4 Proven Benefits of Sleeping With Your Legs Elevated
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the
fundamental rules of good health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, for many,
it is also a rare luxury. Those who suffer from chronic pain, sleep
apnea, and other bothersome health conditions often struggle to maintain
a healthy sleep schedule, which, in turn, increases their risk of
several dangerous diseases.
If you find it difficult to fall asleep or
stay asleep at night, one of the first things you should consider is
your sleeping position. The way you sleep may not match up with your
body’s needs. A person suffering from chronic back pain, for example,
will continue tossing and turning in pain all night if they sleep in a
position that puts tension on their back.
An often overlooked sleep position that has tremendous benefits for
folks suffering from certain underlying conditions is sleeping with your
legs elevated. Learn who can benefit from this sleep position the most
and how to practice it safely in this guide.
The Benefits of Sleeping With Elevated Legs
1. Relieves lower back pain
Chronic back pain can interfere with your sleep without you even
realizing it. If you’re suffering from any kind of lower back pain, be
it sciatic nerve pain, a pinched nerve, or joint pain, sleeping with
legs elevated can be immensely helpful.
Sleeping on your back, in general, is
beneficial for back pain because it distributes your weight as evenly as
possible, so it reduces the risk of spinal disc compression. To promote
the natural curvature of the spine and reduce the pressure off the
spinal column even further, put a bolster or pillow under your knees.
Sleeping in this position will make sleep more comfortable for you and
offers relief from lower back pain as well.
2. Improves blood circulation
Poor blood circulation in the legs is not uncommon, and it dramatically
increases one’s risk of blood clots and potentially life-threatening
conditions like deep vein thrombosis and stroke. Elevating your legs
6-12 inches (15-30 cm) above your heart will improve blood flow from
your legs toward your heart, essentially boosting blood circulation in
the lower extremities.
It all boils down to simple physics. Whenever your legs are below the
level of your heart (e.g. when standing), the blood in the leg veins
must work against gravity to return to the heart. Simply elevating your
legs makes gravity work for instead of against you, improving blood
flow. This position also means that your heart won’t need to pump as
much, which means that elevating your legs is also beneficial for heart
health.
3. Reduces swelling in the legs
Things like inflammation or edema (fluid
trapped in the tissues, usually in the feet, ankles, and legs) can lead
to soreness and swelling in the lower extremities. Many health
conditions, such as chronic cardiovascular or lung diseases, as well as a
diet high in salt or prolonged periods of sitting or standing, can
contribute to swelling in the legs. The condition can be quite painful
and may interfere with your sleep.
Similar to the way leg elevation improves blood circulation, it can also
aid in draining away trapped fluids from your legs. If you suffer from
swollen feet, this may be the best sleeping position for you.
4. Lowers pressure
If you have to stand or sit for long periods
of time, it can make blood difficult to drain from the veins in the
lower body. The collected blood, in turn, creates excess pressure in
veins. This pressure equals soreness and tension in the legs, and it is
believed to cause varicose veins too.
Varicose veins are visibly twisted and inflamed veins that are
particularly common among people who work standing jobs. Raising your
legs at night will bring relief to tired feet and lower the pressure in
the lower body too.
Who can benefit from sleeping with their legs raised?
Lower back pain sufferers
Those who have sciatica or a pinched nerve
People recovering from injuries to the legs or feet
After surgery
Patients with chronic joint conditions
Those who have vein conditions, such as varicose veins or
superficial thrombophlebitis
Deep vein thrombosis sufferers
Chronic venous insufficiency patients
Pregnant persons
Anyone suffering from edema.
How to safely elevate the legs during sleep
The use of a pillow or bolster is certainly the cheapest and easiest way
to elevate your legs. Automated adjustable mattresses or bed frames are
an even better choice, but they can be very expensive, so we don’t
recommend them to beginners.
To remedy back pain, one small pillow underneath the knees will suffice,
but other conditions may require using several blankets and large
pillows to elevate your legs above the heart.