Ayurvedic medicine originated thousands of years ago in Hindu medicine. The basic premise is that the entire body needs to be in harmony: Lack of harmony leads to illness. In Ayurvedic medicine, the body has three doshas, which are the Vatta, Kapha and Pitta. These three must be in balance in order for the body to be healthy and moderation in all things is encouraged so that all doshas remain in balance.
Ayurvedic medicine advocates sleeping your left side in order to maximize the benefit of rest and regeneration. Although both sides of the body are similar in appearance, they are different physiologically. The left side of the body contains the lymph nodes that service the majority of the body. Since the lymph system and the spleen, also located on the left side, are responsible for removing metabolic waste and other toxins from the body, gravity increases the effectiveness of these two waste removal systems.
In addition, the stomach, the pancreas, the liver, and the gallbladder are located on the right side of the body. Lying on the left side encourages these items to perform efficiently and optimally, thereby reducing digestive issues.
Sleeping on the left side also facilitates the efficiency of the intestinal tract and the colon. This results in more waste being removed from the body during the night. The body is freer of toxins and thereby healthier.
Another important benefit of sleeping on the left side is that the heart is located on the left side of the body. By sleeping on the left side, the heart is able to better function since it is not fighting the pull of gravity, which it would be when a person sleeps on the right side.
Since so many of the body’s vital organs are located on the left side, Ayurvedic medicine suggests that many ailments that beset the body are due to congestive buildup on the left side.
Although Ayurvedic medicine comes under the purview of alternative medicine, it has been in existence for thousands of years. Since the focus is on the health of the overall body, perhaps we should give credence to its concepts.
