Sleeping on my Back is Impossible

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Professor X wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Himora22 wrote:
rsg wrote:
I sleep on my back, side or stomach. I too lie on my back to fall asleep, but end up rolling onto my side or stomach during the night.

I don’t see the problem, I’ve never had any back issues and always feel comfortable so if you’re not having problems, why worry?

I see what your saying but it is more for preventions sake. i have known ppl or ppls dads who have had to go to sleeping exclusively on their back b/c of problems. But that is them. Like I said though it is bad for posture and I dont have bad posture(I think) but I do spend a lot of time on my pc and I try to make sure I site back and up in my chair and stand when I can but I do catch myself slouching and sitting forward. So with that and sleeping on my stomach almost exclusively I would like prevent any future back issues

How is sleeping comfortably bad for posture? Unless you are waking up with back pain, you are a little confused.

Well sleeping (for example) on your front, with neck turned to one side, and arms above your head, might be comfortable. However, due to the viscoelastic properties of human tissue the creep deformation that occurs in the end-range position, on tissues in the neck and shoulders, will likely have knock on effects on the musculoskeletal system.

Bushy

You can’t possibly be making some general rule for everyone based on creep deformation. I get back pain from time to time when I sleep on my back. Should I continue to force my body into that position?

I’m not making any rules.

I’m simply stating a biological fact.

If you hold musculoskeletal tissue in a lengthened position, it will, over time, plastically deform.

This will reduce the stabilising abilities of that tissue.

Furthermore, if you hold a joint at end range for an extended period of time, repeatedly, then you are significantly more likely to degenerate that joint prematurely.

I never said that sleeping on back, front or whatever is better or worse. I just gave sound physiological explanation why some sleeping positions may result in problems later on.

Bushy[/quote]

That is much different than how you came across initially. I agree with you. I also agree that I should listen to my own body.

Wear a pair of cargo shorts to bed and put tennis balls in your front and cargo pockets.

I throw a pillow under my knees, and that seems to do the job. Just keep laying in bed on your back at first, to get used to it at least. Sometime when you’re just super-tired, you’ll end up sleeping on your back, and that’s a start.

[quote]Frank Castle wrote:
I’ve slept on my stomach my whole life for the most part. Im 30 now. A few months ago I started having some low back/sciatic pain. My chiro suggested sleeping on my back, which sounded impossible as I was the same way. However, sleeping on my stomach would hurt unless I put a pillow or something under my pelvis to offset whatever kind of disc pressure that was going on. I started with this wierd half side half back position and yes, I tossed and turned initially. I got used to it and can fall asleep on my back. I still shift positions and occasionally wind up on my stomach, but I just roll back on my side or whatever and Im good. The back seems to be healing, but I still dont feel 100% in the gym. Anyway you can train yourself to do it. [/quote]

I will sertanly try. the point is that im trying to make is and that is being missed by some ppl is not that sleeping on the back is a cure all or that sleeping on ones stomach is the devil. But that I, not any one else in particular, sleep on my back 85 -90% of the time and I would like to learn to sleep on my back to help prevent future discomfort and or back pain. I thought I had made that some what plain.

Currently dont I have any back pain but that is not the point. But X i enjoy sleeping on my stomach. Hell thats why I do it, and i generally agree with you for the most part and like what you have to say but I think your being a little short sighted on this. Why wait 10, 20 yrs for a problem or try to prevent one long be it may(or may not) occur.

But Frank how many pillows did you use to train yourself to sleep on your back? I generally sleep with 2-3 any way, just wondering

[quote]rsg wrote:

Worst.analogies.ever.

I’m no going to even mention the 1st point, but brownies can be great if made correctly and eaten at the right time.

How I go to sleep is a concious choice, how I move around and the position I wake up in, is not. As long as I don’t wake up feeling like I’ve slept on a wooden chair, then I don’t worry about it. The again, I end up on my side about 75% of the time, and rarely on my stomach.

If you want to “break a bad habit”, get someone to tie you to the bed on your back so you can’t move. It’s natural to move around in your sleep.[/quote]

The first one just kinda poped in my head as what someone would not want to try. And if you have a recipe for brownies what no sugar and low carbs that taste as good as the real thing then you should share.

[quote]hockechamp14 wrote:
I throw a pillow under my knees, and that seems to do the job. Just keep laying in bed on your back at first, to get used to it at least. Sometime when you’re just super-tired, you’ll end up sleeping on your back, and that’s a start.[/quote]

Thanks

[quote]Himora22 wrote:
rsg wrote:

Worst.analogies.ever.

I’m no going to even mention the 1st point, but brownies can be great if made correctly and eaten at the right time.

How I go to sleep is a concious choice, how I move around and the position I wake up in, is not. As long as I don’t wake up feeling like I’ve slept on a wooden chair, then I don’t worry about it. The again, I end up on my side about 75% of the time, and rarely on my stomach.

If you want to “break a bad habit”, get someone to tie you to the bed on your back so you can’t move. It’s natural to move around in your sleep.

The first one just kinda poped in my head as what someone would not want to try. And if you have a recipe for brownies what no sugar and low carbs that taste as good as the real thing then you should share.

[/quote]

Not exactly low carb brownies, but some of these are great - my favourites are the Chocolate Ricotta and the Lemon Blueberry bites.

//hijack

lol sweet

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
<<< Well sleeping (for example) on your front, with neck turned to one side, and arms above your head, might be comfortable. However, due to the viscoelastic properties of human tissue the creep deformation that occurs in the end-range position, on tissues in the neck and shoulders, will likely have knock on effects on the musculoskeletal system.

Bushy[/quote]

I could maybe buy this if somebody was sleeping in the EXACT same position EVERY night for years. Like if you put yourself in some sort of body splint every night. People move around while they sleep. A kind of physiological screen saver I would THINK. I have no expertise on this, but it does sound to me like another new thing we had to be told to worry about.

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
<<< Well sleeping (for example) on your front, with neck turned to one side, and arms above your head, might be comfortable. However, due to the viscoelastic properties of human tissue the creep deformation that occurs in the end-range position, on tissues in the neck and shoulders, will likely have knock on effects on the musculoskeletal system.

Bushy

I could maybe buy this if somebody was sleeping in the EXACT same position EVERY night for years. Like if you put yourself in some sort of body splint every night. People move around while they sleep. A kind of physiological screen saver I would THINK. I have no expertise on this, but it does sound to me like another new thing we had to be told to worry about.[/quote]

Agreed. No one stays in the same position all night unless there is something wrong with them. Maybe they are in a body cast. The reasons range from prevention of bed sores due to pressure points to random nerve activation, some of it dream induced.

But then, it seems many on this site are just LOOKING for things to be worried about…like the guy worried that he may form a food allergy.

Contrary to what most of you guys have posted, I pretty much can ONLY sleep on my back. If I sleep on my side, I wake up with my arm completely numb. If I sleep on my stomach, and arm usually goes numb. So yea, I pretty much always sleep on my back.

*Also, I mean my arms are numb because I sleep on them(as in on my side, or my head on one if I’m on my stomach) and they “fall asleep”

What about that guy who slept upside-down in Wayne’s World 2? Eh? Eh?

EDIT: found the scene:

At night-time like OP I can’t fall asleep lying on my back, no way! BUT for a nap in the afternoon I always fall asleep lying on my back! No problem! Don’t know why…

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Take my fiancee for example. She starts the night on her side, but quickly moves into a position where she lies on her front with her neck twisted. Every time I see her from then until when the sun starts to rise, she is in that position. As it begins to get light, she stirs and sleeps on her back for a couple of hours. In winter, with longer dark periods, she sleeps more and more on her front.[/quote]

You watch her sleep all night?

Weirdo. :slight_smile:

The extent of my moving around at night is turning my head from one side to the other and moving my legs. But I fall asleep on my stomach and wake up there

I slept on my back last night and now I have back pain. Thanks, you bastards.