Sleeping in the wrong position, causing physical pain? Doctor: The two sleeping positions of the elderly are very dangerous. Don't let your parents sleep like this

Uncle Wu is 67 years old this year. After retirement, he has lived a very leisurely life and his physical fitness is also very good, as he insists on exercising

Uncle Wu is 67 years old this year. After retirement, he has lived a very leisurely life and his physical fitness is also very good, as he insists on exercising.

About two months ago, when he woke up one morning, he foundExtremely stuffy and distended chestI felt as if I had pressed a large stone and couldn't breathe, so I quickly went to the hospital.

After examination, it was found that he had an arrhythmia problem, and the doctor prescribed some medication for him to take. After returning, Uncle Wu followed the doctor's advice to take medication, and as expected, this situation did not occur again.

However, the good times did not last long. After waking up last week, he showed the same symptoms again, and the symptoms were more severe than last time.

I went to the hospital again for examination and found the same problem as last time, but this time the doctor suggested that Mr. Wu stay in the hospital for one night to observe whether it was due to improper sleeping posture that caused chest tightness.

As expected, after observation, it was found that Grandpa Wu's chest tightness that appeared in the morning was due to nighttimeImproper sleeping posture causes heart pressureAs long as the sleeping posture is improved, it can be alleviated.

Sleep is something that everyone does every day, but did you know? Different sleeping positions have different advantages and disadvantages for health.

1. Supine position

Advantages:When in a supine position, the spine of the body is aligned, which can help alleviate lower back pain to a certain extent, while also allowing the facial skin to fully stretch and avoid direct contact with the pillow.

Disadvantages:When in a supine position, the base of the tongue can easily press down on the throat due to gravity, which may cause snoring and even sleep apnea.

2. Prone position

Advantages:Prone position is commonly referred to as' sleeping on the stomach '. In a prone position, many people feel secure and are more likely to fall asleep.

Disadvantages:But lying prone is not a good choice for sleeping position. When lying prone, the joints, muscles, and internal organs of the person will be compressed, which can easily lead to difficulty breathing and body tension during sleep, and may cause overall soreness after waking up.

3. Lying on the left side

Advantages:Left side lying is especially suitable for people with poor gastric function, especially for patients with Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux. Left side lying can alleviate symptoms and help them fall asleep quickly.

Disadvantages:Maintaining this position will cause the facial skin to be pulled, which can easily lead to wrinkles.

4. Right recumbent

Advantages:It is good for heart health, can help reduce blood pressure, stabilize heartbeat, and can help remove redundant waste in the brain, which is good for brain health.

Disadvantages:Prolonged lateral lying may lead to pulling of the breast ligaments, which can easily lead to sagging. In addition, prolonged lateral lying may lead to asymmetry between the left and right faces.

Geng Yinxun, Chief physician of Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Medicine, Xiyuan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Elderly people should try to avoid two sleeping positions during their daily sleep: left lying and prone position.

When lying on the left side, it can cause compression on the left limb and slow down the emptying speed of the stomach. For elderly people with poor cardiovascular function, it can easily affect heart blood transfusion and threaten their health; Adopting a prone position can easily affect normal breathing, induce apnea during sleep, and is not conducive to the maintenance of facial skin.

In addition to the two sleeping positions mentioned above,It is also not recommended for elderly people to lift their arms over their heads or place them under pillows when sleepingMaintaining this position can easily cause tension in the shoulder and neck muscles, and when you wake up, you may feel soreness in the shoulders and arms. During sleep, one may wake up due to arm numbness and increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux to some extent.

The doctor suggests that elderly people choose to alternate between right and supine positions when falling asleepBecause lying on the right side helps to expel gastric contents and reduce the burden on the stomach. But be careful not to lie on your side for a long time to avoid prolonged compression of the right limb, which can cause numbness in the limbs; Supine position can allow the body to relax to the maximum extent, which is beneficial for blood circulation throughout the body and can also help alleviate fatigue. But some elderly people who are prone to snoring and have sleep breathing disorders are not recommended to lie on their back, otherwise they are prone to brain hypoxia and cardiovascular accidents.

Many elderly people have the problem of poor sleep quality. Conducting a 3-step bedtime ritual before bedtime helps to soothe the body and improve sleep quality.

Step 1: Rub your palms and iron your eyes

After warming the palm of your hand, place it in front of your eyes and slowly massage the eye sockets and eyeballs, allowing them to fully relax. Pay attention to the light and move as slowly as possible.

Step 2, gently stroke your hair

Before going to bed, you can also touch your hair with your fingers, with gentle movements to relax your scalp as much as possible, which can help promote sleep.

Step 3, gently massage the abdomen

There is a saying in traditional Chinese medicine that goes, "If the stomach is not harmonious, you will feel uneasy lying down." By stacking your palms and kneading your abdomen 36 times clockwise and counterclockwise, this can help the brain and gastrointestinal tract relax and help people fall asleep faster.

About one-third of a person's life needs to be spent in sleep, indicating that sleep is very important for health. Sleeping posture not only affects the quality of sleep, but also affects the health of elderly people. Therefore, the importance of sleeping posture cannot be ignored, and it is important to try to avoid using improper posture to fall asleep.


References:

[1] What! You may not be suitable for sleeping like this? Come and "claim" the most suitable sleeping position for you. Science Popularization China, 2022-08-11

[2] Good health depends on the "sleeping posture"! Healthy people sleep like this... People's Daily News, 2017-11-23

[3] These two "sleeping positions" are very dangerous for the elderly, and doctors will never let their parents sleep like this. Life Times, 2019-03-05

[4] Attention, these sleeping positions are all wrong! Perhaps you have also made a mistake... "Xinhua News Agency, 2023-01-14

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