a funny question - do you sleep on a bed?..........
By udayrao2
@udayrao2 (781)
India
March 1, 2010 6:34am CST
I know that is a very funny and awkward question to ask- whether you sleep on a bed or not?
But my friends, it is like this- I do have beds in my house but decades back when I was actively engaged in sports, I was diagnosed with a lower back problem and was advised to sleep on a hard surface, so I used to sleep on the floor next to the bed( of course using a thick bed-sheet or quilt never directly on the floor) and that cured me; and thereafter I find it difficult to sleep on a bed every-one in my family my wife & daughters - out of sympathy started sleeping on the floor- and have also got into the same habit.
When I narrate this to my friends they laugh at me as if we are odd balls!!! And I find many people,for health reasons, sleeping on the floor.Mostly it is due to back problems.
What about you??
7 people like this
53 responses
@bystander (2292)
• Philippines
3 Mar 10
but you don't have to sleep on the floor, udayrao. you can have a hard bed, sans the cushion. you can go to some furniture stores and ask for a wooden bed, and i think you can find one. if not, you can always go to a furniture maker and have one made especially for you. to sleep on the floor, don't. you'll be catching up all the dirt and dust there...
@udayrao2 (781)
• India
3 Mar 10
I have wooden beds with a thick mattress on them, but it was easier and faster to get a quick recovery for my backache to simply sleep on the floor on a quilt!!!
And about the dirt and dust that is not an issue as we always clean & swipe our home every day and the bedrooms again every night before sleeping. And why incur unnecessary expenses - because at times when it is a short nap we do sleep on the bed.
Thanks your reply.
1 person likes this
@bystander (2292)
• Philippines
4 Mar 10
that's resourcefulness to the max, udayrao. thanks for enlightening me with your response.
1 person likes this
@verabear (796)
• Philippines
3 Mar 10
I don't find it odd at all! Here in our country though, apart from sleeping on the floor, another alternative is to buy a plain wooden or bamboo bed (papag) and use that without placing any cushions over it. Yes a blanket or quilt can be used to keep you warm and a bit more comfortable. This is, as I heard, good for one's back. Personally though, I can lay on the floor if I have to because when we sleep over in relatives' or friends' houses that may be the case, but I always prefer a warm soft bed :)
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
4 Mar 10
When we moved into our new house we left our bed frame and box spring at the old house for staging. We just used our mattress on the floor at the new house until the old one sold. I was so grateful that our house only took a month to sell because by the time it did and we bought a new bed my back was sooo sore from sleeping on the floor! So for a short period we didn't sleep in a bed, but I sure did miss it.
1 person likes this
@sumanadep (1228)
• India
1 Mar 10
I don't sleep on Bed. I usually sleep on floor but not directly on floor I spread a carpet and one of my blanket on it. I don't do it for any health reason but because I get better sleep when on floor rather than on bed.
1 person likes this
@gracefuldove (1668)
• Malaysia
1 Mar 10
as far back as i know, i always sleep on a bed. my earlier bed is made of a thin matress with 2 pillows. later when i grow up, i have a bed with drawers , 3 on each side. my bed does not have legs. i am very fond of my bed with drawers as i keep my stuff in the 6 drawers. there i keep my photos,letters, postcards, stationary, and all my bedsheets and pillow cases and of course my clothes. i find it compact. everyone in my family is happy with beds of their choice.
1 person likes this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
3 Mar 10
I think beds with drawers are sooo cool. I've seen them in magazines and I wish I could afford one.
@ziyadahinc212 (552)
• United States
4 Mar 10
DAM DUDE! I feel for U REALLY I DO... honey throw me another "King size pillow" please.lol
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
1 Mar 10
there is nothing wrong to sleep on the floor if it makes you comfortable and it can cure your back problem... it is really up to individuals where they are more comfortable sleeping in... as for me, i had only slept on the floor once and most of the times i sleep on my bed... take care and have a nice day...
1 person likes this
@Sreekala (34312)
• India
10 Mar 10
Hi Uday,
People who are suffering back pain may prefer to sleep in floor or in wooden surface. My father also said like this and used to sleep in floor. But now he changed his habit as his small grandson started to sleep with him (as he don’t want to his lovable cute little boy sleep in floor.
People who are suffering back pain may prefer to sleep in floor or in wooden surface. My father also said like this and used to sleep in floor. But now he changed his habit as his small grandson started to sleep with him (as he don’t want to his lovable cute little boy sleep in floor.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
2 Mar 10
I sleep in a bed myself, but I do know of some famous people who sleep on the floor. They came to stay with us and we were aware of their habits so we were not shocked when they just wanted a light sheet to lay on and no pillows.
They do the same when they go to hotels, which is fairly regularly as they travel around the world speaking at lectures. They just have to make sure that the hotel rooms have plenty of floor space when they book the room. 
It is their whole family that sleeps like this too, both parents and their kids who are grown up now. They have not slept in a bed for years.
They do the same when they go to hotels, which is fairly regularly as they travel around the world speaking at lectures. They just have to make sure that the hotel rooms have plenty of floor space when they book the room.
It is their whole family that sleeps like this too, both parents and their kids who are grown up now. They have not slept in a bed for years.@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
4 Mar 10
They are the Boutenko family from the USA. You probably have not heard of them, but they are world famous in the Raw Vegan and Natural Health world. 
@Bluntress (85)
• United States
2 Mar 10
Sometimes I get insomnia for weeks Usually I sleep on the floor or the couch and it cures it. Sometimes the bed is not comfortable. We slept on the floor when we moved here although we had beds. My son does not even want his bed put up he is sleeping on 2 futons on the floor and he says it is the most comfortable bed he has ever slept on. We all put beds in our bedrooms because we think we must sleep in a bed. Some cultures do not even use mattress like Us Americans In my house we have beds and mattress on the floors, Whatever makes us comfortable that what we use. But sometimes the floor is great to sleep on.
@phoenix8606 (4942)
•
1 Mar 10
hi! of course I sleep on a bed, because it is more comfortable than all other things we can sleep on like couches, chairs, or even on the floor.
1 person likes this
@chicago207 (57)
• United States
1 Mar 10
I sleep on a bed but I think that your story is pretty cool you took a bad problem and turned it around. So I think that's great that you did that.
1 person likes this
@unuzzz (1273)
• Indonesia
1 Mar 10
hi udayrao!
wow, i also have a back problem but didn't sleep on the floor..
there are many kinds of bed, isn't it?
maybe the bed you're using right now is too soft?
my current bed right now is a bit hard, i compared it with the beds in my friend's houses..
my bed is harder than the others.. i once slept over at my friend's house, and i cannot sleep all night since the bed was too soft and hurt my back..
maybe you can find another bed with a harder surface?
it's much better than sleeping on a hard cold floor.. ;-)
thanks !
@rockydam83 (846)
• Italy
3 Mar 10
Yes i was also sleeping on the floor in last years but now i got married and i have to shift on my bed for my wife coz she dont like to sleep on floor. I personally like to sleep on floor and it keeps me quite healthful as well.
Another fact is that we are lucky that we have beds to sleep on whereas millions of peoples in this world even dont have a good floor to sleep on. I have seen myself many poor peoples sleeping road sides, parks and such other public places. So we should be thankful to God and try to help such peoples around us.
@udayrao2 (781)
• India
7 Mar 10
Lower back pain - a dull one - specially if I am in one position for a long time or if I suddenly bend down & forward; but that is cured now. Try this sleeping on the floor for a week. But use a mattress or a quilt or something quite thick initially since you are not used to it.
and let me know then
Bye and All the Best
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
1 Mar 10
Hi, udayrao. No offense, but I don't find sleeping on my back a cure for my back problems. I have an Herniated Disc in my back and it is in my lower right side. I could not imagine sleeping on an hard floor to cure my back pain. There is just no way that I can do that. I am very sorry that you are having back problems. I am too. I slept on my in-laws floor for four months and it did not relieve or cure my back problem at all.
@udayrao2 (781)
• India
2 Mar 10
I do not know about Herniated Disc - I was at the start of a slip disc probably due to very heavy sports activity with little rest, and did as per doctor advise - may be not all back problems go with sleeping on the bed.
I suggest you consult the experts on this
But as I wrote that has cured my back-ache
@aikanaro22 (36)
• Chile
1 Mar 10
Yeah I sleep on a bed. Its comfortable, I sleep well on my bed. Is there anyone that doesn't sleeps on a bed??. That's weird... to have a bed and don't use it
@udayrao2 (781)
• India
2 Mar 10
I knew I would also get answers like this - saying that is eccentric, oddballs, weird, etc. I mentioned that too in my question, but I don't think that is weird at all as it is a personal choice and moreover has helped me to resolve my problem, and i have the guts to also say that in spite of having beds I sleep on the floor - only people who have aches will understand what I mean.
Anyway thanks for your response.
@xenobane (202)
• Canada
2 Mar 10
I am sleeping on the mattess on the floor, I won't call it a bed as there is no support for the whole thing.
If you got a soft floor, like the ones Japanese are using, it would be quite comfortable to sleep on. It won't be better than a bed, but beats the hard wood surface most of us are having at home.
Sleep on or off the bed is a personal preference, I am sure there are many that enjoy sleeping off the bed just as much as those who prefered on.
