Cannot find a comfortable side-sleeping position

[DaveC426913]

Heat dissipation??
Get a FAN!

[ TMI ]
That will extract heat from my exposed skin. It won't extract heat from skin-to-skin areas, or from skin-to-sheets areas, which is where the heat (and sweat) builds up.

So the difference between cold skin and hot skin results in a lot of waking up to turn over, or to contort away from the sweaty spots.
[ /TMI ]

I am a bit of a furnace.

But yes, now that we actually live in a house with central A/C, we can turn the temp down at night to like 20C (68F), otherwise we roast. My wife and I both like a cool room with access to lots of covers.

 

[pinball1970]

TL;DR Summary: I cannot find a comfortable side-sleeping position. Where do you put your shoulder?

I used to sleep on my back, in what I called the Dracula position - hands across chest, ankles crossed.
Gaining some weight has caused me to snore, so now I have to find alternate positions.

Let's say it's close to this:
View attachment 349801
I tend to roll over even further, like a 45 degree angle, so closer to this:
View attachment 349803

My pillow is plenty thick enough, but I still cannot figure out what to do with my shoulder. It sticks into the bed and lifts my ribcage off the mattress, and puts my humerus in a very awkward position pinned under my chest.

This is exactly what it feels like (but face down). I can totally relate to this guy:
View attachment 349804

I am seriously considering cutting a ditch in my mattress to give my shoulder and humerus somewhere to sit. But before go to that extreme, how do the rest of you side-sleepers manage??

I am quite frustrated and quite serious about this; it is costing me hours of good sleep.

I may have to whip up some sketches to make it clear.

I sleep with head phones on a lot. This means I cannot sleep on my side completely, I have to get on my side but then rotate my upper body slightly towards the ceiling. So more weight is my middle back than my shoulder. More weight on the back of my head than my ear.

My legs are not completely in foetal position bedside leg is but ceiling facing is stretched out a little.

So the position is halfway between back and side. The pressure not completely on shoulder, ear, hip, knee and ankle.

Have a play around with it, totally on your side then slowly rotate, stretch outside leg and see how your shoulder and spine feel.

 

[Nik_2213]

May I suggest looking at 'bolster-type' pregnancy 'pillows' ? A rolled blanket may work as a 'test bed', such that you can throw an elbow and knee over the resilient roll...

 

[pinball1970]

TMI ]
That will extract heat from my exposed skin. It won't extract heat from skin-to-skin areas, or from skin-to-sheets areas, which is where the heat (and sweat) builds up.

Just on that, thin 100% cotton, keeps you cool via excellent wicking properties of the fibre. Thin T shirt and long boxers.
I have not worn PJs since school.
Same with sheets, some bedding has "cool comfort" claims.

 

[JT Smith]

But yes, now that we actually live in a house with central A/C, we can turn the temp down at night to like 20C (68F), otherwise we roast. My wife and I both like a cool room with access to lots of covers.

Turn it down more. Or add a room A/C that you can really crank low. I always turn hotel A/Cs down to the minimum and some of them go quite low. My favorite sleeping temperature is 10 or 20°F which only happens when I snow camp. Long dark, quiet nights make it even better.

 

[DaveC426913]

I have to get on my side but then rotate my upper body slightly towards the ceiling. So more weight is my middle back than my shoulder. More weight on the back of my head than my ear.

Yeah, but this is snuggling up against "snoring" mode.

 

[pinball1970]

Yeah, but this is snuggling up against "snoring" mode.

I only snore on my back, this is closer to side than back.

 

[DaveC426913]

Turn it down more. Or add a room A/C that you can really crank low. I always turn hotel A/Cs down to the minimum and some of them go quite low. My favorite sleeping temperature is 10 or 20°F which only happens when I snow camp. Long dark, quiet nights make it even better.

It's cool eonugh thst I need an oversheet to keep off the draft.

Oh, and a blanket that covers 40% of my feet. (20% and I freeze; 60% and I bake.)

 

[pinball1970]

Gaining some weight has caused me to snore, so now I have to find alternate positions

Can you work on that part too? Reduce weight and that will help

 

[pinball1970]

It's cool eonugh thst I need an oversheet to keep off the draft.

Cut out the draft!

 

[DaveC426913]

Can you work on that part too? Reduce weight and that will help

Doin' pretty well. On the "Ozempic" Diet.

 

[pinball1970]

Doin' pretty well. On the "Ozempic" Diet.

What's that?

 

[DaveC426913]

What's that?

Ozempic is a Diabetes medication that is showing great results for weight loss. I am on a different brand, but with same effect.