What to do if your heart hurts when you lie on your left side

When people sleep, they always choose to sleep in a way that makes them comfortable. Sleeping posture has a great impact on the quality of sleep. If the sleeping posture is incorrect, it may cause difficulty in falling asleep and insomnia. It may also cause body pain and various discomforts after waking up. So, why does it cause heart discomfort when sleeping on the left side? What are the pros and cons of different sleeping positions? This will be described in detail below.

1. Sleep on your left side

Sleeping on the left side is an unhealthy sleeping position because the human heart is located on the left side of the body and this will put pressure on the heart.

Advantages: Mild compression exercises the heart function, making it less susceptible to disease.

Disadvantages: It puts pressure on the heart and stomach. It is especially difficult for patients with stomach problems, acute liver diseases, and gallstones to sleep on their left side.

2. Sleep on your back

Advantages: Orthopedic experts say that sleeping on your back can keep the spine relaxed and relieve back pain symptoms. Cosmetic doctors also point out that sleeping on your back can reduce the pressure on the facial skin, making it less likely for sweat to clog the pores, and help reduce wrinkles on the skin.

Disadvantages: Sleeping on your back is more likely to cause nasal congestion, snoring, and sleep apnea than sleeping on your side. Because of gravity, the tongue of a back sleeper is more likely to fall toward the throat and compress the airway.

3. Fetal sleeping position (sleeping on the side with legs bent)

Advantages: Orthopedic experts explain that even if a person who sleeps in the fetal position changes their position in their sleep, their spine still has enough mobility. As long as the feet are not curled too much, they can keep breathing smooth and fall asleep easily.

Disadvantages: The head and neck joints are easily compressed, which will increase the symptoms of patients with neck pain, so it is best to have a large and thick pillow to ensure that the head remains straight. If you have back pain symptoms, put a thin pillow between your knees to reduce pressure on the spine.

4. Sleep on the right side

Advantages: It reduces the stress on the heart and helps lower blood pressure and heart rate, which is helpful for people with heart problems and high blood pressure.

Disadvantages: A study in New Zealand pointed out that sleeping on the right side of pregnant women in the late pregnancy will affect the blood supply to the fetus and increase the chance of miscarriage.

5. Sleeping on your stomach

Advantages: This sleeping position is good for digestion and is very effective for people who eat midnight snacks before going to bed. Studies have also found that people who sleep on their stomachs are more likely to dream thrilling dreams, possibly because sleeping on your stomach makes it more difficult for you to breathe.

Disadvantages: From a muscle perspective, orthopedic experts believe that sleeping on your stomach is the worst sleeping position because the head and neck have to be twisted to one side for several hours, and the pain may even extend to the arms. Sleeping on your stomach can also put a lot of pressure on the lower back, causing lower back pain.