Laying on Left Side - why is that a trigger?

I have heard/seen references to lying on the left side as a fib trigger. I was wondering why and how that works? It doesn't seem logical to me, but if it does, it does.

I am asking because I have a sore back issue these days and I've had to sleep on my left side. So am wondering if I'm building up to an episode because of that . (Dehydration is my key trigger, stress and chocolate 2nd).

Nancy

One reason, maybe the prime one, is that the vagus nerve drapes across the pulmonary veins along the left side so there is mechanical pressure and/or impingement on the vagus nerve when laying on your left side.

Great question Nancy....left side sleep has set me off several times over the years....I quit doing it some time ago......like everything with afib....who knows why!..Shannon's answer a good one with regard to vagal......which I am too....all episodes at night..BTW chocolate also one of my many triggers!.........my ablation is set for 8/21

Tom

It's like many things when it comes to AF: We are an experiment of one.

After I discovered this site, I gave up sleeping on my left side because I thought it might be a trigger. This was a HUGE adjustment for me. Prior to this I spent ~60% on my left side, 30% on my right, and 20% on my stomach. Not a single percent on my back. My right shoulder began to ache so badly that I started sleeping on my back to help take the pressure off it.
I even wrote a poem to lament not being able to sleep on my left side.

About a year ago, I said "#*$¢&" it and started sleeping on my left side again. Avoiding it for so long made not a whit of difference, nor did returning to sleeping on it.

My right shoulder has finally started to forgive me.

lisa
__________________________

So much of medicine is looking solely down the wrong end of the gun barrel, and that is really a pity for all of us---Shannon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2012 02:08AM by lisa s.

I always sleep on my left side. Tried to avoid it after i first had AF but have gradually returned to sleeping that way. Difficult to change the habits of a lifetime.

Nancy - This was a topic for CR 36. [www.afibbers.org] (January 2005).

Shannon's post has it exactly correct... this is almost word for word from my EP. Sometimes as the swelling goes down or the fluid around the heart subsides this will go away... but sometimes it will be with you for a long time..