Is Sleeping On the Floor Good for Your Back?
This question is often asked, as sleeping on the floor is commonly recommended to many individuals to try out if they’re experiencing back pain. In this post, we’ll be discussing the various benefits of sleeping on the floor, how to best sleep on the floor if you choose to do so, and the negatives of sleeping on the floor. Enjoy!
If It Works for You, Great!
The bottom line of sleeping on the floor is: if it works for you, great! Keep sleeping on the floor if you’re finding relief from doing so. If it’s not working for you as a solution, move on to the next strategy at reducing back pain. It’s as simple as that in most cases. Let’s explore the benefits of sleeping on the floor.
Benefits of Sleeping On the Floor
The benefits of sleeping on the floor for back pain, posture, and higher quality sleep can be quite apparent after one takes the time to properly go about with their sleeping on the floor plan.
Sleeping On the Floor May Provide Relief from Back Pain
The floor, when properly supported with a mattress pad or Japanese style sleeping futon, can be a great way to experiment with back pain reduction. There are many instances where sleeping on a firmer mattress, or the floor itself with proper support, will likely reduce your back pain and offer more support overall. It’s often recommended to try sleeping on a firm mattress if you’re experiencing back pain, and the floor may be the next step when you’ve slept on a firm mattress for a few months.
Sleeping On the Floor May Help Improve Posture
Your posture can be altered by a poor level of support, especially in your mid-back range where traditional mattresses tend to begin sagging first. With the floor, there’s no opportunity for the sleeping surface to sag, as the floor is typically a rock hard surface. This supportive nature of the floor itself will likely allow you to maintain better posture and alignment than if you were to sleep on an ultra-soft mattress which could begin sagging after the very first use in some instances.
The Cooler Temperatures May Help You Sleep Better
Cooler temperatures help us sleep better. The floor of any room is going to be much cooler than the ceiling of the same room. Therefore, it’s no wonder the cooler temperature associated with sleeping on the floor will allow a higher quality of sleep with more feelings of restfulness upon awakening.
Negatives of Sleeping On the Floor
Now, let’s explore some of the negatives of sleeping on the floor:
Sleeping On the Floor May Exacerbate Painful Areas if Not Properly Supported
If you’re going to begin sleeping on the floor, do it in gradual steps. This means you do not want to immediately go from sleeping on your plush, pillow-top covered mattress to a bare, hard floor the very first night. Begin sleeping on the floor by adding extra padding to support your sleep style transition. Then, as your body begins to become more comfortable with the act of sleeping on the floor, you’ll want to remove some of the extra padding and see how your body tolerates it. If everything is good, keep it going. If you notice feelings of stiffness or uncomfortableness when waking up in the morning, you’ll want to add some of that extra padding back to your setup.
How to Sleep On the Floor
How to sleep on the floor is a common question. Below are some answers:
Clear & Clean a Proper Space On the Floor
If you’re going to begin sleeping on the floor, treat your new sleeping area with respect. This means cleaning the floor with your preferred vacuum or mop. Then, once everything has had time to settle and dry, begin assembling your “floor bed” as you would with a regular mattress.
Create Your Perfect Bed for Sleeping On the Floor
Again, adding extra padding is a good idea at first to help ease your back and body into the act of sleeping on the floor. Test some different methods out and see what works for you. There’s no “wrong” way to go about it. Whatever feels the best is likely good for your body type and back pain level. Listen to your body and go with the flow.
Support Your Preferred Sleeping Position
If you’re a side-sleeper, you’ll want to add extra support to the mid-section and hip area of your floor sleeping setup. This helps to ensure you have a restful night sleep, and not a night of sleep where you’re tossing and turning with discomfort. If you’re a back sleeper, you’ll likely find an even, consistent layer of padding to do the job right.
Take a Nap First to Test It Out
Taking a nap for a couple of hours on your new sleep setup can be a great way to test everything out. If you find you enjoy sleeping on the floor after a two-hour long nap, you’ll likely find sleeping a full eight hours to be enjoyable as well.
If All is Good, Try It Out for a Few Days
Now, if you’ve had a good night’s rest sleeping on the floor, continue it for a few days. If all is good, maybe this will be your new sleep style for the foreseeable future? If you wake up with discomfort, maybe add extra padding or go back to your mattress? It ultimately comes down to how you feel and how your back pain responds to this style of sleeping.
Contact Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants for Help with Any Neck, Back, Or Sciatica Pain
If you’ve tried everything and your back pain still won’t subside, you’ll want to contact us using the form below. We’ll be sure to respond to your message as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
DISCLAIMER: No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.