25 replies to this topic

[russ1]

I'm interested to discover what position people sleep in. Most of the books I've read and advice I've been given by health care professionals is that sleeping in the prone position is the best for SCI people because there's no weight on pressure points and because it stretches your legs out.

I was never comfortable sleeping prone before my injury and I'm less comfortable now - occassionally I can sleep prone for a couple of hours but It's not that easy getting into a prone position what with arraging duvet and leg bags and tubing and I don't sleep too well. Generally I sleep on my side in a postion that's essentially a reflection of my seated postion and can often go 9 or 10 hours without turning or waking. I started in hospital with all sorts of odd pillows under ankles, between legs but was encouraged to get rid of these and did so.

Trouble is I'm now starting to get moulded into the Z posture of sitting in a wheelchair and my sleeping position is now starting to reflect that too. I'm pretty sure that it would be better for me to try to get out of this and stretch out and was wondering if others managed to do this.

[keps]

I sleep on one side for a maximum of 6 hours. I do tend to spend a little time flat on my back before settling for the night - I think this gives me a good stretch. (I would never spend more than about 2 hours on my back)

I could never sleep on my front before injury, and it's even more uncomfortable now I'm injured, and I find getting on to my front hugely difficult. So I do it very rarely (only to stretch my back occasionally)

Edited by keps, 07 December 2005 - 12:40 PM.

[wheelie182]

i always try to sleep lying flat on on front or on my back, but it doesn't matter because somhow i always end up being on my side with legs at like 120 degrees or somthing,

[joisliniad]

My 2 cents...If you can't sleep in your stomach all night, make sure to watch TV, read or do some type of activity in the floor in prone in order to stretch your back and your hip flexors. You should at least stretch in my opinion 1/2 hour 2 times a day...How much time do u read or watch tv during the day? do u use a lap top? do these activities in prone, preferably in the floor because the mattress will give away some. You can help yourself a little bit with cushion under the chest so you don't get your shoulder so tired, but the prone stretching is very importatn if no you will get the Z contractions...At night try to just sleep for a few hrs if you can, becasue a restfull night is as much important too.

[keps]

I know you're right joisliniad, but I really do find it hard.

Lying on my front gives me strong leg spasms (well, strong for me), and it makes my chest tighten, which I hate.

I think I am finding going prone easy to ignore because I am quite floppy naturally, and I am flexible, so I haven't had any signs of being fixed in one shape yet. If I started having probs with flexibility, I would definitely start doing more.

[KimAndSophie]

I just realized that since I've used a wheelchair I started sleeping on my back. I could never sleep on my back before even as a little kid. Now if I happen to wake up early in the morning I might roll onto my side but that's it. Before I would toss and turn all night long.

[Joed]

I tend to migrate into the side/fetal position, but before actually falling asleep, I do try to lie prone for at least a little while. During the day, I will occasionally lie cross-ways across my son's twin bed, feet hanging over...just to get a good stretch in.

I can no longer tolerate lying on my stomach...my favorite sleeping position before my main injury. And I miss it!

[AHolland]

I lay on my side with the lower leg stretched straight while the leg on the top is on a pillow and bent. At about 3-4:00 I get up and flip to the other side. I guess this gives each leg a period of time when it is straight.

[hillarymcarter]

That is exactly what my husband does. He is also on an air bed because of a pressure sore. The sore is almost healed though and the doctor is going to get an air overlay to put over his side of our regular bed. I'm so glad he is coming back to my bed.....winter is cold by yourself!

[AHolland]

I remember the nurses at the hospital telling me I should turn over every 2 hours.

No way am I going to get up every 2 hours to turn over.

I am pretty good about not sleeping in one position for too long though. I think 6 hours is probably the maximum in one position. I usually wake up because of pain, so it's not too hard a thing to do. Actually, the longer I sit/sleep in one position, the worse I feel so turning over is a good thing for me.

[Simon]

The hospital education was turn every 3hrs but who the hell can do that in the real world when you're relying on someone else to do the turning? I have gone from a turning bed which kept moving all night (nicknamed the floating coffin!) which I had when first discharged. Then went to a roho mattress which was excellent, I went up to 12 hours on my back, then side for an hour or more before I was got up. I used this until late 1990's, now I use a Tempur mattress, this is even better. I can do 18 hrs without a turn on my back and 14hrs on either side.
So no night turns, no disturbed sleep for me or my wife.
It would be impossible for me to sleep prone given I'm a high tetra.
Simon

[dan]

I start by laying on my stomac with a pillow for each arm and shoulder and a round pillow under my chest I allways wake up and turn to the side once a night and add a pillow for my head

[Dana]

I used to fall asleep lying prone. My hubby is a very light sleeper and turns in bed all the time. At one time every night he makes sure I turn on my side.

The past few weeks though I sleep mostly on my back as I am pregnant. I know people (and doctors) say that it will not hurt the baby is I sleep prone, but still it gives me a bad feeling.
And anyway, in a few weeks when my belly is bigger I will not be able to sleep prone any longer anyway, so I might as well start now
We have an amazing mattress by Serta. It was expensive but it is amazing!

[kanga2433]

I am afraid I don't do any better that many of the others. I start lying on my back and have to move to right side to get to sleep and may spend the whole night on that side without moving. I do check the ckin and no problems so far.

Now, as far as sleeping prone is concerned I just can't manage it. I get neck ache and that's it. However, last February, I suffered a detached retina and ha an operation to put it back. Afterwards I was to I would have to spend the night prone to help the healing. The hospital fitted a head support to the bottom of the bed, essentially a smal padded ring for the head which was a little lower than the bed, and i slept really well than night, and I can't normally sleep in hospital!

[Avocado Baby]

I sleep on my front with my arms tucked under my stomach. It seems to support my thoracic area. My legs alwatys spasm loads when I first lie down but then they calm down. I can never get my neck comfortable when I lie on my back...or get up again for that matter!

[Avocado Baby]

I sleep on my front with my arms tucked under my stomach. It seems to support my thoracic area. My legs alwatys spasm loads when I first lie down but then they calm down. I can never get my neck comfortable when I lie on my back...or get up again for that matter!

[mttb14]

John sleeps on his side, but he seems to support his neck by placing both his arms in a protective way, if he sleeps on his left side he has worse spasms in the night than if he lays on his right side. He cannot lay out straight due to really tight tendons behind his knees, which he says continually hurt like toothache. He is as mobile as possible in the day, but by the night the tendons stand proud and his knees just won't straighten. He is an incomplete quad, C5/6. He suffers from increased tone in his upper body and he just cannot relax his neck, upper arms and shoulder areas.

Amitriptyline seems to be the only thing that guarantees him a nights sleep, we have an expensive bed and it is really comfortable, but pillows are a real problem.

One night he needs two, another night he cannot stand any, and we've bought all sorts, but nothing seems to help.

How good are the tempur pillows and mattresses as I think that is our next purchase?

Maria

[matt]

I sleep on my back with my elbows next to my sides and my hands folded over my sternum. Not very exciting but very comfortable for lengthy bed sessions.
I hope this helps.
Matt

P.S Pop on over to Invanet All when you get the chance and help get the forums going.

[lune14]

Prone is not the most peaceful sleeping position for me but I favor sleeping on my right side with pillow between bent knees. I guess I avoid my back for fear of bottom sores but I do sleep that way on occasion. Sleeping on my stomach is HUGELY uncomfy for me but maybe that's because I don't do it and I'm not stretched enough. Mostly my lower back feels stiff when on my stomach and it bothers my neck after a short while. I'm also rather "busty" so that makes it worse as far as comfort. (blessed and cursed at the same time I suppose LOL) It's my 25th year as a para and I'm now starting to see a little lack of flex in my legs so I guess it's a good time to rekindle my awareness and get the hips stretched out good.

Edited by Diana, 16 June 2006 - 11:10 PM.

[dom]

hi
i sleep on my back at first but quickly get uncomfortable from my backside area [cauda equina] due to it being paralysed also if i lay on my right side my ankle aggravates me and feels as if it is badly bruised so i sometimes suspend it over the side of the bed and leave it dangling in mid-air
its ok on the left side

[TimRS]

I sleep in a foetal position on either side with a pillow between my knees, but I'm having increasing problems with back ache which is waking me up fairly regularly in the night, and then it's hard to get back off, as I have a cramp/burning in my legs most of the time and it's hard to block it out at night. It's pretty hard during the day as well to be honest.

I am trying to find a t-roll orthopaedic cushion for daytime resting, and possibly the odd night, as it helps me to get a good spinal position when I'm with the Physio. Anyone got any ideas of a good UK supplier? I've only found one online so far, and it's £75.

Tim

[Philip]

I start sleeping on my left side, this has the benefit of helping Bowel movement, Then I wake up 2 hours because of pain and I'm on my back I then I go back on my left side rinse and repeat. My Pain issues keep me on a turning program. If you have access to a firm regular mattress. Sitting on the edge of the bed and lay back. See if this works for you to stretch your back. I do that and my body is like a canter levered for about 10 seconds the loosen up. it feels good in a painful way. I lay there for about 10 mins and get back in my chair. Man it feel energized.

[Avocado Baby]

Philip, on Aug 10 2006, 08:49 PM, said:

my back I then I go back on my left side rinse and repeat. My Pain issues keep me on a turning program. If you have access to a firm regular mattress. Sitting on the edge of the bed and lay back. See if this works for you to stretch your back. I do that and my body is like a canter levered for about 10 seconds the loosen up. it feels good in a painful way. I lay there for about 10 mins and get back in my chair. Man it feel energized.

Yeah, I do that and it feels really good!

[benok]

I sleep in a supine position for a good 8 hours but with lumbar pain.

[Danielle87]

I usually slept in the prone position before my accident (June 16,2006), but now I go from side to side during the night. I still have to wear my collar full time, but maybe once I get it off I'll be able to sleep comfortably.