My Experience with Floor Sleeping
By Jessica Marie I grew up my whole life using a traditional western-style bed. Thick mattress, lofty, fluffy, pillow top. This was fine for most of my life, but in recent years I started to notice more and more back pain. I would go to the chiropractor anytime from once a week to once or twice a month. This would help but it seemed abnormal to me. I asked advice from an acquaintance if she had any resources that she might suggest outside of the medical field for me to research or try. She suggested I read 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back by Esther Gokhale and Earthing by Clinton Ober. This set me on my path to floor sleeping. Earthing & Beyond I began to earth more regularly and with intention. In warmer months I try to walk or sit barefoot (skin on ground) on the lawn every day. With the further knowledge from my research that softer sleeping conditions are not best or conducive for everyone, I decided to research even more. I found other people in blogs and YouTube videos who engaged in floor sleeping for some of the same back issues as I was experiencing. Others did so out of a desire to live more minimally. I also found that in many Asian cultures they traditionally sleep on the floor or on harder mattresses/surfaces. People I found engaged in floor sleeping arrangements that varied from a yoga mat, blankets, to shiki butons and futons. I was fascinated and had to give it a try. Floor Sleeping I decided on a full size Japanese inspired shiki buton. I simply measured the size of my current bed (as I wanted to maintain the size) and chose a floor mattress that matched that size. A true, traditional shiki buton or futon can still be purchased, hand made via ancient tradition in Japan today. I decided to switch to floor sleeping at the very beginning of the pandemic (April 2020). Due to shut downs, shipping slow-downs, and cost I purchased my mat on Amazon. It is not made of the same traditional materials, but it fit with my needs at that time. You can see my unboxing and several updates on my floor sleeping journey on TikTok (wayfaring_jessica). My Experience My personal experience has been positive. My back pain decreased and has stayed lower ever since the switch. I started on carpeted floors, so I needed nothing under the mattress (which is about 3 inches thick). When I moved and now am on a wood floor (in a basement so concrete under the wood floor) I added a 1.5 inch foam pad under the bed. It simply was too hard to comfortably lay/sleep on. You can use camping mats/pads, a tatami mat, blankets, etc. in order to provide a little extra loft/cushion under a floor mat. Pros and Cons Pros include less back pain, better sleep, easy to move and clean mat. Cons include being on the floor and having to adjust to getting up off the floor. Being on the floor (and in a basement) can lead to more bugs/spiders in/on/near the bed. Being on the floor, the bedding can get dirty quickly and will need to be washed regularly. You also lose any storage space under the bed. I am going to be building a platform for the bed so that I can regain some of the storage space while, hopefully, not losing any of the benefits of being on the floor. How I Care for my Bed Once a month to once a quarter I take my floor mattress and hang it out over a railing in the sunshine. This airs it out helping to rid bacteria, sweat, dirt, dust, etc. trapped in the bed. I wash all sheets every 2-4 weeks. Conclusion I have been using this sleeping system since June 2020 and I have enjoyed it ever since. I currently have no plans to switch back to a traditional western style bed. I’m glad to have discovered this method of sleeping and encourage you to research for yourself if this might be a good fit for you as well. Much Love, Jessica Marie Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or other medical professional. Nor am I an expert on these sleeping methods or cultures. Please listen and defer to those who have first-hand cultural knowledge as far as terms, pieces, etc. This is merely my own understanding from the research I have done. I very well could misunderstand or be incorrect. I am open to any and all corrections, if you find anything I have said to be wrong or offensive please let me know and I will correct it. Please speak with your doctor, chiropractor, or other health care professional before switching to this or any type of sleeping method. This does not count as medical advice. Always seek proper counsel.
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AuthorJessica Marie Cunningham - Intentional lifestyle blogger, aspiring author, and podcast host. All things Slow Living, Books, Writing, Art, creativity, Christianity, and personal stories. Archives
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