Wednesday, 04 November 2009

  • I Sleep Like A Shrimp...

     

    I’ve had bad neck and back pain lately, which I think is due mostly to my “weird” sleeping positions. I used to sleep on my stomach, but I’ve heard that’s actually by far the worst position to sleep in since your head and neck are turned to one side for a long period of time, which can eventually cause neck pain.  So, I’ve been trying to sleep either on my side or on my back (I’ve heard they are the best sleeping positions) hoping that it’ll slowly cure my neck and back pain. However, I’ve found out that even if I try to sleep in these “optimal” positions, I either quickly return to my “old-sleeping-positions” or if I do make it onto my side, my whole body becomes all scrunched up like a shrimp. Thanks to my “funny” sleeping positions, my neck and back pain seem to be getting worse, and I just can’t find a solution to this problem.

    Have any of you ever had a similar “sleeping-position-problem”? Do you have any tips for solving this problem?

     

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Comments (48)

  • salvatruca_stalking_havok13@xanga

    Ha. I have the same shrimp-like sleeping problem mainly because I hate sleeping face up. I can't cover my face with blankets, you know, like the secret scared 5 year old I am. D:
  • SamiiSaysHaii@xanga

    I've gone from sleeping on my side, to my stomach and now to my back. The reason I decided to sleep on my back isn't because of neck pains or anything, but because I heard it can cause acne since your face is touching the same pillow case your face does every night, which can't be good. So I've made the change for the sake of my skin and it's rather difficult ! I've always hated sleeping on my back, but I hate having broken out skin, too. 



    As for tips, I dunno, my body just doesn't seem to move once it goes into sleep mode !
  • chow@ireallylikefood

    Mmmm... shrimp.  Nom nom nom.

    Seriously though, have you seen a Chiropractor?
  • FindingxPerfection@xanga

    @salvatruca_stalking_havok13@xanga - Haha, I also have to cover my face because I'm a scared 5 year old. I usually sleep on my side with the covers pulled up over my ears and only the tip of my face sticking out.

    I used to sleep on my back with my legs crossed (kinda like indian style), and it really helped with back pain (especially if you put a pillow under your lower back). But once you're asleep your body just reverts to whatever it's most comfortable with. So I don't have any good advice.
  • laurenmaureen@xanga

    i sleep on my stomach.
    it's caused neck pain for me, but in all honesty, i slept on my back once and i woke up with a pinched nerve in my neck and spine area.
    i'd rather deal with the minor neck pain than a horrible pinched nerve that left me feeling like i was paralyzed, to be honest.
  • bethb031409@xanga
    I sleep on my side because I curl up beside my husband and fall asleep
  • feelslikejuly@xanga

    I sleep on my tummy and fetal position. I heard somewhere that your favorite sleeping positions are related to how we were in utero. 
  • just_the_average_jane@xanga

    If you're sleeping on your side, sometimes it's more comfortable to put a pillow between your knees. Other than that, i don't really know though.  Good luck! 
  • ELIZerson@xanga

    Like a shrimp?  Haha.

    Well, I sleep on my side, with my legs curled up a little bit, and usually holding onto a pillow pretty tightly.  Try snuggling with a pillow or wrapping a big blanket around your shoulders, kind of like a little nest for your head :)
  • cornyonacob@xanga

    i sleep on my stomach too! and i have trouble falling asleep in any other position :[ even if i manage to fall asleep on my back, i roll back around when i'm sleeping. ughh.
    luckily, i haven't had any neck problems. maybe you should try using a different pillow. i know there's different heights and softnesses for different sleeping positions.
  • my_secret_diary_xx@xanga

    i sleep on my side and usually in a fetal position :S
  • waking_up_older@xanga

    Maybe try using a body pillow or a soft bed cover?  I'm a side sleeper and I've had some neck pain from laying on my side but then propping my neck up too high on the massive amount of pillows I use, so I feel your pain.
  • sexncookies@xanga

    hahaha aww.... I hate sleeping on my stomach I can never find myself comfortable enough to fall asleep that way...or comfortable period. lol


    I love sleeping on my side with a big puffy pillow and a body pillow as well to wrap my legs around. I find myself kinda scrunched up in the fetal position as well when I sleep on my side but thats not necessarily a badd thing. I switch from side to side tho throughout the night so I guess that would be the bad part of my sleep. Cause any movement is a disturbance in the sleep and any disturbance is not a good rest.


    buttt I think to help you could buy yourself a foam pillow maybe that will help support your neck and head a little more...laying a pillow under you maybe??
  • jupiter312@xanga

    I sleep on my stomach and rarely have neck or back problems because of it.
  • BebstersBlog2@xanga

    I used to occasionally sleep on my stomach, but I can't now.

    Usually I switch between back and side throughout the night.

    Maybe you should try getting a better mattress?  Or possibly you don't have the right size/amount of pillows?

    I heard somewhere that you need the most pillow volume for sleeping on your side, in-between for back, and if you must sleep on your stomach it should none or a very small pillow.  I have 2 pillows (though they are kind of flat), but they seem to work fine.

    Oh, and, in addition, I have one of those Squish pillows that I sometimes wedge into my back if I sleep on my side and that is more comfortable.
  • SoHoian_NightOwl@xanga

    i admit guilty to that sometimes, but lately i haven't been sleeping as much only because i have so busy so when I do sleep, I just literally collapse onto my bed straight and sleep like that throughout the night, too lazy to toss and turn. 
  • diane_iris@xanga

    Ugh, I have neck problems from sleeping too! As a matter of fact, I can't turn my head to the left cause it will result in pain. I think I just need a new pillow.
  • Lulabell_88@xanga

    I already have major spine problems, so I try to sleep with a pillow between my legs and with my spine as straight as possible, but I always end up on my stomach or in some awkward angled pose with one hip elevated on a pillow.
  • chanwinyee@xanga

    I also sleep on my stomach, but every so often it changes positions. Patience is all I can really suggest..

    It's funny though, if I fall asleep beginning lying on my stomach, I wake up in a puddle of my drool (LOL!), but.. if I fall asleep in any other position, I wake up on my stomach on my face.... no drool though!
  • black_lie@xanga

    I used to sleep on a lot of floors, which made me accustomed to sleeping on my back, because any other position gets uncomfortable real quick on the floor and I already have enough trouble falling asleep (insomnia). It's also most convenient for menstruation... any other position causes leakage for me. So I guess I sleep on my back out of necessity. If I go to bed with the mindset that I need to stay in the same position the whole night for my comfort (or my sheets... lol), I wake up in the same exact position. 
  • blackspiders@xanga

    I am a stomach sleeper as well. It's hard to sleep any other way, but I agree that a pillow between your legs can help a lot just for general comfort.   :]
  • azashi@xanga

    i can't sleep on my stomach. i can't breathe that way - not that i'm smothering myself with a pillow, but i dunno, my lungs and diaphragm and what not just doesn't expand well enough. hahaha.

    i keep to my back and being the little kid i am i throw the covers up to my nose so i get less scared of the ghosts and monsters that may visit me. yay!
  • lonelyazncboie@xanga

    lmao i sleep just like the girl in the pic
  • DarcKleer@xanga

    I try to fall asleep on my side with a pillow between my knees. I hear that's good for your back. I usually wake up in a different and uncomfortable position though.
  • Titanic_Spaz@xanga

    I sleep on my stomach as well, and have since I was...well...erm...1month old? lol


    The key to sleeping on your stomach without neck or back pain is pillow placement. Find a position for the pillow so that you face isn't mashed against the mattress. I usually use a "seatbelt" type orientation (shoulder to waist). 
    That being said, once I'm out...all bets are off. I've woken up in some pretty odd positions...and have been told by the wife that sometimes I have a tendency to nearly elbow her in the face over and over and over again. Not sure why. ....but that's better than my dad who apparently used to practice wrestling moves in his sleep. My mom would be stuck in a full nelson and have to yell at my dad to wake him up.....then they laughed and laughed....
    ...I don't know if I have a point though
    I say....sleep however the hell you want...and take care of your muscles and joints when you wake up. (like a dog or cat....they stretch the moment they wake up...so should you)
    good luck!

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