Is sleeping and sitting on the floor effective for relieving back pain?
Insomnia is one of the major health problems in Spain, with more than four million people affected and experiencing serious difficulties getting a good night's sleep . In this context, and given that it is a recurring and highly concerning topic, we see people on social media advising people to sleep on the floor to improve their back and achieve restful sleep.
Regarding support and sleeping style, there's no scientific evidence to recommend one way or another, so experts recommend testing out what works best for each of us. Beyond finding the perfect posture for each individual, proper footing is essential for avoiding or alleviating lower back pain caused by daily activity.
Protecting the spine and its correct alignment is essential.
Sleeping on the floor or on a mattress is a personal decision that will yield completely different results for each person. In Eastern culture, sleeping on the floor on a thin futon has spiritual connotations (and in many cases, spatial implications, as homes are generally small).
Those who advocate this practice to relieve back pain caused by daily hustle and bustle claim that it's important to lie on a hard surface with a small amount of support to maintain proper spine alignment.
Those who choose to sleep on a mattress, given the wide variety available, should also look for the support that best suits their needs. Mattress proponents argue that sleeping on the floor can put excessive pressure on the spine and make the discomfort even worse when getting up. Similarly, even if we sleep on a mattress, our posture should ensure spinal alignment, prevent it from slouching, and relieve pressure on it.
Musculoskeletal health experts tend to assert that there is no perfect posture, but that each person must find their own , as well as the support that truly makes their joints feel rested.
Those who claim that rigid surfaces like the floor (both for sitting and lying) relieve pain because they are more natural than a soft mattress are speaking from personal experience. However, since back pain can be caused by a variety of nonspecific factors , it cannot be stated that one support is better than another. It seems clear that those who suffer from chronic low back pain should not choose the floor.
Except for sleeping on your stomach , a position that puts pressure on your organs and can cause some health problems in the long run, all positions are valid if you feel relief in your lower back. Another option to consider is sitting on the floor with your knees bent to relieve pressure, and doing the same in a horizontal position to stretch your back for a few minutes. In other words, find a mixed version of stretching on the floor and sleeping on the mattress that best suits your physical circumstances.
The mental health effects of resting on the floor
The big difference between proponents and opponents of mattresses and floor mats is that the latter confer emotional benefits to resting on the floor, closer to the earth, inducing a state of calm similar to that provided by meditation.
University of Utah psychology professor Alan Fogel told The New York Times magazine that resting on hard surfaces, whether lying down or sitting, "helps the mind disconnect from the overload of thoughts , facilitating a mental reset without the distraction of a familiar place like the bed."
According to the expert, some bad habits we engage in on a mattress, such as overstressing our shoulders or clenching our jaws in stressful situations, could be better addressed by resting on the floor for a few minutes.
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