by mary schook
This week's tuesday tip was inspired by Opie, the dog of one of my clients. Opie made me realize I should discuss asymmetry in faces that occur in adults as we age.
Opie sleeps in one position on one side of his face for about 6 hours at a time each day. Like Opie I usually end up sleeping on the left side of my face. I used to sleep only on my back until about 8 years ago. When I slept on my back my face was very symmetrical. The left side of my face is much flatter and even a bit droopier than the right side of my face now that I end up sleeping on my left side.
There are several reasons why this happens. The first is poor blood supply. Our blood carries all of the oxygen, nutrients, and white blood cells to each and every cell. When we put pressure on our faces the blood supply is restricted and the nutrients and goodies do not get to the cells as they should, which can compromise the function of the cell. This is why I can usually tell what side of the bed people sleep on.
If I slept on the right side of my body it would put pressure on the entire system and effect blood flow in the entire body. In fact it is theorized that pregnant women who sleep on the left significantly decrease the chances of still birth.
Let's take this sleep analysis even one step further. The type of fabric your pillow is made out of can even effect how you age according to Dr. Pugliese. Dr. Pugliese, an acclaimed skincare expert and multi-patent holder claims that the cotton in our pillows can rob the skin of valuable moisture or stretch the skin causing collagen loss in the skin. I say the easy way to solve this is to sleep on your back, but he actually created a pillow scientifically designed to support the skin and decrease facial lines.
Your sleep position doesn't just effect how your face ages, but the blood flow to the brain. In this article by Menopauseatoz.com it talks about how sleep positions can potentially be linked to migraines. It states that the ideal position is to have an elevated head at night. If you suffer from migraines (I know who you are) then this is an interesting quick read to look at.
I know some of my older clients use inversion tables (inversion therapy) to replenish blood flow to their faces. People should consult their doctors before practicing this first. Inversion therapy can cause pressure on the arteries or result in vision problems especially as you age.
At the end of the day I find that getting ANY sleep at all is fortunate and vanity should come second to the health benefits of getting sleep. If anything I say try to switch up your positions. Everything in moderation right?
Thanks again for reading!
