NTTGPR: Sleep position?

[ohinvrtedworld]

So I am kind of a side/stomach sleeper. I've always felt fine for as long as I can remember, but all of a sudden, I am getting muscle cramps on my stomach or in my side, sometimes in the middle of the night but usually when I'm naturally waking up.

How do y'all sleep? Does this happen to any of you guys? Have any of you trained yourselves somehow to sleep in a different way, and if so, how?

I can also use this information to train H to stop sleeping flat on his back and snoring 

[joy]

I sleep all ways. Back, right side, left side, stomach. I'm equal opportunity.

[treble]

I've always slept on my side nut but I do get cramps from time to time when I am waking up.

Sorry I'm not much help.

[kellybenelly83]

I inevitably fall asleep on my stomach with one arm under the pillow and one leg bent. The problem is this generally leads to an arm that falls asleep.
While sleeping I am told I am all over the place and last week I *may have elbowed DH in the ear while sleeping.....

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2015 10:49:40 GMT -5 joy said:

I sleep all ways. Back, right side, left side, stomach. I'm equal opportunity.

This. Although I almost always start out in this position:




ETA - I rarely get cramps. 

[getzystark]

We got a bed with an adjustable base so I could try not to sleep on my stomach. If I sleep on my stomach I screw up my SI joint and neck, but I was always waking up in that position. Now, I typically wake up on my back which is awesome.

Changing your pillow could help. Or putting a pillow between your legs. You wont stop flipping for a while, but if you continue to work at it, you can train yourself to at least fall asleep in a certain position.

[joy]

Jan 21, 2015 10:50:30 GMT -5 treble said:

I've always slept on my side nut I do get cramps from time to time when I am waking up.

Sorry I'm not much help.

Nuts don't like to be slept on, I don't think.  :-)

[getzystark]

Jan 21, 2015 10:57:47 GMT -5 @pugsandwine said:

Jan 21, 2015 10:49:40 GMT -5 joy said:

I sleep all ways. Back, right side, left side, stomach. I'm equal opportunity.

This. Although I almost always start out in this position:

That's my favorite way to sleep too!! But it's hell on my SI and neck.

[treble]

Jan 21, 2015 10:58:17 GMT -5 joy said:

Jan 21, 2015 10:50:30 GMT -5 treble said:

I've always slept on my side nut I do get cramps from time to time when I am waking up.

Sorry I'm not much help.

Nuts don't like to be slept on, I don't think.  :-)

Dude. When I left The Dump I left all of my grammar awards behind.

Reading before posting be damned!

[ohinvrtedworld]

Jan 21, 2015 10:57:56 GMT -5 getzystark said:

We got a bed with an adjustable base so I could try not to sleep on my stomach. If I sleep on my stomach I screw up my SI joint and neck, but I was always waking up in that position. Now, I typically wake up on my back which is awesome.

Changing your pillow could help. Or putting a pillow between your legs. You wont stop flipping for a while, but if you continue to work at it, you can train yourself to at least fall asleep in a certain position.

The pillow between legs is a good idea that I'll have to try!

[Sparkly]

I'm a back/side sleeper. I used pillows to train myself to sleep on my side more when I was pregnant because you aren't supposed to sleep on your back after a certain point. I put them on both sides and between my knees so I couldn't ever roll completely one way or the other.

[dinodna3]

Side with a pillow between my legs.

[rlpointer86]

I sleep spread out on my tummy. So I had to retrain myself when I was pregnant to not sleep on my stomach. So even now I sleep with pillows around me (my husband hates it!), including a pillow between my legs. It's so comfortable.

[piccyami]

I'm an equal opportunity sleeper. I'll sleep whichever way results in being comfortable. I have been told that I don't actually stay still when I sleep, so there's no telling how I'll wake up or what I'll do in my sleep.

[Unknown]

I slept on my side (75% right 25% left), but I tuck my arm underneath myself and DH has no idea how my arm doesn't fall asleep.

[SheilaTheTank]

I'm a stomach sleeper with my arms curled up and on leg bent. I have found that I will have lower back pain issues from time to time because the bent leg causes my hamstrings to become extremely tight. When I notice that happening I train myself to keep my legs straight for a night or two and it evens back out. This problem only started occurring during the last few years. It sucks getting older.

[joy]

I missed the cramps question. No, I don't get cramps from sleeping any way. I do - however - have trouble breathing in some position at some times. I have no idea why. Last night, I tried to sleep on my stomach at one point, but ended up moving quickly because I couldn't catch my breath. It was annoying. Other nights, it's no big deal.

I do get some mild low back pain from sleeping on my stomach, but that's because our new mattress is softer so I end up in a convex position.

[mainewifey]

Jan 21, 2015 10:58:28 GMT -5 getzystark said:

Jan 21, 2015 10:57:47 GMT -5 @pugsandwine said:

This. Although I almost always start out in this position:

That's my favorite way to sleep too!! But it's hell on my SI and neck.

Yep, that's my favorite way too.  In reality I sleep any way my dog lets me sleep. Usually on my left side, essentially spooning him, because I'm a failure at dog training.   

I only get cramps when I'm dehydrated.

[pinkcat]

I also agreeing with changing the pillows-I used to sleep with one and would always wake up on my stomach, but now I sleep with two under my head and that has made it so I always wake up on my side or back. Sleeping on your stomach with two pillows under your head just isn't as comfy :-) Although I must not be very smart in my sleep, you would think I would just MOVE one pillow and end up back on my stomach!

[quiltygal23]

Jan 21, 2015 10:57:47 GMT -5 @pugsandwine said:

Jan 21, 2015 10:49:40 GMT -5 joy said:

I sleep all ways. Back, right side, left side, stomach. I'm equal opportunity.

This. Although I almost always start out in this position:




ETA - I rarely get cramps. 

Same. Except with my legs stretched out much more. My poor husband shares 1/4 of our bed with the dog. He calls it my "daffy" position. Sleeping on my side hurts my hips, sleeping on my back hurts my neck!

[rooskie]

No one else sleeps the way the animals allow? I'm usually on my right side with a kitten by my legs/feet. DH also now sleeps on my pillow because I'm warm...? So not many ways to roll over.

[bunnyfungo]

I sleep on my back. But I have to have a pillow fortress around me. I have sleep issues.

[ironsexer]

I agree with pp, a new pillow for your head will help. I also agree with using a pillow between your legs to sleep on your side works wonders. I personally have started sleeping with a pillow on my stomach so I sleep on my back. They say sleeping on your back is better for your complexion and prevents wrinkles.

[ohinvrtedworld]

Jan 21, 2015 11:39:59 GMT -5 ironsexer said:

I agree with pp, a new pillow for your head will help. I also agree with using a pillow between your legs to sleep on your side works wonders. I personally have started sleeping with a pillow on my stomach so I sleep on my back. They say sleeping on your back is better for your complexion and prevents wrinkles.

I have heard that too -- pretty compelling!  

Maybe I just need to tape some tennis balls to my stomach to keep me from rolling over haha.

[LadyNymeria]

I always start off on my back or side and end up on my stomach a lot of mornings. I have issues (really, they're pretty minor) with my back and haven't been to the chiropractor in forever so I'm finding it more and more difficult to sleep on my back due to pain.

[brettanomyces]

I move around in all the positions but usually end up waking up on my back.

I need to get a more supportive pillow.

[negirl824]

I usually sleep in my right side. I used to be a stomach sleeper till I was pregnant with DD and couldn't anymore, now I can't sleep in my stomach.

[aprilz81]

Jan 21, 2015 10:51:01 GMT -5 kellybenelly83 said:

I inevitably fall asleep on my stomach with one arm under the pillow and one leg bent. The problem is this generally leads to an arm that falls asleep.
While sleeping I am told I am all over the place and last week I *may have elbowed DH in the ear while sleeping.....

This is how I fall asleep.  Once I'm asleep I can move around some but I can NEVER fall asleep on my back, I can doze but I can't get into a good sleep on my back.

[LadyNymeria]

Jan 22, 2015 12:27:53 GMT -5 negirl824 said:

I usually sleep in my right side. I used to be a stomach sleeper till I was pregnant with DD and couldn't anymore, now I can't sleep in my stomach.

I wasn't supposed to sleep on my stomach for a bit after my belly button piercing (years go now), and it trained me to not sleep on my stomach at all. For years I didn't, and now suddenly I'm starting to wake up on my stomach again.

[daisy818]

I sleep on my side about 70% of the time. Back very rarely, and stomach when I am feeling queasy (not sure why - my dad told me it helped him when I was a kid so I have a random belief that it helps). I randomly get back pain when I sleep but I don't think it seems to go with any particular sleep position.