Floor Sleeping
The Basic School/In The Field
The times in the military in which I got to sleep in the “Field” were some of the best. It would just be me, my sleeping bag, an isomat underneath for retaining heat, and the stars above. Waking up from my sleep during these times(and when I was lucky enough not to have fire-watch) was euphoric.
Like I was a new man. Reborn
Recent Events
This past experience along with later events started to send me down the path toward floor sleeping. One was a loved one of mine who turned to floor sleeping to deal with insomnia. The other, was a friend from church who had been sleeping in his backyard in a tent and stated that sleeping this way felt so much better.
The last nail in the coffin occurred when I just started working at a gym. This gym wasn’t in a great location for several reasons. One is the impatience of the average driver in this area. Monster Trucks, Teslas, Nissan Altimas…
On a day when I was heading back, I was rear-ended at a yield sign waiting for the traffic to clear so I could go. I was alright but was annoyed for I had gone for over 13 years up to this point without being in a car accident and my streak was broken.
I finally got home and decided to sleep it off only this time I ditched my bed. Given that some people in my life were floor sleeping and receiving benefits I thought, “Hey what the heck.”
I moved my living room table, got some blankets then slept on the carpet for a quick nap. It was about a 20-minute nap but when I woke up…
This was a game-changer. Where would I be in life had I always been sleeping on the floor?
Comfortable
You’d think that something like this would be extremely uncomfortable and that I’m trying to become some ascetic or hold to a minimalist aesthetic but this is not the case. Sometimes I don’t want to get up from bed(maybe it’s the sadness) because I’m so comfortable. But if you lay down the right cushioning you’ll find you sleep better on the floor than on a mattress. Typically I just have a carpet, a few blankets, then myself. In Japan, folks over there sleep on tatami mats and although I’ve never tried one consistently I heard those are good too.
As far as pillows I change from time to time. Sometimes I use something very small like a folded sweater and other times I use something a little more prominent like a folded weighted blanket that I don’t use during the summer months.
Stomach Sleeper
I’ve also discovered that I can go to sleep on my back a little better now. See, primarily I’m a stomach sleeper, and trying to fall asleep on my back is a difficult task. The only time I could fall asleep on my back while on a mattress would only be if I was extremely tired. The only time I recall that I was this tired was after a long multi-hour physical event at the end of my freshman year in college.
But with floor sleeping as long as I have a big enough pillow falling asleep on my back is no problem for me.
I’ll sleep on my back from time to time for various reasons but the health of my lower back ain’t one of them. “Experts” talk about how stomach sleeping is horrible for us but I’ve never had much of a problem with it. I’m in my 30s, have done some heavy hiking in the Corps, and have worked intense manual labor jobs. My back is still good.
I see comments and videos from other millenials about their back and joint problems and I feel left out.
The only difference might be training. I believe that when you train yourself to
Perform more difficult bodyweight movements (Progressive Calisthenics) over time,
Teach your muscles/ nervous system to operate more efficiently(Overcoming Isometrics, Muscle Control, and Static Contractions),
And strengthen your connective tissues,
your body will be in a better equilibrium free of any imbalances. But It’s just a theory.
Cooler
I found sleeping on the floor to be cooler as well which is great if you’re trying to save on electricity bills. The change won’t be as big and I’ve found that having my bedroom at 3 or 4 degrees warmer while floor sleeping is about the same sleep quality on a mattress.
With it being cooler I have to watch out for the winter months due to my hardwood floor but I’ve found that adding a good sleeping bag to the mix is just fine.
Allergies
One thing I had to fix when I started floor sleeping was the dust in my room. I tend to get allergies a great deal and floor sleeping can exacerbate it. Therefore, it would be best to keep everything in your room in order.
Allergies are seen as a reaction to something but now that I’m adopting a somewhat, “Terrain Theory” worldview I realize that this reaction is occurring only because something in my body is amiss. Mostly it's due to sugar and I find that If I limit how much sugar I consume or combat it with apple cider vinegar my symptoms tend to go away.
Bugs
I also have to worry about these but it’s just another incentive to clean my room.
Mobility
Sleeping on the floor, I believe, will keep me functional for a long time. Getting in or out of an elevated mattress is easy and doesn’t challenge the human body enough. But if you can go from standing to the ground and then back up with ease you will be very mobile. If you don’t use it you lose it.
Sleep/Recovery
Because I’m a person that likes to train and improve my physical abilities my sleep and recovery are an important part of the equation. The better the sleep I get the better my progress will be. Floor Sleeping can act as a catalyst.
Thank you for making it to the end and comments are below.
Until Next Time…
