sleeping on hard surfaces might really hold some water

[jverne]

i have chronic back injury from a stupid stunt i did years ago...one of my lower back vertebrates is a bit misaligned (inward) that causes me not severe but annoying pain.

so i just came back from Metalcamp (yes, we were ****ing drunk) and noticed my back didn't hurt one bit even after standing up almost the whole day. we obviously slept on the floor with little padding.

this night i slept on my regular bed (which is on the harder side but still soft compared to the floor). and the whole day this annoying back pain appeared again. i noticed it's usual when changing mattresses, but that week was really doing something.
that's why i lied down for 10 minutes on the floor in my room and the back pain was severely reduced.

so i plan to sleep a few nights on the floor to monitor my condition and compare it to the mattress. i'm also gonna ditch my chair and put my monitor and keyboard on a shelf shoulder/head high. i find sitting more straining for the back than standing.

i'm eager to see if it's just an anomaly or if i'm actually onto something.

 

[VirusType2]

Hm, I had neck pain with a headache for 3 days and I tried a different pillow and I haven't had the problem since. They are about the same firmness, but they are made of completely different materials.

Just go with whatever works. Good to hear you found a way to deal with your back pain.

You might also try strengthening your back. It will give you a great posture, whether standing or sitting. When your back is straight, there is no strain on it. I heard it's something like 1000 lbs. of pressure on your spine when you lean forward to pick up something, even something seemingly insignificant in weight. Humans aren't designed that well in that respect.

 

[Sulkdodds]

I think you're on to something, jverne. My god! Imagine if we didn't need beds! The space we could save.

 

[jverne]

I think you're on to something, jverne. My god! Imagine if we didn't need beds! The space we could save.

not sure if you're being sarcastic...but the Japanese had no mattress until westerners brought them there. they slept on those futons and some still do.
maybe soft doesn't mean also healthy...sure it is comfortable, but i hate soft mattresess because i end up in a hole.
but i agree that there is no definite answer to this, everyone has a different bone/muscular structure...you need to experiment.

but we have to note...humans slept on mostly not so soft and flexible surfaces for a very long time in history.
i'm thinking of buying inch thick, dense foam so it provides insulation and takes off excessive pressure from contact points. common sense tells me you need softness but also stiffness. just like an erect penis...soft but stiff. no...i'm not gonna buy a penis bed!

 

[CyberPitz]

I usually wake up with neck pain and/or headaches when I sleep on beds. I've not gone to the extreme and slept on the floor, because..eh, too lazy.

I have a feeling that it would solve all of my problems, though.

 

[CyberPitz]

I usually wake up with neck pain and/or headaches when I sleep on beds. I've not gone to the extreme and slept on the floor, because..eh, too lazy.

I have a feeling that it would solve all of my problems, though.

 

[jverne]

I usually wake up with neck pain and/or headaches when I sleep on beds. I've not gone to the extreme and slept on the floor, because..eh, too lazy.

I have a feeling that it would solve all of my problems, though.

not sure if it would work for the neck...it depends on what kind of pillow do you have. i use a thin pillow that keeps my head in level with the spine, so it's not too high or completely unsupported. but you never know until you try it.

and like i said...i don't sleep on a bare floor, but i'm using this

so it's not completely hard faced

 

[CyberPitz]

Wtf, I double posted? Odd.

Yeah, I generally flip flop a lot during the night with/without/folded pillows. Drives me mad.

 

[Jintor]

I need a futon.

 

[CyberPitz]

^That's what I usually sleep on for an hour a day.

I sleep at the GF's until she goes to work, then go home and sleep on the futon. The futon kicks my ass so hard. It's a POS that is starting to bend back into a 'recline' position. I should try to tighten everything up....

 

[StardogChampion]

It helps because lying on your back will straighten your spine. Stick a pillow under your knees to get the perfect posture.

 

[Raziaar]

Sleeping on the floor gives me a sore back, neck and shoulders.

Sometimes when I sleep on my bed and I wake up with lower back pain, laying on the floor on my back does alleviate it though.

 

[VirusType2]

A thick memory foam mattress topper fixed my back pain, (that I had every morning for years) literally overnight.

 

[jverne]

A thick memory foam mattress topper fixed my back pain, (that I had every morning for years) literally overnight.

yep...my plan if it works, is to get a 2 inch thick memory foam sheet and replace the mattress.

i want something just soft enough that it doesn't sink you in but offer enough softness for my butt checks and upper torso so they don't get squished directly on the floor.

 

[VirusType2]

The memory foam should be at least 3", preferably 4". The name brand ones have a higher density (firmer) than the department store ones, so that might be what you need.

I'm not sure if you need to be on a flat board, or just need something to keep your back aligned. See, the memory foam keeps your spine aligned correctly, is extremely comfortable, and will not pinch pressure points.

Maybe you should talk to a doctor about the best thing you can do.

Or, if you buy from a store that will allow you to return it, then you can buy two 2" toppers and stack them up, so you can compare 2" and 4" thicknesses.

 

[Andrew]

It doesn't matter where we sleep bed or floor, only the sleeping position and the posture matters. I too had suffered back pains at times and even had many sleepless nights. Then one my friend suggested me stretching exercises and also this site http://www.irehab.com , which helped me to get rid of my back issue. So I may suggest stretch exercises are the best solutions for back issues.

 

[jverne]

The memory foam should be at least 3", preferably 4". The name brand ones have a higher density (firmer) than the department store ones, so that might be what you need.

I'm not sure if you need to be on a flat board, or just need something to keep your back aligned. See, the memory foam keeps your spine aligned correctly, is extremely comfortable, and will not pinch pressure points.

Maybe you should talk to a doctor about the best thing you can do.

Or, if you buy from a store that will allow you to return it, then you can buy two 2" toppers and stack them up, so you can compare 2" and 4" thicknesses.

good idea...will do that today

 

[Sparta]

There is a school of thought that says even though it may feel better to sleep on the floor, in the long term its far more damaging than sleeping on a softer mattress. I'm not entirely sure why though but that's always been what i've been told by my specialists.

 

[nurizeko]

not sure if you're being sarcastic...but the Japanese had no mattress until westerners brought them there. they slept on those futons and some still do.

Most sleep on futons, allot of "apartments" are just glorified storage space that you sleep in the middle of.

The rest live with other people and someone has to sleep on a futon anyway.


I never really have back pain anyway.

 

[jverne]

There is a school of thought that says even though it may feel better to sleep on the floor, in the long term its far more damaging than sleeping on a softer mattress. I'm not entirely sure why though but that's always been what i've been told by my specialists.

my gut feeling tells me something in between is best. some padding is obviously needed but the 1 foot thick mattress is maybe overkill. i'd say a 4" foam is best. but i'll experiment with different types. today i've slept with a 1/3 inch thick foam sheet. i woke up with my ass and upper shoulders a bit sore, but the lower back was OK. this night i've got a 3" soft foam padding i'm gonna try.

 

[VirusType2]

I don't think 3" of foam laying on the floor will be enough because the heavier parts of your body will compress it fully, meaning, they will still be on the floor, except with compressed foam instead of the similarly hard floor. In other words, once the foam is compressed fully, it is no longer able to do its job and cushion you.

What you want is weightlessness. Short of that, the best thing you can do is the closest thing which is offered by sufficient thickness memory foam mattress. The 3" is just a topper and is meant to use on top of a mattress for complete support.

That said, I realize that you have a unique injury and are experimenting to find something that works for you.

 

[jet_porkins]

Everyone knows that water will only slide every which way on a hard flat surface.

Your thread title is wrong.

 

[Destructo-Bot]

http://www.healthyfoundations.com/toppers.html

I've recently bought a 2" Memory Foam topper pad from there, and am quite satisfied. So give that a look if you are serious about a memory foam pad