4 Benefits of Sleeping with Your Legs Elevated on an Adjustable Base Bed

Walking, running, and standing for an extended period can strain the muscles in your legs and feet. Getting the proper amount of rest can help these key body parts recover and keep them at their optimum state. While sitting and lying down are excellent ways to relax your body, they may not be enough to allow your legs and feet to fully recuperate. Studies show that sleeping with your lower extremities elevated offers better relaxation as well as a number of health benefits. Here’s some benefits of why you should consider sleeping with your legs elevated after an exhausting day.

Sciatica May Happen to Anyone at Anytime

The longest nerve in your body, stretching from the back of your pelvis all the way down to your feet, the sciatic nerve is susceptible to all kinds of damage caused by compression. Irritation on the nerve may lead to lower back pain, leg pain, and even numbness in the legs and feet. This can be prevented or treated by sleeping on your back while your knees are elevated.

Gravity Is Stressing Your Heart Out

Just as the tires of your car need to be regularly rotated to even wear, the blood circulation in your body has to be occasionally reversed to ensure equal distribution of blood to all body parts. Due to gravity, most of your blood is concentrated in your lower body during the day. Elevating your feet when you sleep at night helps move your blood from the lower half to the upper half of your body, consequently supplying the heart with more blood to pump. Sufficient blood supply means the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to draw blood from your lower body.

Your Legs and Feet Are at Risk of Edema

Edema is the abnormal buildup of fluids in certain parts of the body. This condition, which is characterized by swelling as an effect of the fluid buildup, usually occurs in the body’s lower extremities, particularly in independent areas, such as the legs and feet. To prevent edema, the fluids in the body must be distributed evenly throughout the body. Sleeping with your legs and feet raised can help relocate some of the fluids back to the upper body.

Varicose Veins Are Starting to Develop

Have you noticed large, twisted or bulging veins behind your knees and legs? That’s most likely varicose veins. They can be dark purple or blue color and cause a certain degree of discomfort. If neglected, they can grow larger and pose a risk of circulatory problems. To prevent the growth of varicose veins, consider raising your legs and feet about the level of your heart for at least an hour or two.

Sleeping with your legs elevated is much easier when you’re using an adjustable base bed. This type of bed is equipped with a multi-hinged mechanism that allows it to be profiled to a range of positions. You can easily adjust the elevation of the lower half of the bed to raise your feet to your preferred angle.

The highest quality adjustable base beds are found in top mattress stores, like the Healthy Bed Store. Not only do they carry the best brands but they also have skilled salespeople who can help educate you about the different options to consider when buying mattresses, adjustable bases and associated bedding products.

Sources:

Leg Strain, drugs.com

Effects of Gravity on the body, evolutionhealth.com

Edema (Symptoms, Types, Treatment, Pictures), emedicinehealth.com