It is advisable to go to bed about 30 minutes after eating.
To avoid aspiration pneumonia, the elderly should change the habit of going to bed after eating. It is best to develop the habit of taking a walk after three meals for about 30 minutes, or doing some activities indoors. to promote digestion.
Second, do not lie down on your back when sleeping. Medical clinical research shows that the semi-recumbent position at 25 to 30 degrees is the safest and can reduce the chance of aspiration by 50%. Therefore, you can choose a slightly higher pillow and adopt a right-side or semi-side decubitus position to try to avoid the backflow of secretions into the trachea and bronchi.
Elderly people who have been bedridden due to long-term illness can sit in a sitting position for 30 minutes after meals to accelerate gastric emptying by gravity and reduce food reflux. In addition, some pathogenic bacteria in oral and pharyngeal secretions are also one of the risk factors for aspiration pneumonia in the elderly. Therefore, the elderly should pay attention to oral hygiene, rinse their mouth in time after three meals, and brush their teeth thoroughly.
Extended information:
The following things should not be done after eating
1. It is not advisable to take a shower after a meal. Take a shower immediately after a meal, as the circulatory system will restart Distribute blood flow, stimulate internal organs, affect gastrointestinal peristalsis, and cause gastric cramps, indigestion and other conditions. If the water temperature is too high, it may stimulate capillaries, lead to the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and lead to hypoxia.
2. It is not advisable to drink strong tea or smoke after meals. Many people drink strong tea after meals, thinking that drinking strong tea can help remove fat from the body. However, drinking strong tea can actually cause indigestion because the tannic acid and theophylline contained in tea can hinder the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract. Inhibiting the secretion of gastric acid will also affect the protein absorption of beans and meat.
3. It is not advisable to exercise strenuously after a meal. Doing more strenuous exercise after a meal can easily disperse blood to the muscles of the body. In this case, the blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract will be reduced, which will affect the stomach. The function of the intestines, in turn, affects the digestion and absorption of food.
4. It is not advisable to sleep after a meal. Just after eating, the gastrointestinal tract is still digesting and absorbing the food just eaten. If you go to bed at this time, the peristalsis ability of the gastrointestinal tract will be weakened, which will cause Indigestion can easily cause cerebral ischemia and stroke for people with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
5. It is not advisable to eat fruits after meals. Fruits should be eaten after meals because fruits contain more sugar, which can easily cause blood sugar to rise, and can lead to symptoms of fullness and abdominal pain over time. Abdominal bloating, constipation, etc.