高質量的睡眠對于人體健康至關重要。它有助于消除疲勞，恢復體力和精力，并增強人的免疫力和抗病能力。孩子的生長發育也離不開充足高效的睡眠。睡姿是睡眠過程中的肢體語言，是決定睡眠質量的重要因素之一。基本的睡姿有3種，仰睡、側睡和俯睡。據統計，60%的人習慣仰睡，35%選擇側睡，而5%經常俯睡。那么，一般而言哪種睡姿對健康最好呢？

If you're a snorer, pregnant or just want to show your body some love, try sleeping on your left tonight.
如果你睡覺打呼，或者懷著寶寶，或者只想對自己身體好點，那今晚就試著向左側睡吧。

There's bad news for those of us who do it on our backs, on our tummies, on our right-hand side, spooning - or even hanging upside down. We are, of course, talking about sleeping.
這對那些喜歡仰躺，俯臥，右側臥，摟抱，甚至倒掛的人來說就不是什么好消息了。我們說的……當然是睡覺姿勢。

The position we sleep in may not be the sort of thing worth paying much attention to, but it can have a huge impact on our health.
睡覺姿勢或許并不值得這么大驚小怪，但它確實對我們的身體健康產生巨大影響。

Sleep in general, and 'getting it right' is a source fascination, prompting studies and research into its effects.
“平常睡姿”和“正確睡姿”是個很有趣的話題，讓人不禁想要對其影響研究調查一番。

We want to know how best to fall asleep during a heatwave. We want to know why we wake up when we do. And of course we want to know how best to get our children to sleep.
我們想知道在酷熱環境下如何最快進入睡眠，想知道為什么會突然醒來，還想知道哄孩子睡覺的最好方式。

And we should be sleeping on our left
我們應該向左側睡

As the Daily Record reports, sleeping on your left side is the least harmful position for your spine.
據《每日紀事報》報道，向左側睡是對脊柱傷害最小的睡覺姿勢。

If you lie on your back, there is a danger you'll end up putting too much pressure on your hips and upper back.
仰著睡有可能會壓迫到髖骨和上背部。

If you prefer to sleep on your front, then this can lead to neck and lower back strain.
趴著睡可能會壓迫到我們的頸部和下背部。

Whereas sleeping on your left-hand side can do you the world of good. The body is able to take the pressure off lymph drainage from the heart and spleen, which is crucial for encouraging the natural flow of lymph fluid and preventing lymphatic congestion.
但向左側睡卻對身體大有好處。這種姿勢能夠緩解心臟和脾臟的淋巴引流壓力，對促進淋巴液自然循環及防止淋巴堵塞具有非常重要的意義。

As positions go, it's also better for your breathing - especially if you find yourself congested of a nighttime.
尤其當我們夜間氣息堵塞、喘不過氣時，向左側睡更有助于呼吸順暢。

Partner who snores?
睡覺愛打呼的人

By encouraging them to lie on their left, the volume and frequency of their snoring will be reduced.
睡覺打呼的朋友向左側睡能夠降低他們打呼的音量和頻率。

That's because lying on your side gives optimum air flow to your lungs and prevents the base of your tongue from lolling into the back of your throat, obstructing breathing.
那是因為向左側躺既可促進空氣進入肺部暢通無阻，又能防止舌根擋住咽喉后部阻礙呼吸。

If you suffer from heartburn, sleeping on your left can reduce the uncomfortable symptoms and reduce acid reflux.
對胃灼熱患者，向左側睡還能夠緩解胃酸反流等不適癥狀。

Pregnant?
懷寶寶的媽媽

Women expecting a baby are advised to adopt this position when falling asleep to encourage healthy blood flow.
懷寶寶的媽媽向左側睡能夠促進良好的血液循環。

And on a more toilet-related topic , adopting the left-hand side will allow your body to process waste quicker, which in turn helps guard you against constipation.
從如廁的角度來說，向左側睡有助于快速清理體內的廢物殘渣，不容易便秘。

Because of the route the intestines take, lying on the left means food is able to travel easier towards your colon.
根據腸道所在人體位置，向左側躺能夠加快食物進入結腸，促進消化。

So, remember. When it comes to sleep, go left.
因此，記得睡覺時要向左側躺哦。

注意事項：盡管以上列出的所有因素都讓你覺得靠左側睡覺是件迫不及待的事。然而，值得注意的是，有些人——包括患有睡眠呼吸暫停、青光眼和腕管綜合癥的患者——可能并不適合靠左側睡覺。如果你不確定哪種姿勢對你來說最合適，不妨咨詢一下醫學專家。

英文來源：鏡報
譯者：張金瑤（中國日報網愛新聞iNews譯者）
編審：yaning