The mechanical path of the human colon makes left-side sleeping a “natural laxative” that promotes morning regularity and reduces bloating. Waste transitions from the small intestine to the large intestine at the ileocecal valve in the right abdomen, then travels up the ascending colon and down the descending colon on the left.
By resting on the left side, gravity naturally assists the movement of waste toward the exit. For pregnant women, this position is medically significant, as it prevents the uterus from compressing the inferior vena cava, ensuring an uninhibited supply of oxygenated blood to both the heart and the placenta.
