Sleep Position

[OneDoesNotSimplyWalk]

I'm a stomach sleeper, but I've always been under the impression that sleeping on your back is much more versatile for backpacking and such. Any of y'all switched positions, opinions? I'm thinking of trying to switch before my next section hike.

[map man]

People are much more prone to snoring when they sleep on their backs and others sleeping in your vicinity may prefer that you continue sleeping on your stomach. I'm a side sleeper myself.

[SamBrooks_01]

If I'm on my bed I can be on my stomach, back, side, whatever.. But I've always found that, being on the ground/pad at least, I tend to stay on my stomach just because I don't like being laid out completely flat like that. I guess it just depends on what kind of padding I have or if I have any at all.

[DuneElliot]

I don't think you can choose your sleep position. I think you can choose which position you start out in, but eventually your body is going to end up in the position it finds best. And yes, keep others happy...don't snore!

I move a lot when sleeping, between side and stomach, or a combo of both.

[MuddyWaters]

I switch positions several times per night.
I dont understand the question.
Sleep however the heck you are comfortable.

[Lyle]

When I was in college I was very definitely a stomach sleeper. The older I got, the less comfortable it became and I eventually became a side sleeper.

When I was in my early 30's I suffered a back injury which resulted in a compressed vertebral disk. Two different orthopedic surgeons, in the course of treating that injury, told me that stomach sleeping is VERY bad for the lower back, and could have contributed to the severity of the injury.

Another disadvantage to stomach sleeping if you use shelters is the possibility of Hantavirus. Stomach sleeping would put your nose in even closer proximity to the mouse fecal dust that carries the virus.

You can change your habit, and I would recommend that you try, but it's your life and hike. :-)

Check out this site for a suggestion on changing your habit from stomach sleeper:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12886...back-pain.html

[Water Rat]

I'm a stomach & side sleeper... I couldn't even begin to think of how I might change that.

There have been times when shoulder or knee injuries have forced me to sleep on my back, but that was never comfortable and I never got a good night sleep. Sleeping in a recliner was much easier if I left the head slightly elevated. That worked a bit better. Not sure how you carrying a recliner on your hike would help you though. Perhaps moving to a hammock would help with training yourself to sleep on your back?

You do have me genuinely curious as to what has lead to your belief that sleeping on your back is more "versatile" for backpacking. I don't think I have ever heard that one before.

[DuneElliot]

You do have me genuinely curious as to what has lead to your belief that sleeping on your back is more "versatile" for backpacking. I don't think I have ever heard that one before.

I've heard that it's because you can make use of the thin CCF pads and still be comfortable. Can't use those very well as a side sleeper and stay comfortable.

[One Half]

Sleeping on your back is actually the best anatomically. If you need/want to train yourself to do this You can simply put things in your bed to force you to stay on our back. This can be as simple as pillows at your sides or perhaps something more uncomfortable. I had to learn to sleep on my back so I could stay off my shoulders. Of course, I had the added advantage of having 2 separated shoulders at the time so the pain would usually wake me up if I moved to my side. But being aware of trying to stay on my back and falling asleep like that I found that I would wake up enough as I was rolling that I would remember to go to my back. It took maybe 4-5 nights until my brain finally gave up and just let me sleep on my back. Before this I was a full on stomach sleeper, fell asleep that way and stayed that way all night with short periods of side sleeping. I do a lot more side sleeping now that my shoulders are healed but try to stay mostly on my back still.

[DuneElliot]

Sleeping on your back is actually the best anatomically. If you need/want to train yourself to do this You can simply put things in your bed to force you to stay on our back.

Unless I'm on the perfect mattress I end up in a lot of pain from sleeping or laying on my back. In my upper back this is due to an injury to the spinal column and in my lower back I find it pinches a nerve, no matter when my knees are bent or my legs are straight.

[Slo-go'en]

It depends on how fat you are. Fat people sleep on their back and snore loudly.

[daddytwosticks]

It depends on how fat you are. Fat people sleep on their back and snore loudly.

Hey, I resemble that!

I'm a rotisery sleeper. I usually flip and flop from side to back to side. Sometimes end up on my stomach. When I slept on a neoair, it drove others crazy while shelter sleeping due to the crinckly noise. Got rid of the neoair, but still toss and turn all night.

[OneDoesNotSimplyWalk]

You do have me genuinely curious as to what has lead to your belief that sleeping on your back is more "versatile" for backpacking. I don't think I have ever heard that one before.

Oh, I'm not sure where I heard it from, probably just vague impressions here and there. I just assumed that without compressing your ribs (and face for that matter) you'd be able to sleep more soundly.

[nsherry61]

Some years ago I spend a few months training myself, very effectively, to sleep flat on my back all night. It took some time and quite a bit of practice to figure out how to hold my arms, hands, and legs to maximize comfort, all night, without moving around. But, in the end, it worked well. It provided a very comfortable habit of sleeping that allowed me, as suggested by at least one post above, to sleep comfortably, all night long, without a pillow, on a thin foam pad on hard ground.

The down side . . . well, I've since been diagnosed with sleep apnea that, along with snoring, is exacerbated by sleeping on my back. So, if I am sleeping without the use of my CPAP machine, I have to sleep on my side to maintain healthy airflow and not wake up everyone within 1/2 mile of me with my snoring. So now, I sleep less comfortably on my sides and stomach with a nice thick, expensive, inflatable pad to help make it tolerable.

Sleeping on my back in the back-country was so comfortable when I was doing it, that I am going to start experimenting with some mandibular braces to hold my jaw in place enough that maybe I can sleep on my back again at some point without a machine running next to me. Wish me luck.

[OneDoesNotSimplyWalk]

I'm impressed with your determination! My dad also has sleep apnea and it's too risky for him to sleep without the CPAP. Best of luck to ya!

[Odd Man Out]

I tend to sleep on my side. Then I bend my knees to a partial fetal position. I use a quilt. With my feet closer to my head, the quilt come over my head. I need a wider pad and thicker pillow to make this work.

[Christoph]

I flop around probably 30 times every night trying to find that perfect, most comfortable spot. Always start out on my left side and then my arm falls asleep, then turn to the right, same thing. Can't lay on my back, besides the dogs jumping my chest (one is an 85 pound lab), I've got back problems. No pain like back pain. And on my stomach, well that's just not very comfy for me either. That's why I tent mostly and stay out of the shelters as much as I can so others can get as good of a nights sleep as they can.

[Water Rat]

I've heard that it's because you can make use of the thin CCF pads and still be comfortable. Can't use those very well as a side sleeper and stay comfortable.

Ah, I have heard that one! In that context the OP's thoughts on versatility make a lot more sense to me. Thanks!

[Roamin]

I prefer to sleep horizontally, after that nothing really matters to me. Being in the Navy for 24 years and standing a lot of watch, take it from me, sleeping while vertical can be hazardous.

[Another Kevin]

I've never been successful at changing sleeping position. I wish I could, in winter, because I wind up rolling over, burying my face in the sleeping bag hood, and filling it with condensation.