# Sleeping on the floor / hard surface



## LibertyPrime

I decided to test for a month how sleeping on a hard surface, like lets say the wooden floor of the bedroom would be like. Its supposed to be healthier then sleeping on a bed.

*Day one*

*Expectations:* aching back, hips, shoulders and lack of sleep

*What really happened:* took about 20 minutes to fall asleep due to it being new. Slept through the night and woke up sleeping on my side feeling no pain or discomfort. Went back to sleep in about 3 minutes and slept well till the clock rang. Woke up like always, absolutely no pain anywhere...odd. :crazy:


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## Fleetfoot

FreeBeer said:


> Its supposed to be healthier then sleeping on a bed.


Where is your source for this statement?


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## Galaxies

This is not surprising, doctors actually recommend you sleep on hard surfaces when you get back pain because soft surfaces don't support the spine. How long do you plan to do this for?

Also, glad to see a thread about sleep.


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## Promethea

Harder surfaces for sleeping are better for the spine, yeah.


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## LibertyPrime

Tawanda said:


> Where is your source for this statement?


I have found no artikles stating that its bad nor that its good, thus the one month test to see the difference. It depends probably on the person, but I'm self preservation last so comfort isn't really an issue. I can sleep basically anywhere  (this is just me)

*One benefit that I saw instantly:* During the night on my bed I tend to roll over onto my stomach, which inhibits breathing to a degree. On the floor that is uncomfortable so I naturally don't do it. This means I end up sleeping either on my back, which opens up my upper back during sleep (good for me) or onmy side as usual, which is oddly still comfortable even on the hard floor.

It was surprising how well I slept.



Galaxies said:


> This is not surprising, doctors actually recommend you sleep on hard surfaces when you get back pain because soft surfaces don't support the spine. How long do you plan to do this for?
> 
> Also, glad to see a thread about sleep.


I will test for one month, however It may be a permanent solution if nothing bad happens for a month. I plan on updating by day and posting the experience.


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## android654

I sleep on a Japanese futon, which is essentially the same thing and I've been doing it for quite a while.










It's helped with my recovery from working out a lot more than sleeping on a mattress has ever had. I"ll never go back.


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## Sansevieria

> Geisha were trained to sleep with their necks on small supports (_takamakura_), instead of pillows, so they could keep their hairstyle perfect. To reinforce this habit, their mentors would pour rice around the base of the support. If the geisha’s head rolled off the support while she slept, rice would stick to the pomade in her hair.


always fascinated me


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## Dedication

I'll do this tonight, reporting tomorrow.


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## FalseFawn

I like it. Especially when I have bouts of insomnia. When I change _where_ I'm sleeping it usually helps.


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## Zombie Devil Duckie

I'll be watching this thread daily. Great experiment.


-ZDD


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## LibertyPrime

*Day Two:*

*Expectations:* still the same as declared on day one.

*What really happened:* Oddly enough I fell asleep early this time. It didn't take 5 minutes and woke up on my back due to the alarm clock ringing. Slept well, no pains or aches either. Am I getting used to it?

At this point I'd like to add that I went into this with some upper backpain. I'm doing calisthenics every second day and streching / exercises designed to losen up my spine and alleviate backpain in between. Yesterday I woke up with no backpain for the first time in months. I don't know if its because of calisthenics, streaching or the back exercises OR sleeping on the floor. Maybe its the combination, but my back feels okay now.

I have some serious muskle fever in my triceps and chest due to the pushups thou ...I needs some lemon with shugar.


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## Dedication

*Dedication's Report!*

Last night I tried sleeping on my wooden floor. I took it as far as 48 minutes to realize I wasn't going to fall asleep and just went to bed. But in the mean time I did notice the following:

- My body was stretched, relaxed and comfortable, more so than in my own bed. 
*- *Sleeping on my belly is a no go, my knees hit the floor in an uncomfortable position and it puts pressure on my stomach.
- Turning around takes effort, it doesn't have a smooth feel to it, like in bed.


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## Angus512

i must try this.......


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## LibertyPrime

*Day 3 and day 4*

Still nothing, I can sleep normally so far.


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## android654

FreeBeer said:


> *Day 3 and day 4*
> 
> Still nothing, I can sleep normally so far.


Just an FYI, once you've been sleeping on the floor long enough, you'll find it impossible to go back. I recently fell asleep on someone's bed and could not make it through the night.


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## LibertyPrime

android654 said:


> Just an FYI, once you've been sleeping on the floor long enough, you'll find it impossible to go back. I recently fell asleep on someone's bed and could not make it through the night.


I'm really getting used to this, considering how everything went so far I think I'm getting a futon and ditching the bed. 

*Just so everyone knows my setup:* right now I have the rug on my wooden floor and I put one thin blanket between me and the rug so I don't get irritated because its summer and I don't sleep in clothes. Other then that I have my regular summer cover and I'm sleeping in the middle of the bedroom on the floor. Its been good.

*Day 5:* Woke up like on any other day again. Muscle fever has gone down I think I can resume step 2 in bridges. Gotta keep that back healthy and get going with the convict calisthenics routine.


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## Angus512

android654 said:


> Just an FYI, once you've been sleeping on the floor long enough, you'll find it impossible to go back. I recently fell asleep on someone's bed and could not make it through the night.


think of it this way; wherever you go, there's floor. but there isn't always a bed...


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## Dragearen

I sleep either on the floor, or sometimes on a Japanese futon, every night. As android said, it is very difficult for me to sleep on a bed now. And the "comfier" the bed, the harder it is for me to sleep. Still, I love it.


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## android654

Angus512 said:


> think of it this way; wherever you go, there's floor. but there isn't always a bed...


Yeah, but some times, at the end of the day, you end up in someone's bed, and then falling asleep becomes a problem. But you are right, its more sensible and would come in handy.


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## Angus512

android654 said:


> Yeah, but some times, at the end of the day, you end up in someone's bed, and then falling asleep becomes a problem. But you are right, its more sensible and would come in handy.


 had not thought of that... otherwise thanks


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## LadyO.W.BernieBro

l don't sleep on the floor but l've always had really awful mattresses that l get for free and people don't believe that l don't hate them. l've never felt the need for a ''good'' mattress and am honestly not sure if l can feel much difference in quality.

No issues so far.


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## Cher Zee

My bed is soft, I have a removable pillow top with an good ol fashioned mattress (the type built from wood). I never wake up with any pain in my back. 

Hard surfaces hurt me in a bad bad way though. I've slept on the floor before and I wake up with aches that last throughout the day.

It may depend on the person and what their body likes.


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## LibertyPrime

Cher_to_the_Z said:


> My bed is soft, I have a removable pillow top with an good ol fashioned mattress (the type built from wood). I never wake up with any pain in my back.
> 
> Hard surfaces hurt me in a bad bad way though. I've slept on the floor before and I wake up with aches that last throughout the day.
> 
> It may depend on the person and what their body likes.


I think my problem with my bed is that I end up sleeping on my stomach because sleeping on my back is uncomfortable due to it's softness. This doesen't happen on the floor because its hard. Haven't had any discomforts thou and my back stopped hurting. I think it depends on the person, yeah.

So far so good.


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## Vic

I sleep on the floor as I refuse to buy a bed that isn't a king size on a specific type of wooden frame. Something for a future date.

The floor is oddly comfortable.


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## LibertyPrime

I forgot which day it is now , but it has gotten increasingly easier and more comfortable to sleep on the floor. I tried to sleep on my bed but the softness of the mattress bothered me for some reason.


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## android654

FreeBeer said:


> I forgot which day it is now , but it has gotten increasingly easier and more comfortable to sleep on the floor. I tried to sleep on my bed but the softness of the mattress bothered me for some reason.


Told ya!


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## LibertyPrime

android654 said:


> Told ya!


<.< hmm yeah...but what about O.O sex and stuff? >.>...hmm..how will that work with sleeping?

"XD excuse me hum,  that was a wild ride, but I'm gong to sleep on the floor now.."


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## android654

FreeBeer said:


> <.< hmm yeah...but what about O.O sex and stuff? >.>...hmm..how will that work with sleeping?
> 
> "XD excuse me hum,  that was a wild ride, but I'm gong to sleep on the floor now.."


Well, I usually wind up at their house rather than my own. But, I've found that if you "own" things without worrying about a person's reaction, they tend to just go with it. After sex just say you'll sleep on the floor without batting an eye and chances are she/he won't either.

Also, when there's no bed you'll find that there's a huge variety of places to have sex. Bathroom floor, on the sink, kitchen counter, sofa, the window sill, desk, dining table... it kind of forces you to open up to possibilities.


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## MonieJ

I've always slept on the floor on a thin mattres( I need to look into gettin a platform bed or Japanese Futon), it feels better than a big bed to me. How interestin,hope it continues to be a good experience for you.


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## ronrz567

I like doing that!


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## Mind Swirl

Every time I've had to sleep on the ground or a hard floor, I woke up 20 times during the night trying to get comfortable, my shoulder and hip were in pain (I sleep on my side) and my arm and hip would go numb. If I have to do it for days on end, I essentially get no sleep. Thus the reason I hate camping.
Though I'm sure if a person sleeps on the ground enough, they will adapt to it.


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## LibertyPrime

Mind Swirl said:


> Every time I've had to sleep on the ground or a hard floor, I woke up 20 times during the night trying to get comfortable, my shoulder and hip were in pain (I sleep on my side) and my arm and hip would go numb. If I have to do it for days on end, I essentially get no sleep. Thus the reason I hate camping.
> Though I'm sure if a person sleeps on the ground enough, they will adapt to it.


o.o I adapted to it by the second day. I sleep on my back so its okay. I can sleep on my sides as well and there is no pain as long as I don't fall asleep on my arm and inhibit the circulation in it lol.

So far its good, I'm getting a good night's rest every day. I also do convict conditioning calisthenics and yoga streches so I haven't been in pain lately. Before this I had some serious upper back pain (probably the muskles were weak and stiff).


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## Cantarella

Sansevieria said:


> always fascinated me


According to Mineko Iwasaki, they actually used rice bran, which would probably be even more of a pain to get out.


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## finically

This is an interesting thread. Over time, I have felt a natural inclination develop toward sleeping on harder and harder surfaces. I can no longer sleep on or with pillows (they are annoying), and I need a firm mattress. I have no idea why this has happened, but it has not hindered the quality of my sleep (granted, I am predisposed to light sleep and insomnia). Maybe one day I will progress to sleeping on hard surfaces like floors.


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## xlr8r

finically said:


> This is an interesting thread. Over time, I have felt a natural inclination develop toward sleeping on harder and harder surfaces. I can no longer sleep on or with pillows (they are annoying), and I need a firm mattress. I have no idea why this has happened, but it has not hindered the quality of my sleep (granted, I am predisposed to light sleep and insomnia). Maybe one day I will progress to sleeping on hard surfaces like floors.


You are the first to speak about pillows while sleeping on hard surfaces.

Others? Are pillows used?


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## Peripheral

I used to sleep on the floor for years.

You don't really need a pillow, but it helps if you like to sleep on anything but your back.


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## countrygirl90

Honestly I don't like sleeping on mattress specially during summers because it gets to hot to be sleep in there ,so I have this special kind of mattress that I sleep on my bed which is not very fluffy or cushioning and I can feel the hard surface of bed below me .I haven't experienced lack of sleep or any kind of aches in my body sleeping over it so far ,but feels like a pleasure ,lying on it after a backbreaking day when I'm tired to bones .


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## Angus512

xlr8r said:


> Others? Are pillows used?



I do! i move it away if i want to sleep on my back or front though.

honestly it took me a few nights to get used to it, but i think i sleep better now. regardless i'll stick with my initial reason; that there is floor everywhere, and not always a bed.


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## SeñorTaco

life is too short to sleep on hard surfaces.

alternatively, use android654's advice. futons are a better alternatives to floors.


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## LibertyPrime

Angus512 said:


> I do! i move it away if i want to sleep on my back or front though.
> 
> honestly it took me a few nights to get used to it, but i think i sleep better now. regardless i'll stick with my initial reason; that there is floor everywhere, and not always a bed.


Yeah I had the same idea at one point. You can never know when you'd be forced to sleep on the floor, ground etc..

It has been more then a month and I was forced to relocate into bed for 2 consecutive days, but overall I like the floor and will continue to sleep there.

Maybe its just me and I'm odd, I'm doing convict conditioning and learning krav maga, I consider wilderness survival skills important and like to be prepared, general repair skills, foreign languages and so on .


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## Blazy

Peripheral said:


> I used to sleep on the floor for years.
> 
> You don't really need a pillow, but it helps if you like to sleep on anything but your back.


Yeah I heard somewhere that pillows are actually bad for you when you sleep on your back. Don't ask me where I read it but it was pretty interesting.


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## Peripheral

I agree. That's why I said "Anything other than your back". For example, sleeping on your side with your arm/shoulder trying to support your head will leave you with a sore neck and/or shoulder if you do it wrong. In that case, a pillow helps. I have broad shoulders and like to fall asleep on my sides, so a pillow helps.


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## Angus512

FreeBeer said:


> Yeah I had the same idea at one point. You can never know when you'd be forced to sleep on the floor, ground etc..
> 
> It has been more then a month and I was forced to relocate into bed for 2 consecutive days, but overall I like the floor and will continue to sleep there.
> 
> Maybe its just me and I'm odd, I'm doing convict conditioning and learning krav maga, I consider wilderness survival skills important and like to be prepared, general repair skills, foreign languages and so on .


i'm unsure if i could agree with you more or not  i sometimes crash in my bed. normally for a good reason, but occasionally just because i feel like it.


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## Obscure

Promethea said:


> Harder surfaces for sleeping are better for the spine, yeah.


Exactly.


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## februarystars

I'm reading this thread thinking wow.

I like to sleep in a giant comfy bed with lots of pillows, thank you 

that said I have on an odd occasion woke up with random neck pain, not sure why. maybe because too high pillows.


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## Vic

All pillows are too high when sleeping flat on the ground. There must be a floor sleeper pillow somewhere.


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## Spades

Would this work if one sleeps on their side? I camp a lot and I sleep on my side. Even after one night, my hips hurt *A LOT*. Is this something that goes away with time or best done on your back? (General question to anyone with experience).


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## ATLeow

Spades said:


> Would this work if one sleeps on their side? I camp a lot and I sleep on my side. Even after one night, my hips hurt *A LOT*. Is this something that goes away with time or best done on your back? (General question to anyone with experience).


I've slept for years curled up on my side and whenever falling asleep on a solid surface (cement and wood floors, school desks) it's always been quite painful in whichever hip is in contact with the ground, and generally uncomfortable. The head can't be properly supported in that position either, unless you want a numb arm as well (or have a pillow, obviously).
I don't think you can apply the same advice to sleeping on your side, although I've heard plenty about how it works for sleeping on your back. I've never looked it up in detail though.
From my own experience I wouldn't recommend sleeping on your side on a hard surface, the support provided is very different and more uneven. Even with some padding, hip and for me shoulder pain is likely without some proper cushioning, i.e. a mattress.


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## WickerDeer

Spades said:


> Would this work if one sleeps on their side? I camp a lot and I sleep on my side. Even after one night, my hips hurt *A LOT*. Is this something that goes away with time or best done on your back? (General question to anyone with experience).


I think the biggest reason why I sleep on my side during camping is that I am cold. If you have enough insulation, then sleeping on your back is probably better. If you camp on the sand then it's not an issue because you can dig holes for your hips or whatever.


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