How to sleep better in a chair?

[BrainstormGreenNeedle]

Lately I am sleep in a recliner chair because I have reflux. I find I can sleep well in the chair maybe for about 2 or 3 hours and then I wake up with a pain in my butt. I have to get up and move around or what I usually do is go into my bed. I have the chair beside my bed. It's a tight recliner and I can't turn from side to side. Do you think maybe it's from staying in the one spot maybe for too long? Maybe a pressure sore or something. I don't know. Would there be any way to sleep better in the chair? Would a cushion help? I don't know.

Any help would be great and thanks.

Gosh, this sounds exhausting. Is it? What's the long-term plan for the reflux?

A memory foam cushion sounds like a good idea but if it's a tight chair, it can't be that comfortable. Would it be better to tilt your mattress so you could sleep in bed?

I don't have a long term plan yet for the reflux. I'm still very new to reflux. I meant to go back to my GP but I didn't get a chance to.

I don't know how to lift the mattress or even the bed from the head side of the bed.

I had a mountain of pillows on my bed to properly myself up but that wasn't comfortable. I kept slipping down and my neck and whole body just became too sore for that.

I have reflux meds but it's still not very great.

I would recommend a V shaped pillow, with extra pillows on top of it to raise you up in bed. You can turn slightly on your side by placing a pillow lengthways at your back. For reflux it is better to lie on your right side as your stomach empties in that direction. If you put a pillow under your knees that helps to stop you sliding down. It is a palaver getting everything in place, but it is better than a chair.
I had to sleep like this for about 6 weeks after I broke my collar bone and ribs after a bad fall.
Are you getting any medication for the reflux?

It's a manual recliner. It's a tight chair and not a lot of room to maneuver and turn to the side.

Just checked online and there was a video about how to sleep in a recliner and a cushion or a back roll was recommended. They were talking about back pain but I think I will give that a go for tonight.

Yes. I had to give up the PPI a few weeks for a test. I am using gavison. Gavison is working. I do need to prop myself up as well.

If it is coccyx pain you are getting while in the chair, you need a sacral cushion. You can get one from amazon. They are specially shaped and have a U shaped hole cut in the back to take the pressure off your coccyx and spine. (I have one of those too, because I have chronic pain in practically every bone in my body and have tried everything).

My advice would be don’t sleep in a chair. Get some omeprazole or at the very least gaviscon advance! Then sleep on your left hand side as that way you oeophagus is above your stomach - right hand side and it’s at the bottom side of your stomach and thing can just flow out…… look at a diagram and you’ll see what I mean.
Also see if dietary changes help - I have a hernia but cutting out gluten still helped my reflux massively even though hernia still there letting everything flow out!

Lie on left so stomach acid lies this way, not the other way. Dunno if that’s helpful!

Check your skin daily just to make sure there are no signs of a pressure sore. They’re very painful.
Push your dr on the reflux. Have you had a scan or been offered the camera down your throat? It’s not as bad as it sounds ( I’m a total wimp and have had it done 3 times) I’m taking Lansoprazole, just one each morning and it lasts 24 hours. Totally reflux free.
I hope you get it sorted.

Raise the head end of your bed with 8" bed raisers (see amazon) and sleep on a slope. Stops your stomach getting squashed up

Quite literally lift the whole bed. Use bricks or books at the head head enough to tilt you so that when you lie down the acid can't come back up.

Odd suggestion but roll a towel lengthwise and have round your neck. Supports the posture. Won't do much about lower area though but will help some

Putnam wedge pillow, will cost £100 but worth it and you can sleep on bed
Camomile tea before bed, cut out fats, spice, small meals, don’t eat for at least 4 hours before bed
if GP agrees get on PPI meds, try Guardium over counter first (if advice sheet allows you to with your med history)

You can get a wedge pillow or even a large wedge that goes under your mattress to prop you up in bed.

I would try and identify any trigger foods, maybe try an exclusion diet. I would also avoid food from as early as possible and I try and do at LEAST 4 hours before bed. I have had years of reflux and have Barrett's, you want to do all you can to avoid that so its a really good idea to go back to your doctor to get it under control.

If you are allowed PPIs again, start those as soon as you can. You can probably get an increased dose and also you can take them twice a day rather than just once. If not I find the gaviscon dual action really help.

Another who would be raising the head of the bed and not trying to sleep in a chair you can't move in.