Sleep

[LouLamb]

Was wondering how others sleep . I am constantly up in the night changing sides . My shoulders kill . I currently have 4 pillows .

[Silvergilt]

I bought a new bed recently, and I had a foam overlay over that for a while, but I found it was starting to wound me a bit for some reason, so I took it off. I often have to shift from hip to hip (can't sleep on back or stomach) and I wake up at least 2x a night. I don't remember when I last slept the night thru. I listen to audiobooks which helps me doze off as I used to toss and turn a lot before settling. I've got a pillow to prop a knee up on if I'm on my side and need to ease up pressure in my hip.

[LupieMani]

Hi LouLamb. A firm mattress to give you as much support as possible may help. Too many pillows put your body out of alignment - my physio advised one good pillow to support the neck and head. I can't sleep on my back or tummy either but a pillow between your knees will help stop your hips and spine from rolling. Yoga helps to stretch and strengthen muscles and joints so that might help too.

Otherwise, it's the luck of the draw. Like Silvergilt, I don't think I've had a proper night's rest in years...

[Poshcards]

Ditto, Loulamb, I often get more sleep on my sofa sat up with one leg on sofa other on floor with feather long cushion behind my head, sideways on, if that makes sense. Been like it for 23 years with Lupus x

[johare]

As above, I get hip and other joint pain. I rarely sleep though. Firm mattress, enough pillows to keep my head in line when on my side but only one when on my back. Pillows between my knees so my hips don't drop. I take pain killers just before bed to help.

[Wendy39]

Hello. You have a lot going on at the moment don't you. I feel for you. There is so much to learn about our illness and symptoms, especially in the early days. Before my diagnosis I had started to get terrible aches and pains in bed and so we changed our mattress. The old one was about 9/10 years old so we were due a new one. We went for a memory foam one. It is good but obviously with hip, knee and back pain it hasn't stopped my problems!! I woke last week with a stuff back and couldn't move - I had to wake my husband and get him to turn me over. I usually lie on my left but that is my worst hip, so I change sides a lot more than I used to. It's so frustrating when us lupies need our rest! You need to keep trying the tips etc that people have given you until you find something that works for you. Good luck.

[Tinathebus]

God I have had sleep problems for years, I only go to bed when I am actually struggling otherwise I will still be awake at 3am or something silly.

I always seem to wake up just to turn over (thick or what) I obviously haven't learned to do that in my sleep yet. I wake up with pains I my back arms and legs, my arm always goes numb when i sleep on my side but strangely enough it's the arm on top that goes numb so then I lay with my arm hanging out of bed wiggling fingers right now arms awake I can go back to sleep, oh hell! Now my neck hurts every time I turn over so that wakes me. If I don't fall asleep straight away my legs ache like crazy and I get cramp guess what now I can't sleep again so I go and sit down stairs till about 3 or 4 then spend the next day like a zombie. Then I drink lots of very strong coffee and now everyone is telling me I need to cut it out they say 2-3 spoons of espresso in a cup is too strong I'm still falling asleep it can't be too strong 😵 I just sit in the car or on the sofa and some days my legs ache like crazy.