If you go camping with your squad, most probably sleeping on the ground will be your major concern, especially if you are not used to it since you may feel odd and uncomfortable.
However, sleeping on the ground is not that difficult than you might imagine. You just need the proper padding to survive these camping trips, sleepovers, or times when you cannot sleep on your mattress. Hence, here is a helpful guide on how to sleep comfortably on the ground.
To be able to sleep comfortably on the ground, you must prepare the appropriate gear such as a good base like sleeping pads and mattresses to lie on and a thin pillow to support your head. You may consider getting a sleeping bag since they come in handy when you need to sleep on the ground.
Most probably, muscle soreness and back pain are the most common complaint of people who sleep on the ground. However, you might not know that sleeping on the ground is actually beneficial to your body and to your health. Hence, listed below are the reasons why you should sleep on the floor.
Why You Should Sleep On The Floor
If you were born in Western countries, the typical bedroom set up would involve a huge, bouncy, and comfortable bed, pillows, and thick blankets.
However, in some cultures, especially Asians, sleeping on the floor is probably a common thing. This is because they believed that sleeping on the floor is beneficial to their body, particularly for their back pain.
Therefore, here are some of the potential benefits on why you should sleep on the floor.
It is good for your back pain
Some people with back pain were amazed when they consider sleeping on the floor. This is because of the back pain they have been experiencing has been gone since they moved sleeping on the ground. Do you want to know how sleeping on the floor is good for your back?
Well, sleeping on the floor actually helps the alignment of your back that your typical and comfortable mattress cannot offer you; since they are too soft to be considered comfortable, making your body sank in. Therefore, your back does not receive any pressure or forces to keep your back in line.
On the other hand, if you sleep on a hard surface such as on the floor, you will feel that there is a pressure or force behind your back that will keep your body in line.
Even though you will lose the softness and comfort offered by your mattress, it cannot outweigh the fact that your body will be lined up, making it beneficial for your back pain.
It can help correct your body posture
This is connected with the alignment thing we have been talking a while ago since sleeping on the floor offers alignment assistance. This will also help in correcting your body posture.
Here is how it works for your posture, (1) due to proper support offered by sleeping on the floor, it can actually straighten your back (2) therefore, it aids in reducing back pain, doing it well for your posture.
It can give you the ready to-get-up vibe in the morning
We all know that sleeping in a bed is comfortable. That is why we cannot deny the fact that we always hit the snooze button every five to ten minutes every morning.
However, it does not mean that sleeping on the floor is not comfortable; hence, aside from the feeling of well-rested when you sleep on the floor, it can help you ready to get up when the sun shines in the morning.
I know that you have still questions in your mind regarding other health benefits of sleeping on the ground. That is why here are some related topics that can elaborate further on your concerns about our main topic.
Does Sleeping On The Floor Reduce Weight?
There is no direct answer, whether sleeping on the floor can reduce weight or not.
However, if you believe that sleep deprivation can cause weight loss and your reason why you are sleep-deprived is that you cannot sleep comfortably on the ground, well, sorry to say, but it is the other way around.
Rather than losing weight, you will gain a few more pounds instead because sleep deprivation can change your hormones that control your hunger and appetite, which can create intense cravings for fat and sugary foods.
Is Sleeping On The Floor Good For Your Back
While it was mentioned above that sleeping on the floor is good for your back pain, here is an additional reason why it is very important to ditch your bed.
Sleeping on the floor can help keep the spine in a neutral position since it applies pressure, and there is minimal cushioning unlike when you are sleeping on your soft mattress that can sink your body in, which can impede the natural body movement.
In addition to this, sleeping on the floor can improve and promote tissue repairs that can heal over time.
With these benefits, that sleeping on the floor can give; however, there are still a few drawbacks when you sleep on the floor. You can read more about this below.
Disadvantages Of Sleeping On The Floor
In reality, these downsides of sleeping on the floor are just minor (if you think you are healthy), which can be resolved right away; however, if you belong in a specific group of people, that will be discussed later on.
I recommend you should not try to sleep on the floor for your sake. Otherwise, here are the disadvantages of sleeping on the floor.
Allergies
As we know that, the floor could be the dirtiest surface around your house due to dust and dirt that comes from your shoes, especially if you have carpet, which is more prone to collect dirt that can cause allergies such as:
- Mold
- Dust
- Dust mites
- bacteria
Therefore, if you have allergies to those kinds of substances, sleeping on the floor might not be the best option for you since these can cause you the following:
- runny nose
- itchy eyes
- difficulty in breathing
- sneezing
- cough
As I said a while ago that these side downs could be resolved easily; therefore, before you prepare your pads, pillows, blankets, and other bedding materials, you will need on the floor; make sure to clean and disinfect the area where you will be sleeping. In this way, you can at least prevent the growth and eliminate these kinds of allergens.
While sleeping on the floor is not for everyone; there are several groups of an individual wherein they should avoid or take cautions before attempting sleeping on the floor since it may not be safe.
Who Should Not Sleep On The Floor
Listed below are certain groups of people where sleeping on the floor should be avoided.
The elderly
These age groups of people are the least candidate for sleeping on the floor. This is because older people have thinner skin and weaker bones that are vulnerable to bruising, fractures, and muscle sores. In addition to this, older people are susceptible to cold.
Cold sleepers
There are certain types of conditions that can make you feel cold such as anemia, hypothyroidism, and type 2 diabetes; therefore, sleeping on the floor, especially without carpet, can become uncomfortable and makes you cold; therefore, it is advisable to avoid it.
TIP: If you really want to sleep on the floor, try to wear thick and warm pajamas and set up a warm padding base to remove this issue
People with medical conditions
If you have muscular or skeletal issues like arthritis, make sure you talk with your doctor if you are allowed to sleep on the floor before you proceed.
Furthermore, people who find difficulties in sitting or getting back up on the floor should sleep on the bed instead. It is better to be safe than make your health suffer.
For the pregnant women out there, wondering if it is safe to sleep on the floor, here is what I have found out:
Sleeping On The Floor While Pregnant
Generally, it is considered safe for pregnant women to sleep on the floor; however, if the pregnant woman feels uncomfortable getting up and standing back up, most probably, the doctor would advise avoiding sleeping on the floor.
Here are other reasons why doctors do not recommend sleeping on the floor while pregnant.
- During pregnancy, a woman's spine is curvy and very sensitive that is why if the pregnant woman sleeps on a flat floor, she might suffer more pains aside from the pain brought by pregnancy
- The ligaments of a pregnant woman are more stressed, especially when the uterus begins to expand, and the baby starts kicking. This may lead to discomfort and injury since they might fall on the lower side due to gravitational pull; therefore, it is better to sleep on the bed rather than risking the baby and the mother's health.
- If the womb starts to grow, some pregnant women might feel uncomfortable getting down and getting up. In order to resolve that concern, she might do some squats to relieve muscle tension; however, this can provoke premature labor and can cause premature birth of the baby.
How To Sleep On The Floor Properly
Ditching your bed just to sleep on the floor is not going to be easy, especially if you are not used to it.
People are different when it comes to adapting to sleeping environments; some will get used to it right away, while others take time to get used to it. Therefore, you follow this step-by-step guide to kick-off.
Step 1: Look for an area that is easy to clean and clutter-free
Step 2: Clean the area and disinfect it in all ways as possible. This can prevent certain types of allergens that can make you feel uncomfortable
Step 3: Prepare and set up your bedding materials by placing multiple layers of blankets, mats, or you can use your sleeping bag on the floor.
Step 4: Grab a thin pillow and make sure not to use stack pillows, as these pillows can strain and stiffen your neck.
Step 5: Do a trial test on which sleeping position you are most comfortable with; therefore, you need to lie down on the floor and try different sleeping positions such as lying on the back, side, and stomach.
Step 6: If you are comfortable sleeping on your back or on your stomach, try to put an extra pillow on your knees for support. If you are a side sleeper, you can place a pillow in between your knees for added comfort.
Step 7: Give yourself some time to get used to sleeping on the floor. Rather than hitting the whole night, try to take short naps first. Then once you are ready, you can dive on the floor for the full night.
You already know the steps on how to sleep on the floor properly; however, for some newbies, they would like to know more about the sleeping gears such as a mattress, blankets, and pillows on how to make the most used of them when sleeping on the floor. Therefore, here is a quick guide for you to look at.
Sleeping On The Floor Mattress
Placing your mattress on the floor can be somehow not a good idea because of the following reasons:
- Putting your mattress on the floor can cause molds and bacteria to grow, and this can cause some health conditions. This is because of the mattress' nature to breathe and air out since your mattress is on the floor, some moisture can be retained and later on can become a breeding place for molds and other kinds of microorganisms.
- If you live in a very humid environment, placing your mattress on the floor is not advisable since it can also promote mold growth.
- If your flooring is made from old hardwood, it is also not advisable to place your mattress on the floor since it can also result in mold growth.
As I said, a while ago, that mattress should be able to breathe in and out; therefore, you should know how to store and maintain your mattress to avoid the growth of molds. Here are the tips below:
- Lean your mattress sideways against the wall at least once a week
- Store your mattress on a box spring or to any slatted platform will do.
How to make a comfy bed on the floor with blankets
To sleep comfortably, it does not need to invest in expensive beds for you to get a good night's sleep. In fact, you can make a comfortable bed through improvise blankets. Here is how to do it.
- Grab your blankets and lay them out just like a mattress. This will be the first layer of your floor bed
- On top of the layout blanket, place a sleeping bag as this can add extra comfort. If you do not have any sleeping bags available, you can place a few more blankets to make a great base for your bed.
- Since making an improvised bed does not provide more cushioning than a standard bed, you can add more layers of blankets and use as many as you can until you feel comfortable.
- Add some blankets so that it will create a soft and more comfortable surface. However, make sure you spare some blankets to be used in covering yourself once you are ready to sleep.
Sleeping On A Concrete Floor
Most of us are used to sleep on a nice and cozy bed with soft pillows and warm blankets; however, have you tried sleeping on a concrete floor?
Well, I had an unforgettable experience with this one, when my flight was delayed; since my home is too far away from the airport, I decided to sleep on the concrete floor of the airport.
Do you want to know what I did in order to survive in that situation? Well, I am going to share my tips below because of #SharingisCaring.
- Grab something that is thick such as blankets, or even your jacket will do.
- Use that blanket as a cover on the floor since the floor at the airport is too cold. If you only got a jacket, wear that instead; but, make sure it will be thick enough to keep you warm
- Roll a towel, or even your shirt will do, and that will serve as your pillow to cushion your head
- Remember to set the alarm since it will be just for a short period so that you will not miss your flight or any event you are heading to.
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Takeaway
Sleeping on the floor is not something new since there are some cultures around the world that floor-sleeping is just a mundane practice of how they sleep.
While some people find it beneficial, especially those people who have back problems, there are still people who find it odd and some are not even allowed to unless they have been given permission by their doctors.
Therefore, if you are one of the lucky people who got a chance to sleep on the floor, grab the opportunity, and you might not know that this could lead to ditching your bed forever.
Image credit: Pixabay
Feruza is a mom and a blogger. She had a neck pain for 15 years, which made her interested in everything about pillows.
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