep puts a lot of pressure on the spine and restricts chest movement, which can lead to poor breathing.
2. There are suitable sleeping positions for people with different diseases, depending on which one you are suitable for
Different people are suitable for different sleeping positions, so let's compare and see what sleeping position you are suitable for!
1. Lie on your right side
Zhi Jiehua, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology of the First People's Hospital of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, reminded that people who suffer from heart disease, gastritis, and poor digestive function are recommended to adopt this sleeping position. It is good for reducing the burden on the heart, promoting food digestion and absorption, and can help improve the body's discomfort symptoms.
2. Lie on the left side
Liu Fan, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, pointed out that people with excessive gastric acid secretion, frequent acid reflux heartburn, and late pregnancy are recommended to sleep on the left side. This position is good for reducing acid reflux, and women can stay on their left side during the third trimester to reduce pressure on the ureters and inferior vena cava.
3. Lie on your back
Mao Zhiqi, chief physician of the Department of Neurosurgery of the PLA General Hospital, said that for people who suffer from blood clots, poor joints and herniated lumbar discs, sleeping on their backs can help reduce the pressure on the spine and improve symptoms.
Zhao Wei, deputy chief physician of the Department of Neurology and Sleep Medicine Center of TEDA Hospital of Tianjin University, said that for most ordinary people, sleeping on their backs or on their sides is fine, mainly depending on personal habits.
When sleeping on your back, it is best to put a pillow under your knees to form a straight line between your legs and the spine of your lower back, which can make your back more relaxed.
If you are lying on your side, you can put a pillow between your knees to avoid pelvic twisting putting more pressure on your spine.
3. The elderly have these 4 manifestations when they sleep at night, indicating that they are still in good health
According to data from the China Sleep Research Report (2022), 42% of the elderly in mainland China fall asleep for > 30 minutes, and the insomnia rate is as high as 21%.
This phenomenon is more common in people over 61 years of age, with insomnia reaching 46%.
Zhang Ce, deputy director of the geriatrics department of Heilongjiang Provincial Geriatric Hospital, pointed out that there are no more than two causes of insomnia in the elderly, one is caused by emotional factors such as ideological pressure and emotional uncontrollability, which can generally be relieved after the trigger is resolved; The other is long-term chronic insomnia, which is mostly related to chronic diseases.
The four official standards for sleep quality in the United States are:
- You can fall asleep within half an hour of going to bed;
- Wake up no more than 5 minutes per night no more than 1 time, if you wake up and turn over and fall asleep again, there is no need to worry;
- After waking up, you can fall asleep again within 20 minutes, and the standard for the elderly can be graced to 30 minutes;
- 85% of the time after going to bed is slept.
Sleep is very important for health, how can the elderly improve their sleep quality? Dr. Zhang Ce gave advice.
First of all, the elderly should develop a regular work and rest time, what time to fall asleep and what time to get up, so that the body has a regular biological clock;
Secondly, before falling asleep, you can massage, sit, shower, etc. to help relax muscles and nerves, which is good for promoting sleep, and pay attention not to drink tea, coffee and other refreshing drinks before going to bed.
Finally, the elderly should maintain a healthy diet every day, and it is best not to consume a lot of high-fat, high-calorie foods at night, otherwise it is easy to affect sleep.
For most ordinary people, it is okay to lie on the side or on the back, mainly depending on personal habits. However, if you are a special person with a disease, it is recommended to choose a suitable sleeping position according to the doctor's advice.
Resources:
[1] "Sleeping on the left side will press the heart? Where should I sleep? 》. Health Times.2021-02-04
[2] "Sleeping on the left side is sad? Sleeping on the right side hurts the liver? What is the best sleeping position? You'll know after reading it". Popular Science China.2021-12-14
[3] "Poor sleep for the elderly, don't treat it negatively". Popular Science Time". Healthy China.2023-10-02
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