Significant weight loss effect anyone's sleeping positions?

ElvenToad · December 2014

So I've had back problems for the past 14 years and have been morbidly obese since childhood. I have lost 73 lbs in the past 9 months and have noticed that I am no longer comfortable sleeping on my stomach. I've always been a stomach sleeper which makes sense to me considering how much weight I was carrying around made laying on my back very uncomfortable. I would also wake myself up snoring if I fell asleep on my back and felt I couldn't breathe very well.

So fast forward to now for the past month or so I always fall asleep on my stomach, then wake up in the middle of the night on my back, roll back over to my stomach, wake up again on my back. Its so weird! I'm not sure I can get used to sleeping on my back!

Also when I sleep on my stomach now it makes my back ache and rolling onto my back completely makes the pain go away. I'm thinking it has something to do with the weight I've lost and pressure on my spine? Anyway its really absurd and I have no idea if its normal to sleep on ones back but I assume most people just sleep however they are most comfortable. Anyone else experience this after losing a significant amount of weight?

I started at 268 lbs and am now at 195 lbs so I still have quite a bit to lose.

xcalygrl · December 2014

It's totally normal to sleep on your back. It may take awhile to get used to it (or you may never get used to it).

The only thing that changed for me is that I now have to sleep with a pillow between my knees. Before losing weight, I had enough leg to keep my legs parallel while sleeping. After losing weight, my knees fall together and make my hip hurt if I don't put a pillow between my knees.

ElvenToad · December 2014

That actually sounds really comfortable! I am hoping I can get used to it because its really weirding me out lol. Thank you for your post.

katherine_startrek_fan · December 2014

I've lost around 43 pounds and always sleep on my side. Recently I have felt that my bed isn't as comfy as it used to be as I don't provide as much padding.

Also there is more of a gap between my legs, so I have to reposition them to keep my back from going out of alignment.

KameHameHaaaa · December 2014

Sleeping on your stomach is supposedly really bad for your back! I have a ruptured disc and always slept on my back or on my side with a pillow between my knees... 90 lbs later and now I prefer sleeping on my stomach with one leg raised. It ends up hurting my back and I wake up achey $:\$ but so comfortable when I first lay down that way at night >_<

court_alacarte · December 2014

^ i also heard sleeping on your stomach is bad because it makes your back sway and thus results in problems. however i usually fall asleep on my stomach and wake up on my back. it's really a new thing for me too. trying to fall asleep on my back was so uncomfortable for me but now i'm finding that it's comfortable really only this past year (and i've only gained weight hah!)... however i wake up from the weirdest dreams on my back. could be the changes in your body or mattress...

sim_moore · December 2014

Turning_Hopes_to_Habits · December 2014

I'm having to use a pillow between my knees often now, too. I used to sleep on my stomach most often, now it's usually my side (with the pillow). The big change for me is that I don't wake myself up with reflux/gerd anymore, nor do I wake myself up snoring.

Adc7225 · December 2014

I have a friend who carries weight in his middle and was having some major issues with his back, when he mentioned that he sleeps on his stomach I told him that is why his back was hurting. His tummy was much smaller and causing his back to spasm. For me after losing 94 lbs. I find my bed to be too hard, I have problems finding a comfortable position and usually have to shift positions all night.
I hope this summer I will be able to buy a new mattress set. Something's we never really think about as being issues once weight is loss - but I would never want to go back

ElvenToad · December 2014

I'm glad I'm not alone! Its so weird the things that change when you lose weight. I am definitely more comfortable falling asleep on my stomach too. I used to do the raised leg thing as well. My mattress hasn't changed, only my body so I know its not the mattress haha. I've always had lower back pain as that has been an everyday thing for me for many years. I know my back has improved since losing the weight but the underlying problem will always be there and hopefully losing the rest of the weight will only help it. I definitely believe stomach sleeping is really bad for your back because its like night and day for me when I wake up now. Stomach=pain, back=no pain. Just thought I'd ask as it really intrigued me

Lounmoun · December 2014

I've always been a side sleeper even when I weighed less. I was still I side sleeper at my highest weight. I've had to change arm positioning though and it took awhile to get used to and now the former arm positions feel weird.
After awhile sleeping on your back will probably feel normal.

cantumelia · December 2014

Get yourself a good cushion and put it under your stomach. It will replace the padding in your belly and elevate your lower back. I sleep on my side with my arms and legs flexed, and since I lost some weight I hold on to a pillow to compensate the lost padding in my legs and boobs that way my knees and shoulders don´t hurt in the morning.

lemonsurprise · December 2014

katherine_startrek_fan wrote: »

I've lost around 43 pounds and always sleep on my side. Recently I have felt that my bed isn't as comfy as it used to be as I don't provide as much padding.

This! I thought my mattress was on it's way out, but then I realised it was me! No one tells you your hip bones are so.. Boney.. When you're about to loose weight! I wake up so much, shuffling around trying to get comfortable and have even bruised my sides/hips from it!

DarbiB · December 2014

YES! I've started waking up on my back as well. You're totally on the money about the difference in back pain (neck pain for me). V. weird.

Also, I now fall asleep with a body pillow, like cuddling it. It helps with my knees kocking together (less padding now!).

Are you all colder at night now? I definately am. I used to sleep in a tank and basketball shorts, I've added blankets, and am sleeping in sweatpants and a hoodie now.

WickedPineapple · December 2014

^ I'm also a lot colder than I used to be.

I'm typically a side sleeper, but I've discovered after losing weight that it hurts my hips a bit. I still usually fall asleep on my side, occasionally on my back, but I almost always wake up on my back, with my cuddle pillow on my chest.

yoovie · December 2014

hahaha totally. I sleep like Marty McFly.

ElvenToad · December 2014

Well it sounds like a lot of people have the boney hip issue! Thank you for the idea, I will try the cushion and see if that helps

gothchiq · December 2014

I have always been a side sleeper. Now that my knees aren't covered in fat, I tuck a fold of blanket between them to prevent bruising. We have one of those squishy mattress pads against hip pain and what not, so that's not a problem. I lie on my side and the cat comes and tucks into my waist on the right side, and then my husband flops out on the left side and SNORESSSSSSS!!!! lol

chesnity3 · December 2014

I've always slept on my stomach also. But now since I lost a lot of weight, I wake up with a lower back ache and can feel my back dipping in my sleep. So now when I want relief, I just sleep on my back, which I never did or my sides.

Significant weight loss effect anyone's sleeping positions?

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