The Sleep Help Thread

[Forge3]

SLEEP, ONE OF THE PILLARS OF SUCCESSFUL TRAINING

This thread is in response to weekly posts in this forum concerning sleep difficulties. It is here to help address those issues. I am not a doctor, and it is prudent to do a follow-up with one concerning sleep issues. My own personal studies have evolved out of struggling with sleep issues for many years. So it is both research and practical based. I hope other people who have sleep issues, short or long term, can benefit from this thread. I can certainly empathize.

Sleep difficulties can be a signal of underlying health and emotional issues. Sometimes it is stress related. This thread is here to offer some advice and guidelines. I’ll be grateful if any resident experts or knowledgeable people contribute it. I’ll summarize what I know to make this reader friendly and provide link for the benefit of those who want more of the nitty-gritty.

(1) SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHM:
The body has an internal clock for sleep patterns. This can be offset when people work the night shift or shift work. Jet lag is a commonly experienced disruption to Circadian rhythms. High levels of stress can also put one out of synch. Sleep disorders are “associated with irregular or pathological functioning of circadian rhythms” (Wikipedia).

www.healthlink.mcw.edu/article/922567322.html

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm


Melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating sleep and other functions is naturally made in the brain. Sometimes, melatonin capsules can be ingested to help restore the internal (circadian) rhythm of sleep. And it is considered ----> Non-addictive. It is not meant for long term, but as an aid to get your neurological/physiological rhythm back I synch.

www.4-melatonin.com/melatonin.asp

Additionally, melatonin is purported to enhance the immune system.

[Forge3]

(2) SLEEP AND STRESS
Sometimes there are marked changes in lifestyle that impact negatively on sleep. The different sources of stress are hard to outline in here. Stress is often subjective but dramatic changes in one’s life, positive or negative, can involve a lot of stress initially.

IS STRESS AFFECTING YOUR SLEEP PATTERNS?
The following are all common factors that contribute to lack of sleep:

OVERTHINKING: Many people take their work home with them, either physically or metaphorically.
And it makes sense: with today’s demanding workloads, it’s often difficult to come home from a day of troubleshooting and automatically stop thinking about all the trouble. (Stay-at-home parents and students can experience this as well.) If you find yourself still trying to solve problems at the end of the day, and the thoughts won’t seem to leave your mind, this can make sleep come much more difficultly, and even disrupt your sleep in the middle of the night, as you transition between sleep stages.

CAFFEINE: People under stress tend to consume significant amounts of caffeine, sometimes intentionally (to get a ‘boost’ to get going in the morning or make it through the day) or unintentionally (out of habit or cravings). Caffeine can exacerbate stress levels and significantly affect the amount and quality of sleep you get. Some people seem to do fine with it. Everybody has different sensitivities, so I’m not saying avoid caffeine in general. It is best not to have caffeine products close to the time you sleep. Also, people suffering from or on the threshold of adrenal burn-out should avoid it. For them, it is better to use adaptogens from the ginseng family for energy in that case.

CORTISOL: This ‘stress hormone’ is one of the key players responsible for the fight or flight response, that jolt of energy you get when you feel stressed or threatened, that enables you to respond. Unfortunately, chronic stress can lead to excessive levels and this can disrupt healthy sleep patterns. Additionally, it effects the metabolism toward greater storage of fat, as oposed to muscle building.

OVER-SCHEDULING: A hectic, busy life can rob you of sleep by allowing a sheer lack of time for it. If you find yourself pushing your bed time back further and further to get things done, or getting up earlier and earlier in the name of productivity (or both), you may feel tired a lot of the time, but not realize the toll lack of sleep takes.

ANXIETY: Like over-thinking, anxiety can make sleep difficult and wake you up in the night. Anxiety keeps your mind busy as you imagine threatening scenario after threatening scenario and worry about what may happen next. You may also become preoccupied with finding solutions, but with a racing mind, it’s sometimes difficult to come up with an acceptably coherent one. Unlike over-thinking, anxiety can rob you of sleep by keeping your anxiety levels high with that fight or flight response, making sleep even more elusive.


I WILL UPDATE THIS WITH MORE INFORMATION SOON ON OTHER RELATED TOPICS: SLEEP HYGIENE, SLEEPING AIDS, ETC.

[Ruth]

Excellent idea, Forge, you get a rep from me for it.

A tip for those who sometimes have problems with falling asleep: get a CD with sounds of the ocean on it, no music, just the sound of the tide. Hit the repeat button and let it play all night if you are really having sleep problems. Worked really well for me in the past, though I sleep like a log since I've been training.

[twinnett]

I love this! I have no problem falling asleep, but I wake up at different points in the night and can NOT sleep past 6AM

[Forge3]

STRATEGIES FOR ADRESSING SLEEP DIFFICULTIES

SLEEP HYGIENE: The mental and physical things one can do to help enhance the quality of our sleep. These are things we can work around or alter. Obviously are schedules can be erratic at times. For instance, managing our sleep when there is a new baby.

For good sleep hygiene tips and strategies here is a good place to begin with the basics:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_hygiene


POWER NAPS: Don’t underestimate the value of the power nap. Napping can increase your productivity and give you a valuable dose of sleep when you need it. Learn more:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_nap



I’ll include my link to The Yoga and Bodybuilding thread as a stress management, health and well-being resource.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...errerid=314325




BEFORE PROCEEDING TO A SECTION ON CHEMICAL SLEEP AIDS I REITERATE ON THE NEED TO BE DISCERNING. YOU MAY HAVE UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT SUCH A STRATEGY WILL ONLY MASK OR ACT AS A BAND-AID TO. CONSIDER IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HAVING DIFFICULTY, IS IT ONGOING AND PERIODIC. IF IT IS ONGOING AND PERIODIC MY ADVICE IS TO SEE A PHYSICIAN.

TO HELP DETERMINE IF YOU MIGHT HAVE A SLEEP DISORDER:

www.sleepeducation.com/Disorder.aspx?id=15


A FAIRLY COMMON TYPE OF SLEEP DISORDER IS CALLED SLEEP APNEA:

www.sleep-net.com/apnea.htm

This can be very serious if not addressed.

THE FOLLOWING POST WAS SUBMITTED BY A MEMBER TO OFFER A MEDITATIVE RESOURCE FOR EASING INTO A SLEEP STATE. IT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR THOSE WITH ANXIETY OR OVERTHINKING. I RECOMMEND YOU READ IT AND PUT IT IN YOUR SLEEP AID UTILITY BELT . SEE IF IT WORKS FOR YOU.

Peace.

[Spartan32]

I have always had trouble falling asleep as my mind would race and think about 100 different things. I read this a few days ago and it has helped me each night. This should help anyone with difficulty in falling asleep.

How to Put Your Mind to Sleep Quickly

By Kacper M. Postawski
PowerfulSleep.com

If you often lay awake, unable to put your mind to rest while you're tossing and turning, you're going to love what you're about to read, because I'm about to share with you one of the most powerful methods for quickly shutting off your mind, and drifting off to sleep.

As you may already know, your mind must be in the Alpha brain-wave stage to fall asleep. This is the stage your mind enters you're still conscious, but your body and begin to relax. It enables your more rampant and conscious mind to turn off as you enter the realm of sleep.

We all know how it feels... when you're lying awake in bed trying to fall asleep, it seems like your mind is running on hyper-speed. It's almost like you're thinking 10 times faster than when you're just normally awake and alert. In fact, if you experience this often, I can tell you for a fact that your mind IS working harder than it is when you're not trying to fall asleep, and there is a very good reason for it, here's why this happens...

In my books and articles on sleep, I often teach a principle: "What you focus on expands." You see, your mind responds to focus, and it goes hand in hand with the law of momentum. What is the law of momentum? Quite simply:

"Energy in motion, tends to STAY in motion"
"Energy stopped, tends to STAY stopped"

In other words, if you take action in your life, and begin to create success, you will experience more and more success every day. Success breeds success. On the other hand, if you sit your butt down on the couch to watch TV and say, "Aww, just one show, I'll only watch 1 show," very soon you'll be sitting there for 4 hours, and you'll watch 5 or 6 shows.

The law of momentum is everywhere in life, in physics, with your body, and most importantly, with your "thoughts." You see, your thinking is very predictable, it all works on the law of focus and momentum. Your mind is like a big ball of potential thinking energy, just waiting for you to give it a direction to think wildly into...

It awaits and responds your every command. It's an exceptional tool. Except, most of us aren't very experienced at "controlling" this amazing tool. In fact, a lot people aren't even aware that they can control it! And this is where sleep problems come in.

Imagine your mind like a giant overflowing lake that's just waiting for an outlet to pour into... Slowly, when it finds an outlet, it begins with a trickle of water. That trickle turns into a stream. Then, that stream turns into a small river. Pretty soon, the small river is a giant unstoppable waterfall. Your thoughts work in the same way when you're "trying" to fall asleep.

For example, you're laying in bed, frustrated, forcing your mind to not think. "I just want to get some sleep! Stop thinking. Okay, starting now... I won't think anymore. No think... nothing. My life is nothing... If only I would finally get motivated in my job maybe I would finally create the income to start traveling instead of dealing with these problems. Problems, how can I... Ahh, I'm thinking again! Stop!"

You get even more frustrated, and repeat the process over again in a few minutes. So how do you stop it? It's easy, you see, you can easily control your thinking, except most people aren't aware of the tools necessary! The good news is, I'm about to give you the 3 step handbook to controlling your mind. Here are the 3 universal steps that will enable you to not only stop thinking, you'll also be able to lower your brain-waves into the alpha brain-state, which will quickly let you enter sleep...

[Spartan32]

The 3-Step Process for Controlling Your Mind

Step 1: Awareness
The first step to changing anything is becoming aware that it's happening, especially if it's your mind. Pretend your mind is racing, and you finally realize that you're thinking... Most people at this stage get extremely frustrated and "try" to force the mind into submission. It doesn't work! Why? Because, what you focus on expands. The more frustrated you get, the more you're focusing on frustration, so you'll get even MORE frustration, and more thinking... on and on!

So the first step, is to simply become "aware" of the fact that you're thinking. Nothing more. When you notice that you're thinking, smile to yourself, and say, "I just noticed myself thinking... Interesting..."

Now notice what happens inside of you when you do this... something VERY profound. If "I" just noticed "myself" thinking, perhaps there are really two completely separate identities running your life? There is the "I" and there is the "self."

The "I", is the real you, the higher being, the "I" behind the mind, that runs the show, the heart, the soul, the true conscious being, the choice maker.

The "self" is the mind. If left to run the show, will run in endless circles until the edge of insanity.

The moment you do this, the moment you become "Aware" - you are no longer a slave to your mind. You have won. After you become aware... do nothing, just lay there for 3 seconds and notice how it feels to be present in who you really are, not the mind, but you, the "I" - there is a great feeling of peace behind that presence in the "I." Why? Because when you are aware like this, you're aware of the power of your choice making. You now have the power of choice.

Step 2: Relaxed Focus
"What you focus on expands." Now that you have become aware of your thinking. All you have to do is "direct" your mind into a place that will bring you into a deep, deep place of relaxation. Think about it, if before your mind will relentlessly race into any direction you give it, why not pick a direction that will give you peace and restful sleep?

But, most people don't know what that direction really is. It's really easy. If you focus on anything your body does or feels subconsciously, you will begin to become more and more realized. For example your breathing, the feeling of the pillow on your head, the sounds of nature outside (unless you live in the city), the warmth of your body. These are all things that happen, yet your conscious mind doesn't think about them.

As you know, "What you focus on, expands"... So what would happen if you focused on something that is happening in your "subconscious"? That's right, your conscious thinking would diminish, and your subconscious mind would begin to take over the entire process of you falling asleep! It really is that simple, and it works every-time.

The easiest one, is your breathing. And I promise you if you just try this tonight, you will be shocked when you wake up in the morning: "Wow! It worked!"

Step 3: Repetition
As I said, the easiest one to focus on is your breathing. In the beginning, you'll find this easier said than done. Let me walk you through it.

* Begin by taking your focus onto your breathing. Take a deep breath in. Hold it for a short while, and slowly exhale...
* Count "1"
* Breathe in again... hold it shortly, exhale slowly, and count...
* "2"

Why count? Because I guarantee you, in the very beginning, you may find it challenging to hold your focus. In fact, you'll be surprised as you may not even make it to "5" the first time. This is because your conscious ever-thinking mind will butt in and interrupt. You may randomly go off into a barrage of thoughts again. If this happens, and it very well may, what do you do?

Simply become aware, and begin focusing on your breathing again. Guess what happens? As you become aware, 2 or 3 times... your mind will give up. I guarantee you, beyond the shadow of a doubt, when you get to "10" or "15" breaths you will feel a wave of relaxation in your body. This is the silent "click" as your mind shifts from the high frequency Beta brain-waves into Alpha brain-waves. Your subconscious mind will do the rest!

That's all for now, if you'd like to get the entire guide to getting incredible sleep, waking up earlier with even more energy than before, by energizing your "inner sleep" system with simple, yet extremely powerful things you can start to act on even tonight, then grab my full eBook, "Powerful Sleep."

[Forge3]

SLEEPING PILLS

I won’t say a lot about sleeping pills. Suffice it to say they are habit forming. They rob the body of delta sleep. In fact long term use leads to symptoms of a growing sleep deficit because the quality of sleep is compromised. And this affects adversely affects the secretion of the growth hormone.
As a short term intervention they may benefit some, but there is the risk of dependency

www.pslgroup.com/dg/78bba.htm

www.darksideofsleepingpills.com/all.html

ANTIHISTAMINES

These over the counter medications (antihistamines) have been used as a temporary aid to sleep, though the effectiveness of them for sleep diminishes with use:
The most annoying side effect that antihistamines produce is drowsiness. Though desirable at bedtime, it is a nuisance to many people who need to use antihistamines in the daytime. To some people, it is even hazardous. These drugs are not recommended for daytime use for people who may be driving automobile or operating equipment that could be dangerous. Newer non-sedating antihistamines, available by prescription only, do not have this effect. The first few doses cause the most sleepiness; subsequent doses are usually less troublesome. This information gleaned from:

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/all...histamines.cfm

[Forge3]

You can consider the use of 'natural' sleep aids as a temporary or periodic measure to get your body/CNS back on track.

1.)TRYPTOPHAN: (essential amino acid) is a perfectly natural sleep-aid that is a precursor to the hormone serotonin, to aid in restful sleep. ----> Non-addictive. In Canada it is only available through a prescription. Frank Zane would use it to help him sleep when he was becoming anxious about an upcoming competition.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryptophan

You don't necessarily have to take pure tryptophan. You can take foods high in tryptophan as you approach closer to bed time. Here is an excellent link for this :

www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042400.asp


2.) MELATONIN : Melatonin helps restore the internal (circadian) rhythm of sleep. Is often used in people experiencing Jet lag for this purpose. ----> Generally found to be non-addictive. As with most things, long-term use can lead to a psychological dependency. These are short intervention measures, no more than 4 weeks. And it is not without some safety concerns, as outlined through this links:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin

Another fairly comprehensive link:

www.melatonin.com


3.)KAVA: Kava helps ensure a restful sleep if quality of sleep is an issue. It lowers anxiety and is ----> non-addictive. Concerns over liver toxicity have been raised and I have not found a link to duration, dosage of usage. SO the FDA has put the Kibosh on it feeling it is too risky. Personally I have used it for years with no liver issues showing after tests. But I use it only periodically and at a moderate dosage. In New Guinea, an aboriginal man can ingest 50 times the recommended dose. As a result they have had liver and skin problems. The following links provide some pros AND cons so you’ll know I’m not a Kava Rep

www.kcweb.com/herb/kavakava.htm

www.bodybuilding.com/store/kava.html

www.zhion.com/herb/Kava_kava.html

IN THE FOLLOWING POSTS I WILL PRESENT ON A NUMBER OF OTHER HERBS AND GABA.

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by twinnett

I love this! I have no problem falling asleep, but I wake up at different points in the night and can NOT sleep past 6AM

Has this been your sleeping pattern for most of your life, or more recently?

[twinnett]

Been about the past year. i used to sleep like a rock

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by twinnett

Been about the past year. i used to sleep like a rock

Has anything changed significantly for you: New job, relationship; erratic work schedule etc? One of my family members has had a similar condition for years. Only this person can sleep in at times. The post below may provide some relevant links. Don't let the psych format throw you off. It just has some general tips, etc.


www.utoronto.ca/psychservices/sleep.htm

Another similiar link:

www.alfaneuro.com/sleepdisorders.htm

It may be a number of factors together disrupting your night sleep. I advise you 'avoid' taking sleep pills, tranquilizers if that comes up as a quick fix. As you said, it has been a year, not something new and easy to mend immediately. Look at: sleep hygiene; daily routines; lifestyle changes, etc. Also, you can have some bloodscreening work done if you find the erratic sleep is causing a sleep deficit. Melotonin can help if the Circadian rhythmn is playing sour notes. Relaxing before bed and avoiding stimulant 4-6 hours before bed can be helpful too, if you don't already do that.

[twinnett]

I have recently stopped having caffeine after noon and I think it might have been overtraining before, which I've heard can cause that.

[dantheman =]]

sleeping pills sound scary, however that lunesta commercial is convincing, supposably they are non addictive. hmmmmmm

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by twinnett

I have recently stopped having caffeine after noon and I think it might have been overtraining before, which I've heard can cause that.

Overtraining before sleep? Or overtraining in general?

Overtraining can definitely through a wrench into your sleep gears. At the same time, exercise, when its not overdone it can usher restorative sleep. What is too much for each individual must be determined. 8 different bicep exrcises at 5 sets of 8-12 reps can be overtraining for most people, so there are some general guidelines.

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by dantheman =]

sleeping pills sound scary, however that lunesta commercial is convincing, supposably they are non addictive. hmmmmmm

I haven't researched Lunesta. It seems they are coming out with more and more sleeping pills. Conversely, there is a surge in energy drink production/consumption. This is symptomatic that society, at least on the North American Continent is becoming an uppers and downers society. It also implies we are becoming over stressed, overworked and among other things.

If Lunesta is an agonist or antagonist, that supplants natural mechanisms in our brain, then I don't see how long-term use would not create dependency.
Supplanting a natural process can weaken the process in some cases. An agonist might be like connecting jumper cables to a cars engine to get it revved back up. After the revving is done, the cables can be put away. I haven't seen prescription tranquilizers, sedatives that operate that way. At least not yet.

With some sleep aids, immediate cessation can be fatal, as with abrupt cessation of say Ativan, after long-term use of about 5 mg/day. So people have to warm up and may go to valium which is easier to withdrawal from. My concern with the pharmaceutical industry is that it is business, plain and simple. Making a panacea pill, or a sleep aid that cures the sleep problem in a few weeks forever, is not good for business.

There are cases, extreme depression, chemical imbalances in the brain, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease where prescription drugs have their utility.

[Nights]

Man, I keep waking up every 2-3 hours. I don't know wtf is up.

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by Nights

Man, I keep waking up every 2-3 hours. I don't know wtf is up.

Could be a sleep apnea. I can't answer your question with out a lot more inquiry. Here is the best link I know of for you to help resove this issue. It is informative and has good sub links. Don't be shy to see a physician if any red flags come up in your health. Hope this link helps guide you on the path to healing the issue/s.

www.tristatesleep.com/SleepDisorders.html

[Ruth]

This training lark has revolutionised the way I sleep. I've naturally started sleeping on my back since I've been training and have suspected for some months now that I don't move during sleep and last night I proved it: after a session at the gym and a 10 minute sauna, I went to bed early, feeling pretty sleepy. I always have a little read in bed, and this morning, 8 hours later, I woke up with the light still burning, my reading glasses on and the book on my chest, lololol!

I thought everyone moved in their sleep - is there now something wrong with me?

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by Ruth

This training lark has revolutionised the way I sleep. I've naturally started sleeping on my back since I've been training and have suspected for some months now that I don't move during sleep and last night I proved it: after a session at the gym and a 10 minute sauna, I went to bed early, feeling pretty sleepy. I always have a little read in bed, and this morning, 8 hours later, I woke up with the light still burning, my reading glasses on and the book on my chest, lololol!

I thought everyone moved in their sleep - is there now something wrong with me?

Well Ruth. I humbly admit not having an answer to that one. All I know is that in most sleep disorders there are movement issues such as restless leg syndrome, sleep walking, etc. None of these have to do with NOT moving. A related disorder is called sleep paralysis but this is when a person is half asleep or in a semi sleep state, can't move and can have hypnogogic hallucinations. You would know if you are having that, trust me.

People generally do move during the night, some more than others. But it is possible to not move and have a good sleep. In the deepest sleep stage (delta) the body cannot move unless thee is a disorder. This is the most restorative level of sleep. One which many prescription sleeping pills inhibit.

I'd question if you are feeling the tell tale signs of a sleep deficit: fatigued most of the time, headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, occasional dizzy spells. They are similar to overtraining. Other than that, it is possible that since you slept in the fashion you did, your body didn't move because of unconscious mechanisms and sensors. I've seen plenty of people pass out on a chair and I've never seem them move during their sleep. Somehow the body is aware of things on deeper levels than disclosed to our discursive, conscious mind.

[Ruth]

Very interesting stuff, Forge.

"Somehow the body is aware of things on deeper levels than disclosed to our discursive, conscious mind."

Makes good sense to me. I must have 'remembered' I had my glasses on! In the same way, many mothers sleep with their babies frequently without smothering or injuring them, animals too do the same.

I don't think I have any sleep defecit. I used to sleep very fitfully and annoyed anyone I shared a bed with. I now sleep very soundly and tend to wake up on my back, just as I went to sleep. I can only associate this with training, since that's when it started. Anyway, I feel I am sleeping better and deeper and have none of the symptoms you describe, other than what is normal at my age, lol!

[Demon Eyes]

I use to take anihistamines....

I didnt know that the effects wears off..

[Bob_Ross42]

i smoke weed before bed, and if that dont make me tierd, i take a few shots of nyquil and pass out.


this is the best sleep aid

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by Demon Eyes

I use to take anihistamines....

I didnt know that the effects wears off..

Yes, they are a quick fix. Some people, even on the second or third night, find it loses its effectiveness. In fact,
"some people who take OTC sleep medications spend as little as 5% of their total sleep time in deep sleep (compared to approximately 10-25% for healthy sleepers)".
From :

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_..._treatment.htm - 42k

[Demon Eyes]

Originally Posted by Forge3

Yes, they are a quick fix. Some people, even on the second or third night, find it loses its effectiveness. In fact,
"some people who take OTC sleep medications spend as little as 5% of their total sleep time in deep sleep (compared to approximately 10-25% for healthy sleepers)".
From :

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_..._treatment.htm - 42k

Damn! I better only use them in emergencies then. I use to use them like 4-5 times a month.. I dont know if that is bad.

My mom advised me not to take too many medications so I listened. lol

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by Pimp-n

i smoke weed before bed, and if that dont make me tierd, i take a few shots of nyquil and pass out.


this is the best sleep aid

I could respond in some detail on the affect of cannabinoids in the brain, but I believe drug discussions are taboo here. Suffice it to say, they, like most drug inducing sleep aids do not provide quality sleep. And long term use of such methods will begin to manifest as a sleep deficit, felt throughout periods of the day.

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by Demon Eyes

Damn! I better only use them in emergencies then. I use to use them like 4-5 times a month.. I dont know if that is bad.

My mom advised me not to take too many medications so I listened. lol

I've yet to expand on the use of herbs as sleep aids. These are less intrusive into the CNS and our bodies on ability to regulate sleep.

[PRiSM92289]

Excellent thread, subscribted

I have a question about sleep posture. Is it true that it is not good to sleep on your stomach? If true how do I change that, because I find that I always end up sleeping on my stomach when I go to bed! It's the only way I can fall asleep conciously. I heard that sleeping on your back or side with a pillow between your legs is ideal, but I cannot sleep this way, especially on my back. I sleep on my stomach not fetal but more spread out all over the bed

[Forge3]

Originally Posted by PRiSM92289

Excellent thread, subscribted

I have a question about sleep posture. Is it true that it is not good to sleep on your stomach? If true how do I change that, because I find that I always end up sleeping on my stomach when I go to bed! It's the only way I can fall asleep conciously. I heard that sleeping on your back or side with a pillow between your legs is ideal, but I cannot sleep this way, especially on my back. I sleep on my stomach not fetal but more spread out all over the bed

Sleeping on your stomach is problematic in that it can put strain on your back by giving poor body support. Have you noticed stiffness in your neck or lower back you cannot attribute to weight training? One compromise you might try is sleeping with the outer knee flexed and more on your side. It may help to place pillows at your lower back and/or between the legs to help reinforce back support. Other than that it is possible to sleep in any position, though infants shouldn't sleep on their stomachs because this can lead to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

[PRiSM92289]

thanks and repped! why is it best to sleep on the back though, and how would I go about doing so?