For this, irregular lifestyle or improper eating habits, digestive problems like flatulence, Acidity And constipation has become quite common in modern times. Drinking enough water, exercising regularly, chewing food properly and eating fiber-rich foods are known to aid digestion, which can also affect how you sleep. According to experts, sleeping position at night can affect gut health Because it aids in digestion and reduces heartburn.
Thus, which is best sleeping position For better digestion? “Sleeping on the left side has more health benefits as it allows our digested food to move more easily from our small intestine to the large intestine. Sleeping on the left side also prevents disorders like gastro-oesophageal reflux disease Which causes belching and heartburn,” said Dr Manira Dhamsana, Associate Consultant, Internal Medicine, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Dehradun.
Agreed, Dr. Mahesh Gupta, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterology, Dharamshila Narayan Superspecialty Hospital, suggests sleeping on the left side for better digestion, Explaining he said, “The stomach is on the left side of the body, below the esophagus. When we sleep on the left side, it becomes difficult for stomach acid to lift up the digestive tract against gravity. On the other hand, gravity causes stomach acid to rise up.” keeps, potentially reducing the risk of stomach irritation and symptoms of indigestion. ,
Along with being the best sleeping position on the left side for digestion, it is equally important to know the effect of sleeping on your right, back or stomach. According to experts, sleeping on the right side after a meal is an unhealthy practice. “This leads to heartburn and indigestion,” Dr. Dhamsana said.
Insufficient sleep can harm your digestion (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Similarly, sleeping on your back or stomach is also not advisable. “Sleeping on your back is not the best position if you have heartburn due to GERD acid reflux, Going back to sleep, the acid re-enters the throat, causing burning and discomfort throughout the night,” said Dr Gupta.
Dr. Balaji ji, Consultant – Gastroenterology, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore said while sleeping Abdomen “Will increase acid reflux episodes in people susceptible to GERD or acid reflux.”
Apart from your sleeping position, you should also take care that you do not sleep immediately after eating food. “There should be a gap of at least 2 hours between dinner and” Sleep To avoid acid reflux,” said Dr Sumanth Mantri, Senior Consultant, Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore.
Agreed Dr Gupta said that lying down immediately after having a meal should be avoided. “Ideally, one should avoid lying down or sleeping immediately after a meal. Dinner or dinner before bedtime should be small and light. For people with GERD, the high end of the bed, followed by a walk dinner And a light dinner is a helpful remedy,” he said.
Ensuring proper amount and quality of sleep will ensure better digestion as experts shed light on the direct link between sleep and gut health. There is a terminology called the “brain-gut axis” which states that all the hormones in the body are released around 5 am. So, any disturbance in sleep will affect the release of these hormones which, in turn, can lead to indigestion. In case of constipation, bloating will affect digestion. Diarrhea and acid reflux episodes,” explained Dr. Balaji, adding that people who sleep late or follow night shifts, have late night meals/snack or sleep late in the morning are more susceptible to these digestive issues.
Dr Dhamsana said the loss of circadian rhythms “leads to gastroparesis because most of the changes in the digestive process occur during sleep”.
(Did you know about these acupressure points for better sleep?)
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