Turns out, napping isn’t just relaxing, it’s great for your heart too

From msn.com/en-my

WHILE napping is a simple way to recharge during the day, aside from opting for caffeine and similar options, research has revealed that it has greater benefits, particularly for heart health.

Sleeping is often linked to improving brain function and energy levels, but Sunway Medical Centre neurologist Dr Mohamad Imran Idris emphasises the critical role of napping in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

LONG-TERM BENEFITS OF NAPPING

Diet and exercise are often seen as the pillars of heart health, maintaining good sleep habits can be just as impactful. Long-term studies tracking nappers and non-nappers over several years have shown that regular nappers have a lower risk of heart disease, according to Dr Imran.

"In cohort studies where researchers followed participants for five to six years, those who napped regularly were less likely to develop cardiovascular diseases compared to those who didn’t,” he said.

This shows that naps not only refresh the body but could also help to maintain healthy blood pressure, reduce stress and promote better heart function over time.

                                                            Turns out, napping isn’t just relaxing, it’s great for your heart too

COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND OVERALL BRAIN HEALTH

Dr Imran added that napping simultaneously benefits the heart and the brain, where reduced stress from napping helps the heart to stay healthy, among many other ways.

Naps help improve memory consolidation and learning ability, making them valuable for short-term and long-term cognitive function.

“In one study, participants were asked to memorise a list of 100 words. One group took a nap after, while the other group stayed awake. Later in the day, they were given a new list of words to learn.

“The results showed that those who napped performed better at learning the new list, proving that naps enhance memory retention and learning," he said.

But do keep in mind that napping requires specific timing in order to be beneficial. Napping too close to bedtime, according to Dr Imran, could reduce "sleep pressure" which would subsequently lead to difficulty falling asleep at night or insomnia.

“You should avoid napping too late in the evening because it can interfere with your natural sleep cycle,” he advised.

Instead, the ideal nap should be: between 1pm and 4 pm, when the body naturally experiences lower alertness and limited to 20-30 minutes to prevent entering deep sleep, which can cause grogginess.

For people with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, dementia, or a history of strokes, Dr Imran reassures that napping could remain beneficial.

"For patients with heart disease, strokes, or even dementia, a well-timed nap can help improve overall well-being rather than cause harm, unless you have insomnia,” he said, adding that insomnia would not help those suffering from it to benefit from napping.

ADOPTING NAPPING AS A HABIT

Napping could be an important habit when done right to support heart health and brain function in the long run, other than being seen as a way to boost energy. Naps being far away from a sign of laziness need to be embraced as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The next time you feel a mid-day energy dip, take a short nap. A well-timed nap isn't just an energy booster—it’s a simple yet powerful way to support long-term heart and brain health.

https://www.msn.com/en-my/health/other/turns-out-napping-isn-t-just-relaxing-it-s-great-for-your-heart-too/ar-AA1yCOCb?cvid=E3916F73E1B94388BF279E96AF6D6F30&ocid=bingnewsserp 

Psychologist says one simple mistake can make insomnia worse – it's very common

From getsurrey.co.uk

Robert W.B. Love, a psychologist from the US, has issued a warning about sleep and says there is one common mistake that can make insomnia worse - and it's very common

An American psychologist shed light on a mistake many make – and it could be impacting your sleep.

Robert W.B. Love, a University of Texas in Austin PhD graduate specialising in cognitive areas and Alzheimer's disease prevention, has issued a warning about a common mistake that can exacerbate insomnia. Sleep, he asserts, is "essential" for brain health, but many people unknowingly increase their risk of insomnia, a condition characterised by difficulty falling or staying asleep, through a simple error.

This mistake, as Robert explains in a TikTok video posted on Sunday, February 23, involves wearing sunglasses during morning walks or shortly after waking up, which he believes heightens the likelihood of insomnia. According to Robert, sleep is the time when you "wire up your memory", and it aids the glymphatic system in "cleansing toxins and plaque from the brain".

He further clarified that the glymphatic system is "similar to the lymphatic system but it's for the brain". The health expert concluded: "People are making a simple mistake that is increasing the risk of insomnia. It is wearing sunglasses first thing in the morning.

"You've probably heard Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, share the importance of morning sunshine so get outside in the morning so you can get plenty of light in your eyes. Don't look directly at the sun but being outside stimulates your eyes and tells your brain it's morning and then it's much easier to fall asleep sixteen hours later, approximately sixteen hours later."

Robert suggested that wearing sunglasses during a morning walk could reduce the amount of sunlight reaching your eyes, thereby diminishing the benefits of early morning sunshine or outdoor time. He advised people to continue wearing their regular glasses or contact lenses for morning walks, but removing sunglasses could be "really good for your sleep."

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) also emphasises the significance of sleep for brain function. It points out that without sleep, we cannot "form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories".

NINDS asserts that sleep is crucial to various brain functions, including neuron communication. The institute further notes: "In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep. Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake."

This aligns with Robert's thoughts on the glymphatic system's function. Also, All About Vision, a company specialising in vision and eye care, further elaborated on how wearing sunglasses in the morning could heighten insomnia risk.

It states: "Light is the principal control of our day to night cycle and influences everything from metabolism to sleep. This means we need exposure to bright daytime light, especially in the morning, to help regulate the quality of our sleep.

"Wearing sunglasses throughout the day blocks that morning light exposure and can disrupt your body's regular sleep rhythms. It's a bit like staying in a semi-darkened room at all times. Wait until after 9 or 10 a.m. to don those shades if you want to protect your ability to sleep soundly."

Robert's TikTok video discussing this topic has attracted attention with 18,200 views, 576 likes and numerous comments so far. One viewer expressed their gratitude, commenting: "Had no idea...thank you for educating us!"

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/health/psychologist-says-one-simple-mistake-31067490

Struggling to get a good night's sleep? There's an alternative to meds, experts say

From cbc.ca

By Catherine Zhu

Cognitive behavioural therapy targets the thoughts, habits and emotions that impede our sleep

For more than 30 years, Faye Dickieson battled the exhausting effects of insomnia. She turned to sleeping pills in an attempt to get a peaceful night's rest, but found no relief — only its lingering side effects. 

"I would just toss and turn, toss and turn," Dickieson, who lives in Alberton, P.E.I., told The Current, noting she'd typically get just two hours of sleep 

"I wouldn't go back to sleep. It would just put me in a fog, and then I'd get to work, and I thought, 'Oh God, I don't even remember driving here.'" 

One in six Canadians suffers from insomnia, according to a phone survey of 4,037 Canadian adults published last year in the journal Sleep Medicine.

The researchers found there's an "increasing use of various medications and substances to cope with this health issue." In particular, survey results suggested that use of medications, alcohol and cannabis for sleep is now 1.5 to two times higher than it was 16 years ago.

But the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction warns that sedatives for insomnia, like benzodiazepines, are addictive and can cause harmful side effects, including amnesia, liver damage and tolerance toward the drug — leading people to increase their dose to achieve the desired effects.

Faye Dickieson, from Alberton, P.E.I., spent over three decades battling her insomnia with sleeping pills, but they never worked. She says it left her feeling foggy and unsteady. After sessions in CBT-I, she said she felt 'full of energy and so much more happier.' (Mary-Catherine McIntosh/CBC )

Dickieson found an alternative treatment for her insomnia at a sleep seminar led by David Gardner, a professor in the department of psychiatry and college of pharmacy at Dalhousie University, where she was introduced to cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). 

It's a non-pharmaceutical approach that can help with insomnia, but it can also be expensive and hard to access. Now, some doctors are trying to change that.

The therapy route

Dickieson says, for her, the results of CBT-I were transformative.

"I was getting four and five hours [of] sleep with no pills," she said. "I feel full of energy, and so much more happier, and not in a fog anymore." 

CBT-I is a drug-free treatment that helps patients recognize and change old thoughts, behaviours and emotions that perpetuate insomnia into new approaches that bring on sleep naturally, says Gardner, who holds a doctoral degree in pharmacology. 

This is done by having patients keep sleep diaries to track sleep habits and patterns, and learn a variety of sleep-enhancing techniques. Those include relaxation exercises, good sleep hygiene practices like setting a regular bedtime and wake time, and strategies for managing anxious thoughts.

"So you layer on all of these different techniques, and … we see a four- to eight-week program resolving 20 or 30 years of sleep problems and they don't come back," said Gardner. 

David Gardner is a professor of psychiatry and pharmacy at Dalhousie University. (CBC)

A certified psychologist helps guide this, and it can be done either one-on-one or in a group setting.

According to a 2022 study involving 62 participants, half to two-thirds of people with insomnia responded to CBT-I, showing improvement in their self-reported sleep quality over three months. 

However, people who may be biologically predisposed to insomnia might be less responsive to the treatment, and in such cases, "some medications may be more useful," said neurologist Thanh Dang-Vu, a professor in the department of health, kinesiology and applied physiology at Concordia, where he is also research chair in sleep, neuroimaging and cognitive health.

"The current hypothesis is that maybe that some people [whose] cause of insomnia is more biological in nature, would be less likely to respond," said Dang-Vu, who is also a researcher at Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal.  

"This is still an ongoing investigation." 

Many different factors can contribute to insomnia. Stressful events, such as losing a loved one, medical conditions like chronic pain and heart failure, and medications such as steroids, antidepressants and over-the-counter allergy medicines can all be potential contributors. 

Why aren't more people using CBT-I? 

Though sleep experts recognize CBT-I as effective — and the preferred first-line treatment, ahead of medication — it's not accessible to many people.

Each session of CBT-I typically costs between $100 and $250, with most patients requiring six to eight sessions, says Dang-Vu. Additionally, most CBT-I providers are located in private psychology clinics, and in many provinces, the treatment is not covered by the provincial healthcare system.

Thanh Dang-Vu is a professor in the department of health, kinesiology and applied physiology at Concordia University, and neurologist and researcher at Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal. (Submitted by Thanh Dang-Vu )

Qualified psychologists in CBT-I are also in short supply, because it's not typically offered in the core curriculum of clinical psychology programs, according to Dang-Vu. Specialized training is often required, and it's available only through a limited number of programs. 

Dr. Mike Simon says the responsibility of administering the treatment then falls on the shoulders of family doctors like himself. 

"Trying to get counsellors and therapists [is] like pulling teeth … because A, there's not much around, and B, those around [have] a huge waiting list," said Simon, who works in Saint John.

Many of his patients also approach overcoming insomnia with the expectation of a quick fix. 

"When patients come in, they're tired, they're fatigued."  

"[They'll say], 'Doc, look, I don't have time, can I just have pills for a couple of weeks?'"

Mike Simon is a family doctor in Saint John. (Submitted by Mike Simon)

Increasing awareness and accessibility 

Last November, Dang-Vu co-authored an open letter published in the Montreal Gazette, signed by over 50 sleep medicine researchers and clinicians from across the country. It called on policymakers to prioritize public reimbursement for CBT-I.

The letter urged the government to include the treatment in public health plans, making it accessible to all Canadians, regardless of their socioeconomic status. 

In addition to policy changes, the researchers are working to make it more accessible to the public through a self-help approach. 

For a geriatric research centre in Montreal, Dang-Vu developed an online version of the program aimed at older adults. The program is currently being tested in research trials before being launched to the public. The goal is to make the resource freely accessible, Dang-Vu said.

From the head to the heart, a good night’s sleep is essential for mental and physical well-being, says Dang-Vu. (Narith Thongphasuk/Shutterstock)

For Dalhousie University, Gardner created a website called MySleepwell.ca that features a curated list of resources, including books and apps to help individuals begin their CBT-I treatment in their own time and place. 

A good night's sleep is essential for mental and physical well-being, says Dang-Vu. 

That's why he says it's crucial to recognize signs of sleeplessness, and know that drug-free treatments exist. 

"It's very important now to consider sleep as not a minor problem, but it can be a catalyst for more serious health consequences," he said. 

"That's how we can get the word out that it's important to diagnose and treat." 

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/insomnia-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-1.7463164

Is Melatonin Addictive? Here’s What Sleep Experts Say

From verywellhealth.com

Melatonin is available as a supplement in just about every grocery store and pharmacy, making it the go-to sleep aid for many people.

It's often used to combat jet lag, adjust to shift work, and ease occasional insomnia. Unlike traditional sleep aids, melatonin is a natural hormone your body makes to regulate your sleep cycle. It doesn’t force you to sleep but signals your body that it’s time to wind down.

“It doesn’t knock you out like a sleeping pill, but it makes you feel drowsier and helps shift your sleep cycle,” Fiona Gispen, MD, a physician and instructor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, told Verywell.

But with so many melatonin products on the market, questions remain: Is melatonin addictive? And how much should you actually take?

                                                                                              Grace Cary / Getty Images

Is Melatonin Addictive?

The short answer: No. Unlike certain sleep medications, melatonin is not physically addictive, so it can’t cause biological dependence or withdrawal symptoms, said Jagdeep Bijwadia, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine physician and medical director at Complete Sleep.

However, it is possible for people to become psychologically reliant on melatonin. “This can happen if someone becomes anxious about sleeping without it or believes they can’t sleep naturally,” Bijwadia added. “This is more about sleep anxiety than physical addiction.”

According to both experts, melatonin supplements can be perceived as less effective over time if:

• Your dosage is too high
• You take it at the wrong or inconsistent times
• Your other sleep habits aren’t supporting quality rest
• You’re not addressing the cause of your sleep issues

If you find yourself taking melatonin regularly, it may be time to re-evaluate your sleep hygiene, according to Gispen. Focus on developing healthy habits—like avoiding light exposure before bed, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, and avoiding caffeine or alcohol later in the day—to best support your slumber in the long term.

How Melatonin Works

Unlike common sleep medications like Ambien, Lunesta, or Unisom, melatonin doesn’t have a sedating effect. Instead, your brain increases melatonin production in response to darkness.

“As it gets dark, your brain’s pineal gland starts producing melatonin, signalling to your body that it’s time to wind down,” Gispen said. Think of it like a dimmer switch for your brain, nudging you towards sleep rather than forcing it.

Your natural melatonin levels typically peak in the middle of the night (between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.), then gradually decline towards the morning as you’re exposed to light. This aligns your body’s internal clock with the environment.

For most people, the best time to take melatonin supplements is one to two hours before bedtime, which gives your body time to prepare for sleep naturally. Taking it at the wrong time can lead to side effects like grogginess or a shifted sleep cycle.

How Much Melatonin Should You Take?

More melatonin isn’t necessarily better. In fact, lower doses are often just as effective—if not more—than higher ones. According to Gispen, the ideal dose is a modest 0.3 milligrams (mg) to 1 mg.

“Most people take way too much,” said Gispen. “A small dose is often just as effective as a big dose (3 to 10 mg), but without the grogginess.”

How Long Can You Take Melatonin?

“Melatonin has been studied for both short-term and long-term use, and so far, research hasn’t found major safety concerns, even when taken for months or years,” said Gispen. “It’s best used as a temporary tool—like training wheels for your sleep cycle—rather than something you need indefinitely.”

What This Means For You

Melatonin can be a helpful tool that helps your body wind down into sleep without the risk of dependency. But it’s not a magic fix for chronic sleep issues. If you reach for it regularly, it might be time to work on your sleep hygiene.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/is-melatonin-addictive-11683428 

Study: Mindfulness helps people with COPD manage anxiety, breathlessness, insomnia

From buffalo.edu

BUFFALO, N.Y. – University at Buffalo School of Nursing researchers have identified a new benefit of mindfulness for people managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition commonly known as COPD.

The study, “Associations Between Mindfulness and Symptom Severity among Adults Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),” was published in the December 2024 issue of Heart & Lung: The Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care.

Led by Tania T. Von Visger, PhD, and Yu-Ping Chang, PhD, the study surveyed 339 adults with COPD. Participants who practice mindfulness reported significantly less severe symptoms of anxiety, breathlessness, fatigue and insomnia.

Also, a substantially lower anxiety score was found for participants who practice mindfulness, but not for those who only know about mindfulness, emphasizing the importance of applying mindfulness in daily activities.

“The structured practice of mindfulness,” says Von Visger, “such as Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), has demonstrated effectiveness during the past decades based on the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, testing it among patients with unresolved chronic pain in Boston.

“It is important to note that the idea of creating MBSR originated from Buddhist traditions outside the American culture, and the actual practice of mindfulness has been in existence in other cultures, such as tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and drum circle, to name a few.”

Von Visger defined mindfulness as “the recognition and awareness of thoughts, emotions and physical body sensation in the present moment with clarity and without judgment.”

Von Visger and Chang's study also conclusively showed mindfulness-based interventions or MBIs, can help people with COPD manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

“What we found in this survey is essential because it confirms what we already understand about mindfulness benefits, as demonstrated in clinical studies across chronic conditions,” says Von Visger.

The study also revealed demographic variations in mindfulness practice, such as variations in depression level, age and education, but not in gender or disease severity. These findings suggest that incorporating mindfulness into COPD care could be beneficial. Understanding different mindfulness levels can help tailor MBIs to ensure they are effective, acceptable and sustainable for individuals with COPD, potentially improving symptom management and overall well-being.

“Mindfulness is associated with better symptom management and improved health-related quality of life,” says Von Visger. “The challenge is how to introduce the practice to those who have never experienced it, support those who begin to learn about it, and those who would like to adopt it to their daily practice. We also need to consider their cultural, age and education before recommending specific mindfulness treatments.”

The study found that a higher proportion of non-white participants engaged in mindfulness than among white participants, which needs further exploration, according to the researchers.

Enrolled participants in clinical trials choose to participate in the mindfulness research, possibly because they may already were  more open to participating in such activities.

“Therefore, we don't know what people understand and how mindfulness is used outside the research venues,” Von Visger says. “Our increased understanding of how they approach this practice in their own environment is helpful in designing appropriate methodologies for introducing, integrating and embedding mindfulness in those with chronic conditions.

“More importantly, it tells us about the level of interest COPD adults living in the community have about mindfulness, their understanding of mindfulness practice and its contribution to symptom self-management,” says Von Visger.

https://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2025/02/copd-mindfulness.html 

App found to reduce insomnia and depression

From thestandard.com.hk

Cheng Wong

An insomnia-intervention app can significantly reduce the incidence of depression in youth with the disorder by more than 40 percent, according to groundbreaking clinical research from Chinese University of Hong Kong and Peking University.

The top-tier institutions announced that the Digital CBT-I Intervention App, developed by the Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit at CUHK, has shown remarkable effectiveness in improving insomnia and depressive symptoms in young people.

The breakthrough app could be a highly significant self-help tool for youth worldwide, with depression being a prevalent mental disorder affecting about 1.2 billion youngsters globally. The World Health Organization estimates that it impacts around 3.5 percent of youths aged 15 to 19, with rates in Hong Kong ranging from 3.9 to 5.2 percent.

                                                            From left: Lu Lin, Wing Yun-kwok and Chen Si-jing.

Lu Lin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of PKU Sixth Hospital, said no research had been conducted in Asia on the effectiveness of this therapy. But to address this gap, a study was conducted between September 2019 and November 2022. It involved 708 participants from Hong Kong and the mainland, aged 15 to 25, who were experiencing insomnia and subclinical depressive symptoms.

The intervention group experienced a nearly 60 percent remission rate for insomnia disorders at the one-year follow-up, demonstrating a 42 percent lower incidence of depression compared to the control group.

No adverse events were reported.

Chen Si-jing, first author of the research and a postdoctoral fellow from the Department of Psychiatry at CUHK, said: "The study demonstrates that digital CBT-I is effective in preventing the future onset of major depression with satisfactory efficacy."

Wing Yun-kwok, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at CU Medicine and director of the Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit, indicated that future studies will focus on integrating digital insomnia intervention into clinical practice.

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/11/270387/App-found-to-reduce-insomnia,-depression

Top tips to tackle pregnancy insomnia head on

From rollercoaster.ie

Growing a human is a tough job that takes it’s toll on your energy levels at the best of times, but what happens if you start to suffer with pregnancy insomnia?

It’s a very real problem for an estimated 78 per cent of expectant mums, as things like hormonal changes, heartburn and nausea take hold.

It’s so ironic really: you need some extra rest as your baby grows, but it seems impossible to nab more than a few hours at a time.

RollerCoaster is here to help, as we looked into what causes pregnancy insomnia and ways to help you get some proper shuteye.

When does pregnancy insomnia hit?

Realistically, a pregnant mum-to-be can have trouble drifting off and staying asleep at any stage in her pregnancy but it’s usually worst in the first and third trimesters.

In early pregnancy, it can be as a result of nausea and the need to use the bathroom more frequently.  Rebekah Mustaleski, a certified professional midwife and compression director with Motif Medical told The Bump ‘You might fall asleep easily enough when you go to bed, only to be laying awake staring at the ceiling a couple of hours later. It can take some time for your body to adjust.’

In late pregnancy, sleepless nights can be associated with physical discomfort and anxious thoughts about your baby’s arrival. ‘Anxious thoughts have kept many a pregnant mom awake at night,’ Rebekah said.

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but pregnancy insomnia can last the entire nine months, but more often than not it will come and go in waves as your body adjusts and hormones stabilise.

How can you improve your pregnant sleep?

You might not be able to make it go away completely, but there are ways that you can tackle pregnancy insomnia. Lifestyle changes and developing healthier sleep patterns will definitely help.

Your bedroom

Keep your bedroom a calm space, don’t watch television or do work in there, just reserve the room for sleep.

Rebekah said ‘It helps your body to relax and fall asleep if you do the same thing every night to let your mind and body know what’s coming. Try to be consistent with your bedtime routine, even when you’re away from home.’

Television

It’s also recommended to turn off the television and hour or two before bed, as the blue light exposure suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin, and can increase cortisol, which increases energy levels.

Instead, reading a book or practicing meditation is an excellent way to unwind after a long day.

Diet

You need to make sure that you’re getting the right nutrients, but you also have to figure out what foods can trigger heartburn- which can be a really big pain, especially in the third trimester.

Try to avoid foods that contain processed sugar and spices. It’s also a good idea to avoid caffeine entirely after lunch, as drinking tea and coffee in the afternoon and evening can interrupt your sleep.

Try to make sure that you have your last meal at least three hours before bedtime to allow your system to digest the food properly.

Rebekah said ‘Protein snacks will help keep your blood sugar balanced throughout the night and keep you from waking up hungry in the middle of the night.’

                                                                                                     Pic: Shutterstock

Exercise

There are so many benefits to prenatal workouts- not just to help you sleep better. It can also limit the risk of gestational diabetes, while building strength for labour and it can work out any stresses or anxious thoughts you may be experiencing.

Pregnant women should get around 30 minutes of gentle exercise a day. Going for a walk can help you digest food and can get your baby into the proper position for birth.

Prenatal yoga is also excellent for relaxing the body and mind, while the gentle stretches can help ease cramping in the back, legs and calves.

Journaling

Even when you’re not pregnant, journaling is a great practice, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed, which is a common feeling for mums-to-be.

However, if you find that anxiety is taking over your pregnancy, reach out to a professional- there are many treatments that are safe and can help ease your worries.

Indeed, if you’ve tried all the suggestions we’ve listed here and you’re still not having any luck getting a decent night’s sleep your healthcare provider can also help with that.

Just remember: this too shall pass!

https://rollercoaster.ie/pregnancy/pregnancy-insomnia/ 

The best side to sleep on to stop your insomnia and snoring

From cornwalllive.com 

Some people are side sleepers whilst other like sleeping on their back or front

A recent sleep study has revealed the best side to sleep on, with experts explaining the benefits of each side depending on individual health concerns. The study involved a group of healthy individuals and examined left and right-side sleeping patterns, as well as frequency of tossing and turning.

The study involved people wearing a flexible sensor system which was developed to monitor sleeping positions and turning frequency, and how it impacted sleep quality. This device, which includes a flexible angle sensor and a six-axis motion sensor, was tested on 13 healthy subjects over 15 nights, comprising seven males and six females.

Participants wore the device in conjunction with a wristband sleep monitor and completed sleep questionnaires. It was also noted that none of the participants had any sleep disorders.

Is the left or right side the best to sleep on?

The results showed that what position you like to sleep in affects the quality of your sleep. People who preferred lying on their right side are said to turn less frequently experience better sleep. The researchers noted that "subjects with a right-sided preference experienced the fewest awakenings."

The study reads: "They performed more than 50 sleeping-position changes to ensure the accuracy of the monitoring device. Subjects slept in their beds for 8 h per night for 15 nights.

"The results show that the most critical influencing factors are sleeping-position preference and frequency of turning. Data analysis reveals that subjects with a preference for right-sided lying and a lower frequency of turning had better sleep quality."

Which side should I sleep on to stop snoring?

                                                                                                             (Image: Getty)

The Sleep Foundation has revealed that whilst the side you sleep on is largely a matter of preference, either position can help reduce snoring and back pain. It can also lower the risk of sleep apnea and improve overall health.

So, if you're looking to stop snoring, try to avoid sleeping on your back. The experts explain that when you sleep on your back, your tongue can easily fall back into your throat, creating an obstruction that can lead to snoring.

Sleeping on your side allows your airways to remain open, making snoring less likely. In fact, sleeping on the left side may be particularly beneficial for those who are pregnant or suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), as it improves blood flow between the heart, fetus, uterus, and kidneys, while relieving pressure on the liver.

Why is sleep important?

The study explains that whilst we all know sleep is crucial for our health and recovery to allow us to restart again the next day, a lack of sleep is "associated with a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, incidental arterial calcification, and changes in inflammatory markers.

"Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, obesity, and impaired glucose regulation, all of which impair judgment and cognition."

https://www.cornwalllive.com/best-side-sleep-stop-your-9943679