Has anyone else become exclusively a side sleeper AFTER getting into hammocking?

[Longwinters]

I have been a side sleeper for years switching from being a stomach sleeper. If you see the picture of Shug on his post that is how I sleep in my chameleon. But on my trip next week I am going to try sleeping where I have my face on the edge side of the hammock.

[silentorpheus]

Just the opposite. I became a back sleeper when I started hammock sleeping. Previously I've been a side sleeper except occasionally back sleeping during a nap. I do end up on my side in the hammock once in a while.

This has been my experience as well. I exclusively slept on my side at home except for occasional naps (usually if I was VERY tired and passed out without considering comfort). When I first started hammocking, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to sleep well on my back, but quickly found that it wasn't as much of a problem as I thought. I'll note that I've never really been able to get overly comfortable on my side in a hammock, even in my bridge. I don't even bother trying anymore.

I attribute my use of a hammock while camping over the years to becoming more comfortable sleeping on my back at home - which has come in handy over the last year as I dealt with a shoulder injury and eventually shoulder surgery. I've been sleeping only on my back for months now pre and post surgery, and I'm not sure that would have been as easy a transition to make were it not for the last decade of sleeping on my back when in the woods.

[Canadark]

I have been a side sleeper for years switching from being a stomach sleeper. If you see the picture of Shug on his post that is how I sleep in my chameleon. But on my trip next week I am going to try sleeping where I have my face on the edge side of the hammock.

I wonder if Dutch's new spreader bar bugnet would help with the face-towards-the-edge position. I have trained myself to sleep more on my back in a hammock, but my usual habit in bed is side to side flip-flopping. In the GE hammocks, I tend to stay on my side facing the interior, like the Shug screenshot, since facing the edge usually puts fabric or bugnet annoyingly in my face.

[Briarsmoke]

I just got home from a few day’s camping with my Warbonnet Blackbird xlc with wookie underquilt and topcover mounted on. I toss and turn a lot, probably sleep on my side about half the time at home. I’ve found that I toss and turn a lot less in a hammock and seldom sleep on my side because it’s just more difficult to do, especially with the underquilt and top cover on (have to be careful you’re only grabbing hammock and nothing else or you’ll twist everything out of alignment). The trick seems to be to keep a grip on the hammock edges and keep you gravity centered while changing position, and it isn’t easy when you’re mostly asleep in pitch darkness. Forces me to be a back sleeper.

[bsteele]

In my bed, I feel my most comfortable on my side with a leg pulled up, though I often end up on my back at some point in the night. Hammock sleeping has helped me be more comfortable sleeping on my back, something I never thought I could ever get used to.

I first got a Ridgerunner thinking it'd be great for me, but I find side sleeping in it challenging because it's a bit narrow in the middle. I also have problems with my bottom arm falling asleep. Interestingly enough, laying with my head at the foot end of the Ridgerunner is so much more spacious for my legs and feet. I wish it were that wide from head to foot.

My ultimate solution has just been: get used to it. Putting the foot end up higher certainly helps, but there are plenty of times where I just want to sprawl out and can't. But i'll take it any day over a pad on the ground

[Crazytown3]

petoskey, another +1 on the Tensa4 for Utah desert camping (and plenty of other places). Also, I sleep back and side in my Warbonnet Eldorado; no issues at all.

[Adventurous_Angler]

In my bed, I feel my most comfortable on my side with a leg pulled up, though I often end up on my back at some point in the night. Hammock sleeping has helped me be more comfortable sleeping on my back, something I never thought I could ever get used to.

I first got a Ridgerunner thinking it'd be great for me, but I find side sleeping in it challenging because it's a bit narrow in the middle. I also have problems with my bottom arm falling asleep. Interestingly enough, laying with my head at the foot end of the Ridgerunner is so much more spacious for my legs and feet. I wish it were that wide from head to foot.

My ultimate solution has just been: get used to it. Putting the foot end up higher certainly helps, but there are plenty of times where I just want to sprawl out and can't. But i'll take it any day over a pad on the ground

I am also a side sleeper and typically pull both legs up (fetal position). After using a Blackbird XLC for a couple years, I purchased an WWRR bridge hammock earlier this spring thinking it would be the answer to all of my side sleeping problems, however I also find the narrow middle challenging and feel a bit tippy at times which can keep me awake. Similar to bsteele, my bottom arm tends to fall asleep when side sleeping in the WBRR.

I initially wanted to try the Ridgerunner because when I paired the XLC with a wookie, my knees would push against the side of the hammock above the underquilt and I would get cold enough to wake me up/be uncomfortable. Since then, I've used my wife HG incubator a few times paired with the XLC which seems to offer a little more side coverage when my knees are pushing out allowing me to side sleep, feel secure/stable and get rid of the cold spots. A win, win, win.

If you side sleep without pulling a knee or both knees up, the WBRR might keep off the ground... A million ways to do it, just gotta find what works best for you. Best of luck!

A.A.

[rodfather]

This has been my experience as well. I exclusively slept on my side at home except for occasional naps (usually if I was VERY tired and passed out without considering comfort). When I first started hammocking, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to sleep well on my back, but quickly found that it wasn't as much of a problem as I thought. I'll note that I've never really been able to get overly comfortable on my side in a hammock, even in my bridge. I don't even bother trying anymore.

I attribute my use of a hammock while camping over the years to becoming more comfortable sleeping on my back at home - which has come in handy over the last year as I dealt with a shoulder injury and eventually shoulder surgery. I've been sleeping only on my back for months now pre and post surgery, and I'm not sure that would have been as easy a transition to make were it not for the last decade of sleeping on my back when in the woods.

This is my experience so far. In my bed, I sleep better on my back after a trip in the hammock. I don't know.. maybe being forced on my back makes it easier to stay on my back when I get home. I also have some shoulder issues.

In the hammock, I do tend to chill lying on my side at times. Wedging my 2nd pillow on my lower back helps with lying on my side.

[rerun]

I sleep 99% on my side everywhere. My sleep in a gathered end is ok, let's say average. I bought the Haven and find I sleep better in that. I'll give it a B+. I have the regular Haven which some might say is too narrow, but for me (on my side) is works great. I have whittled down the weight differential between my GE and the Haven to exactly 2 pounds by changing out everything including a new lightweight stuff sack so I will carry it on the trail up to a certain point. I'm a senior and I'm not doing crazy miles but certainly weight does matter to me. Still love my Dutchware hammock as nothing beats chair mode in a gathered end hammock with fresh coffee in the morning.