I’ve been a side-sleeper all my life, but at 54 with 2 arthritic shoulders that seems to be ceasing to be an option. I can lay on either side for about 20 minutes before it gets pretty uncomfortable. Last night I dozed on my back for 6 hours–not exactly restful. Anybody taught themselves to change sleep positions, and if so, how? I guess eventually I’ll get so tired it will just happen (or I’ll have a psychotic break, per MIB). If/when I get surgery it will become absolutely mandatory, of course.
I was a side sleeper for years. Then we kinda figured out I had mild sleep apnea and I needed to sleep on my back on a wedge. It took about a month or so to get used to it, and now I can’t sleep any other way. It helped that it’s kinda impossible to get comfortable on your side on a wedge - your upper body is bent at an uncomfortable angle. Not sure how it would work without a wedge.
I have a touch of GERD and we bought a slanty bed frame and the malady is under control. However, if I try to sleep on my back that chronic muscle in my lower right kidney quadrant will spasm like there’s no tomorrow – MRIs are a blast.
Yes. I was always a side sleeper, but around a decade ago I had shoulder and back injuries that required sleeping on my back. I got used to it. Now I’m mostly fine and I can and do sleep both ways.
I have a hard time sleeping flat on my back. However, I can sleep flat on my front, so I at least still have that option. If I have to sleep on my back, I usually end up with my legs all contorted or the comforter bunched up under my back on one side so at least I sorta feel like I’m on my side.
Have you tried a recliner? I have no idea if it helps for arthritic shoulders, but it’s almost a requirement for sleeping the first few nights after shoulder surgery.
I do need to find a recliner. I’m going to have some sort of surgery soon (up to and including replacement of one shoulder), so a recliner needs to be purchased. Of course, that’s a real joy right now.
Imhave a bent septum, and no, I’ve never had a busted nose. I can only sleep on my right side.
During the night, I do roll onto my back or onto my left side, but I don’t stay in a different position for very long.
I’m rather fond of breathing, so I sleep mostly on my right side.
~VOW
I don’t want to so, no, I couldn’t. As soon as I fell asleep, I would turn on my side.
I’m typically a side sleeper, but I broke my leg, which forced me to sleep on my back so I could put a pillow under my knee. I got used to it, but I do not recommend this method. As soon as the brace came off, I went back to side sleeping.
I typically sleep on my side(s). I could readily sleep on my back, but I try not to, as it makes my snoring worse. Have never had trouble sleeping on my back when medically needed - such as after ankle surgery.
Is front sleeping an option?
I regularly review records in which people sleep in recliners - most often due to apnea/respiratory issues. Sometimes b/c they lack mobility to climb stairs to the bedrooms.
I was always a side sleeper, until at the age of 67 I had open-heart surgery. I then slept on my back for several weeks. Now, I can sleep in any position (except, sleeping on my stomach gives me a back ache).
I had two frozen shoulders about ten years ago, and tried to sleep on my back. I couldn’t. I had to pile up pillows into a pile that, when I laid on my side on it, let my shoulder hang into a gap. It was the only way I could sleep.
After the shoulders healed up, I saw this “Medcline” special side sleeping device for people with sore shoulders. I wish I had one of these ten years ago.
There was a contraption that kept popping up on my FB feed. It was for side sleepers and shoulder pain. It was like a harness you stick your arm through and it suspends the shoulder so there’s no weight on it.
That thing sounds perfect for the OP.
Thanks!!! Might have to give that a try. Looks like it could deal with a lot of issues.
A long time ago I broke a collarbone and quickly learned to sleep on my back for the duration. After it healed I went back to flopping around.
I don’t know if I could sleep on my back if I had to try it long enough, but I’ve never achieved anything beyond a sort of half-conscious grogginess that I won’t dignify with the word sleep.
That looks pretty comfortable.
I don’t think I could sleep on my back on a bet. I do give it a good, solid try every now and then, mostly because it’s genuinely perplexing to me why it doesn’t lend itself to dozing off, but after staring at the ceiling for however long I always wind up giving up.
Used to be a side sleeper. Then I broke a rib. With a broken rib, you sleep sitting up, at least for the first 8 or 10 weeks. But for the next month or two after that, it’s lots more comfortable to sleep on one’s back. And I never went back to side sleeping. Not that I recommend breaking a rib to change your sleeping position.
I trained myself to sleep on my back as a late teenager.