Did you know that the way you sleep can have a big impact on your health? While there are many sleeping positions to choose from, sleeping on your left side has been found to offer a multitude of health benefits. In this article, we will explore how this specific sleeping position can positively affect your overall well-being.
Prevents Nighttime Heartburn
If you suffer from acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleeping on your left side can be very beneficial. This position helps to keep the stomach below the esophagus, reducing the risk of acid flowing back into the esophagus and causing heartburn. Say goodbye to uncomfortable nights!
Improves Spleen Function
The spleen, an essential part of your lymphatic system, is located on the left side of your body. Sleeping on your left side can assist the spleen in functioning more effectively by promoting increased blood flow. This improved blood flow helps the spleen filter impurities and supports your overall immune system. Take care of your health from the inside out!
Helps Liver Detoxification
Since the liver is on the right side of your body, sleeping on your right side can potentially lead to congestion. However, opting to sleep on your left side can promote better neutralization and processing of toxins and substances by the liver. By allowing the liver to work efficiently, sleeping on your left side contributes to better overall detoxification. Give your liver the support it needs!
Enhances Lymphatic System Drainage
The lymphatic system is responsible for eliminating toxins from your body. Sleeping on your left side can benefit the lymphatic system by facilitating more effective drainage into the thoracic duct located on the left side of your body. This helps to remove toxins and supports your immune system by utilizing escaped proteins from cells. Let your body detoxify while you sleep!
Beneficial for Pregnant Women
For expectant mothers, sleeping on the left side offers several advantages, especially in the last trimester. It helps alleviate pressure on the liver, enhances blood circulation, and supports normal heart function. Additionally, sleeping on the left side aids in the efficient movement of waste from the small to the large intestine, utilizing gravity to stimulate regular bowel movements and enhance waste elimination. Support yourself and your baby during pregnancy!
Aids in Heart Function
Your heart plays a crucial role in pumping blood throughout your body. Sleeping on your left side can facilitate heart function during sleep because the left side of the heart pumps blood towards the body. This position allows the circulatory system to harness gravity, aiding in arterial circulation and reducing the workload on your heart. Take care of your heart while you sleep!
Promotes Healthy Bowel Movement
The ileocecal valve, which connects the large and small intestines, is located on the left side of your body. By sleeping on your left side, you can promote the seamless movement of waste from the small to the large intestine. Gravity assists in this process, contributing to regular bowel movements and aiding waste elimination. Support your digestive system!
Sleeping on your left side may take some getting used to if you’re accustomed to sleeping in a different position. However, with persistence and habit formation, you can enjoy the numerous health benefits associated with this sleeping position. Try sleeping on your left side and enhance your overall health and well-being. Your body will thank you!
My 81-year-old grandma started posting selfies on Instagram with heavy filters.
The notification popped up on my phone, another Instagram post from Grandma Rose. I sighed, tapping on the icon. There she was, her face smoothed and airbrushed beyond recognition, a pair of oversized, cartoonish sunglasses perched on her nose. A cascade of digital sparkles rained down around her. The caption read, “Feeling my vibe! #OOTD #YOLO #GrandmaGoals.”
My stomach churned. At first, it had been a novelty, a quirky, endearing quirk of my 81-year-old grandmother. But now, weeks into her social media blitz, it was bordering on unbearable.
It had started innocently enough. She’d asked me to help her set up an Instagram account, intrigued by the photos I’d shown her of my travels and friends. I’d thought it was a sweet way for her to stay connected with the family, a digital scrapbook of sorts.
But Grandma Rose had taken to Instagram like a fish to water, or rather, like a teenager to a viral trend. She’d discovered the world of filters, the power of hashtags, and the allure of online validation. Suddenly, she was posting multiple times a day, each photo more heavily filtered than the last.
The captions were a whole other level of cringe. She’d pepper them with slang I barely understood, phrases like “slay,” “lit,” and “no cap.” She’d even started using emojis, a barrage of hearts, stars, and laughing faces that seemed to clash with her gentle, grandmotherly image.
The pinnacle of my mortification came when she asked me, with wide, earnest eyes, how to do a “get ready with me” video. “You know, darling,” she’d said, her voice brimming with excitement, “like those lovely young ladies on the internet. I want to show everyone my makeup routine!”
I’d choked on my coffee. My makeup routine consisted of moisturizer and a swipe of mascara. Grandma Rose’s “makeup routine” involved a dusting of powder and a dab of lipstick.
The worst part was, my entire family was egging her on. They’d shower her with likes and comments, calling her “amazing,” “inspiring,” and “a social media queen.” They were completely oblivious to my growing dread.
I was trapped in a vortex of secondhand embarrassment. What if my friends saw these posts? What if my coworkers stumbled upon her profile? I could already imagine the whispers, the snickers, the awkward attempts at polite conversation.
I found myself avoiding family gatherings, dreading the inevitable discussions about Grandma Rose’s latest post. I’d scroll through my feed, wincing at each new notification, my finger hovering over the “unfollow” button, a button I couldn’t bring myself to press.
One evening, I found myself sitting across from my mom, the glow of her phone illuminating her face as she scrolled through Grandma Rose’s profile. “Isn’t she just the cutest?” she gushed, showing me a photo of Grandma Rose with a digital halo and angel wings.
“Mom,” I said, my voice strained, “don’t you think this is… a little much?”
My mom looked at me, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean? She’s having fun. She’s expressing herself.”
“But it’s not her,” I argued. “It’s like she’s trying to be someone else.”
“She’s adapting, darling,” my mom said, her voice gentle. “She’s embracing technology. She’s living her best life.”
I knew I wasn’t going to win this argument. My family, in their well-meaning attempt to support Grandma Rose, were completely blind to the awkwardness of the situation.
I decided to try a different approach. The next time Grandma Rose asked me for help with her Instagram, I sat down with her and gently explained the concept of “authenticity.” I showed her photos of herself, unfiltered and unedited, her smile genuine, her eyes sparkling with wisdom.
“You’re beautiful just the way you are, Grandma,” I said, my voice sincere. “You don’t need filters or slang to be amazing.”
She looked at the photos, her eyes softening. “Do you really think so, darling?” she asked, her voice a whisper.
“Absolutely,” I said, squeezing her hand.
Grandma Rose didn’t stop posting, but she did tone it down. The filters became less intense, the captions more genuine. She even started sharing stories from her life, anecdotes that were both heartwarming and hilarious.
And slowly, I began to appreciate her online presence. I realized that it wasn’t about trying to be an influencer; it was about Grandma Rose finding her own way to connect with the world, to express her joy, to simply be herself. And in the end, that was more than enough.
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