Trouble Falling Asleep

[BarryW]

In the last year or two I've been having increasing trouble with falling asleep due to physical discomfort. What I mean is that when I lay in bed, it hurts or is uncomfortable. My bed is 2 or 3 years old. I have tried at least 3 different pillows. I have tried sleeping on:
- my stomach, facing left. the pillow blocks me from breathing unless I try to sleep on the edge of the pillow but then that feels uncomfortable too
- my stomach, facing right. same issue but also makes my arm muscle hurt
- my back. my lower back hurts
- my side. within about 10 or 15 seconds the arm I am laying on starts to hurt.
- the floor. and was reminded why I own a bed.

My next ideas are starting to get weird like get a sleeping bag and put it on top of a comforter on the floor like a doggy bed. I'm hoping the community has some suggestions about how to deal with this problem.

 

[1Lefty]

Sleeping problems suck, it's hard to have a good day, when the night before was bad.

I've used something called a body pillow, it's thicker than a regular pillow and about 5' long. It's placed perpendicular to your body, you can cuddle it, and it helps support your body, and keeps your spine aligned. It might help alleviate the pressure on your arm.
I sleep on my side, ymmv

peace

 

[BarryW]

This is exactly the out-of-the-box thinking I am looking for. I haven't ever owned one of those, but I had a friend that used one. Any tips on how to pick out one that would be good for me?

 

[seabird]

The online store called cuddle down has those @BarryW . I didn't put a link because I think it's against the rules. Also, I highly recommend the practices that @may71 has posted for sleep aid, specifically the self-administered eye socket accupressure and the top of head accupressure. Puts me right to sleep with no medications, which is a requirement for me. Best of luck for your sleep health and hygeine. Your room is cool and dark, I hope. One more thing, is to make sure you are hydrated. Painful joints and muscles can be due to dehydrdation.

 

[BarryW]

Thanks, I found the site, and saw they have a few options. I'll take a look there and another site or two to get a feel of what's available.
Room is fairly cool.. 69 F since it's winter time. Definitely dark, I use blackout curtains and alarm clock has a slider to turn the brightness down to practically zero, and it's facing away from me anyway. There is a small bit of light coming from a nighlight behind the almost-closed bathroom door.. need that else I'm going to bang myself against the wall getting up in the night. No other sources of light or electronics in the bedroom.

 

[BarryW]

P.S. I drink water all day long. I only have juice with 1 meal per day. Otherwise it's water water water Probably am OK on that front although I do get thirsty overnight.

 

[seabird]

Room is fairly cool.. 69 F since it's winter time.

That's warm, imho. This thermostat set to 63ºF starting about 9 pm.

 

[Astrid78]

I agree with @seabird about the temperature. I've noticed even the kids sleep better.
Have you tried turning or flipping your mattress? Putting a piece of that flat cheap wood in between your top and bottom mattress will make it firmer.
I can't think of the name of the wood, plywood maybe? Idk, but it works well.
Hope you can find a way to sleep
Hugs @BarryW

 

[BarryW]

Honestly even at 69 I get cold without long pajamas. I grew up in a warm area, so I'm sure that impacts my idea of what is cool or not. Or maybe my body just gets cold easily. If I were to set it to 63 overnight then I'd have to add many layers of clothing or blankets.. meaning more laundry to do.

 

[BarryW]

I've rotated and flipped the mattress multiple times, even though the vendor said mattresses these days don't even need to be flipped anymore. I didn't grill them on their rationale for that claim; it was moving-in day and I had better things to do. Interesting idea about wood. I am just imagining splinters everywhere but clearly that's not what you have in mind

 

[BarryW]

I'll try 68 tonight...

 

[KM76710]

I know if I am chilled then it is harder to fall asleep. I keep the thermostat here at 75, use a mattress warmer which helps get the mattress and the blanket on top of it a bit warm with the setting I use but never too hot.

 

[BarryW]

Yes, too hot or too cold and it's harder to sleep. Human bodies are very picky. I keep waiting for someone to pass around the clipboards to signup to be a cyborg, but no one has handed me one yet..

 

[may71]

Do you have an inner spring, memory foam, or hybrid mattress? What do you have underneath the mattress?

In the last year or two I've been having increasing trouble with falling asleep due to physical discomfort.

Do you have a sense that the problem is more related to a change within you, or a problem with your bed?

To what degree are finances a constraint in finding a solution?

 

[BarryW]

I tried asking my mattress what it was made of and it just looked at me funny. I.. I don't know what it is. Under the mattress is.. that thing that goes under it. I think it's called 'box spring', but who knows if it really has springs in it or not.
I think it's moreso me because the bed is really not old enough to have been ruined already.
I am pretty frugal but not against spending a small amount of money for an improvement. Buying a whole new mattress or box spring is not something I would consider at this time though.

 

[may71]

If it's got a box spring, then it's almost certainly an inner spring mattress.

 

[BarryW]

I did mention back pain among other things to my doctor a few months ago but he said something like yeah everyone has pains and then moved on to other topics. That's one of a few reasons I called his office and said I wasn't coming back. At the moment I don't have a doctor, and for various reasons including lack of insurance I won't get one again for at least 5 months. So that route is not something I'd consider atm either.

 

[Astrid78]

Honestly even at 69 I get cold without long pajamas. I grew up in a warm area, so I'm sure that impacts my idea of what is cool or not. Or maybe my body just gets cold easily. If I were to set it to 63 overnight then I'd have to add many layers of clothing or blankets.. meaning more laundry to do.

Apologies, consider it dropped
You bring up a good point about splinters, I was a guest once and they had wood under the mattresses, couch and chair cushions. Not sure what they did about the splinters though... but everything was comfy.

 

[KM76710]

I am fairly lucky in falling asleep pretty well. Although I do admit with age comes all the creaks and aches and getting comfortable. Regardless of whatever position I end up sleeping in I typically have to fall asleep flat on my belly with my head raised a bit on my pillow for better breathing with how my sinuses are.

 

[seabird]

That is not a good doctor - actually, what a jerk. I hope you find someone decent for your medical doctor.
@BarryW If you don't mind hearing more out of the box info.; I sleep on a special kind of futon, a simple thing which is made of cotton and latex and placed on a very plain (sanded and finished) platform. I love it. It's warm and has just the right amount of give/firmness.