Is it really possible to change your sleeping position? Tips.

[CornishTiger]

I’ve been a front sleeper all my life. Even when I’ve been pregnant I’ve slept on my tummy til late stages- then I struggled to get any sleep.

Today I realised that this really isn’t helping my neck. It’s constantly being put into a bad position.

So anyone had any success in changing position. I’m assuming left side position is best. But I try and try and always end up on stomach. Honestly I don’t see a way of changing this!

Sorry OP, I have no advice but I sympathise as I am exactly the same. I generally end up on my stomach, face-planted into the pillow. Apparently it looks incredibly uncomfortable. It causes neck, shoulder and lower back discomfort. I've tried sleeping with a pillow between my knees to stop me rolling onto my front but it just leads to v disrupted sleep as I wake up every time I try to turn - which is a lot! Will be watching with interest.

I'm a front sleeper too, even in hospital after pelvic surgery with a bikini incision drain and a drip!
I have a flattish soft pillow which goes under shoulders /upper chest, my cheek just rests on thr edge so my neck isn't bent up

I was the same but managed to make a change when pregnant 12 years ago. I used one of those pregnancy pillows to wedge me on to sleeping on my side. It does mean 12 years later though that I still can't sleep without a pillow wedging me. Luckily though I only need a normal pillow now not a pregnancy one.

Have you tried a front sleeping pillow? DH is a front sleeper and changing his pillow type made a massive difference. The latest one was only £20 from a local bed shop and it's still brilliant. I was very sceptical initially but we had spent a lot of money on a new bed and mattress so I agreed to chuck one in as it wasn't much more.l and it's literally been life changing for him.

Yes I have, just stick with the pillow between your knees, don't ever let yourself turn onto your stomach to get some sleep!
Keep busy during the day, don't nap in the day so your really tired at bedtime.
It does get easier.

Yes I changed when pregnant due to the advice. I think the fact I was doing it for my baby rather than myself was the incentive to stick at it - took just a few days before it seemed natural.

And not sleeping on my front plus an osteopath, totally stopped my headaches and neck pain.

Yep same as others - changed during pregnancy using a pillow and now don’t need the pillow - it just became habit.

Yes.
I used to sleep on my left or stomach, generally wake up on my left side.

When I had a frozen left shoulder a few years ago, it was so painful to sleep on that I had to 'train' myself to sleep on my right, now I sleep stomach, my left side and my right side

I have a Kally front sleeper pillow. Hasn’t really helped and went lumpy when I washed it.

I see a chiropractor. Hence keen to stop the front sleeping!

I’ll try the pillow between knees. It didn’t really work when pregnant though. I bought one of those full body pillows and a triangular wedge.

I’m a nightmare but I need to do this!!!

@toomuchfaster interested in name of that pillow too though.

@CornishTiger it's from The Fine Bedding Company and is a standard medium. I bought it from a shop but they do have a website. I don't wash them as it just ruins them, even though the label says you can.

I’ve had a look. Tbh I need to try with the pillows I already have and treat myself once I’ve made an attempt

Would sleeping on your back be okay fo you?

I used to not be able to sleep on my back at all, but I practiced using some sleep meditation tracks that have you in your back to start with and I can now.

I have fallen asleep on back before so I do think that’s possibly where I need to start.

I found a v shape pillow better than those stupidly long body pillows or wedge pillows.

I changed from a front sleeper to a side sleeper. I'd had years of waking up in agony with lower back pain but couldn't seem to do anything to stop myself switching to my front whilst asleep. Finally found a solution when I bought a memory foam side sleeper pillow from John Lewis. It's fairly thick and firm, so it's just not possible to switch onto my front.

I no longer wake up in pain and wish I'd discovered the pillow years ago. Hope you find something that works for you 🙂

I’m a front sleeper. Have tried to change it up never worked... I used to have neck and back problems but now I front sleep with a memory foam pillow, a maternity pillow which I use between my legs and seems to work a charm.... maybe change up your pillows.?

I've been a front sleeper for years, but I had to train myself to sleep on my side during pregnancy. It did take a while for me to get used to it, but I felt so strange sleeping on my front during early pregnancy, that I had to persevere. My twins are five months old now and front sleeping has started to creep back in for me. I don't know why I find it so bloody comfortable!

I'm a front sleeper too even in hospital with a broken leg my bed was completely flat much tothe bewilderment of staff slept on my front all the way through both pregnancies
I now have rotator cuff shoulder injury and still try to sleep on my front I lay on my arms and swap from side to side incredibly painful to lay on my bad arm but still I do it wake up in the night like it
Even when I have a chest infection and should not be sleeping flat on my front still try to do it hours of coughing later and truly exhausted I may occasionally fall asleep on my back propped up
Bizarely during the day and I nap every day I sleep on the sofa on my side with one arm tucked behind me!!! yet if I tried to sleep on sofa or in bed in that position at night I wouldnt be able to get to sleep bizare I know

@CornishTiger I have the same issue. I've love sleeping on my front , always have. But because of terrible neck issues I have "trained" myself to sleep on my back but I sometimes wake up on my front. My neck really suffers.

I'll try the pillow that @Whatstheweatherlike has mentioned, thank you @Whatstheweatherlike

I managed to retain myself but it took 2 or 3 weeks of complete determination. Difficult to sleep initially