Tips to not sleep on your back?

[talktobon]

Hi, there. Does anyone have any tips to train your body not to sleep on your back? I just woke up on my back and I never thought I slept like that. I can't allow myself to do that--I have to keep my pressure as low as possible due to ear pressure problems. I think this was a blessing to wake up like this tonight before I start with my new mask tomorrow, and really get into CPAP.

P.S. I've heard about the tennis balls sown into the back of pajamas. Anything else?

[track]

Let your imagination run wild. Backpack full of towels, waterpak stuffed with a big thermos, hard balls duct taped to a shirt, a back support worn with 6inch by 8 inch plastic pipe with slits cut in it to slide the back support through,a bicycle helmit attached with a velcro belt, a soccer ball under a compression shirt...the list goes on and on. The body will go through all sorts of manipulations to get on the back so nothing is for sure. Tennis balls do nothing for me....I would just sleep on them. Of course much depends on your bed and how hard it is. A memory foam bed just absorbes a projection on the back as do many pillow tops.

[janp]

Something as simple as a large, firm pillow at my back (placed there while I'm on my side) did the trick for me.

Good luck.

[Marietjie]

[quote="janp"]Something as simple as a large, firm pillow at my back (placed there while I'm on my side) ...........

Hi......Yes, this also works for me - actually I folded the (old) pillow in half (lengthwise) and made a (sausage) pillowcase.
Very Nice ! ! !

[Texas Tony]

The therapist told me to try a tennis ball wrapped up in the back of a tshirt, so that when you roll over you would lay on the ball. I have never been able to sleep on ny back but now that I am on CPAP, I sleep on my back quite well. Is it bad to sleep on your back?

[SharkBait]

The therapist told me to try a tennis ball wrapped up in the back of a tshirt, so that when you roll over you would lay on the ball. I have never been able to sleep on ny back but now that I am on CPAP, I sleep on my back quite well. Is it bad to sleep on your back?

"They" say that sleeping on your side is the best position for your back and your apnea...

[Gerryk]

The best thing I have found to prevent me from sleeping on my back or to correct me when I do is my wives elbow. I can loan her elbow to you for a few nights and I guarantee after one side of your body is completely bruised you will not even try to sleep on your back.
You have some good suggestions like wearing a full backback, plump pillow or a wedge behing you, a tennis ball sewn into the back of your clothes. You can try the tennis ball but don't sew it into your clothes. Get some rubber bands, but the ball in the back of your shirt and gather the material around it, put a couple rubber bands around it to hold it in place. This is similar to the way you would put a stone in a tent or tarp to tie it off to something. If the tennis ball works but you still end up on your back at times, go get a bigger ball. For instance a tennis ball is about the same size as a major league baseball and that is a 9 inch ball. Go find a 12 inch ball that is soft they are out there just harder to find.

Good luck
Jerry

[Catnap]

Another good way to fasten a ball to the back of your PJ shirt, or multiple balls if that's what it takes, is to sew a knee sock to the shirt and then insert a tennis ball/golf ball/baseball/whatever. You don't have to get fancy with the sewing, just a few stitches and a knot will pretty much do the trick (trust me, I don't sew). You can also pin the sock, but that gives me visions of being stabbed in the back in the middle of the night.

[talktobon]

Thanks everyone. I've been inspired! I think I'm going to try using my fanny pack filled with a huge plastic mug and place it around my waist in the back. I'd be really uncomfortable if I slept on it so hopefully this will do the trick. I don't think the pillows will do it because a lot of things get thrown out of my bed. My childhood stuffed animals never stood a chance!

I'm going to be quite the sight with Liberty, PAPcap, and fanny pack. I just hope it works!!

[Marietjie]

I'm going to be quite the sight

..........YES not just a sight (me too) I sleep on a double bed to accommodate for all necessary 'equipment' other than Cpap. i.e. Pillow, Neck pillow, knee pillow (leg spacer) sausage pillow, extra blanket for legs and Cpap. Single bed will never do ! ! !

[kebsa]

you have been given lots of great ideas and i cannot add to those but i just want to say that if you opt for the backpack or tennis balls etc don't think that you are doomed to always have these cuddley bed time companions! i used to always, i mean always! sleep on my front! then i started having low back problems that were made worse by this- even if i managed to sleep in another position to begin within i would wake on my front with a lousy back ache! i started sleeping with a big rolled up pillow to stop me rolling onto my front and now i hate lying on my Front! a few weeks of these measures seemed to re train me.
when i started using cpap i was worried as i have always been a mouth breather, i have always found it hard to breath through my nose- full face masks do not seem to match the shape of my face so i was worried- after using chin straps and other measures for a while i now find that i am no longer a mouth breather either- it seems that if we can be consistent with a change in behaviour for a few weeks it gradually becomes automatic so you will not be destined to sleep with a backpack for ever!