Hammock bad for your posture/back?

**Gristlehead** · 08-07-2013, 08:17

I too have degenerative disc disease. I've had micro surgeries at L4-L5 and most recently at L5-S1. My doctor said something on a recent visit that turned the light on for me, and has me believing that Hammocks might be the best thing you can do for your back. He said, " You know how you feel so much better after laying down for a nights sleep? Well during the night your disc's receive fluids into them because they are not in compression. " This got me to thinking about how when I camp in a Hammock I always have to wake up and pee several times a night. More fluids to the middle of my body, I don't have this issue when sleeping in a bed. It seems that the more I sleep in the hammock the better my back feels.

**Debi Jaytee** · 08-07-2013, 09:02

I sleep full time in my hammock and will never have a bed in my house again. When I sleep at my boyfriend's (in a bed) I wake up sore, cranky, and looking for Advil.
I used to sleep on my stomach, and have the messed up back to prove it. In the hammock, I sleep on my back without issue and wake up in a much better mood!
Gristle head, it's funny you mention having to get up during the night. I used to NEVER have to get up, but now I do, at least once, most nights.

**spoonyspork** · 08-07-2013, 09:25

Huh. I thought maybe I've just been having coffee too close to bed lately, as I have to get up at least twice during the night and never have before. Not since I can remember at least. Weird XD

(this had me searching the forums for this... 'phenomenon'. Looks like it's come up before. Yup; weird!)

**Gristlehead** · 08-07-2013, 11:17

Thoughts on the phenomenon:

1. We are sleeping in a position that allows fluids to migrate to the center mass.
2. We are relieving compression of the spine. Allows discs to receive more fluid. Relieves pressure on nerves and that could trigger a hyper sensitivity to full bladder.
3. The position we are in may be causing fluid to pool in the bladder in a different way that we are not used to. I/E we rotated the vessel and the high level is giving us a false indication...
4. The other idea is that we could be processing more blood through our kidneys and yes producing more fluids that need to be relieved...This has merit as I sure to feel more refreshed after waking up in the morning.

No matter how I slice it I have to get up a couple of times a night when in a hammock. Not so when sleeping in a bed.

**rcam1977** · 08-07-2013, 13:06

I am 36 and have been living with back pain since I was 17, I got into a bad car wreck and spent 8 months in a chiropractors office 3 times a week, the only time I don't wake up hurting is when I sleep in the hammock, unfortunately I'm not able to hang full time,

**J.Andersons** · 08-07-2013, 14:07

Almost 5 years full time hammock sleeper here and I feel refreshed in the morning. I also had not the best back for sure but hammock really helps because my weight are distributed evenly in brazilian style hammock and laying diagonally back are fully supported and no any discomfort.

**PTAaron** · 08-07-2013, 14:38

After my first night sleeping in my hammock my back felt much better than it usually does in the morning - but my neck wasn't so happy. I used an inflatable "airplane" neck pillow to sleep with, maybe there is a better option somewhere...

**Gristlehead** · 08-07-2013, 14:40

Originally Posted by PTAaron

After my first night sleeping in my hammock my back felt much better than it usually does in the morning - but my neck wasn't so happy. I used an inflatable "airplane" neck pillow to sleep with, maybe there is a better option somewhere...

To each his own I suppose. I use a travel sized pillow that I bought at Walmart for 3 bucks. I find that it will fold up just the way I need it to, and that it is not too big behind my head in the hammock.

**Debi Jaytee** · 08-07-2013, 14:49

PTAaron, try this little pillow, I discovered it for camping but use it all the time now.
http://www.obusforme.com/sleep/trave...el-pillow.html
It's been a Godsend for me.

**RandomShots** · 08-07-2013, 23:26

I found for me, I need a hard bed or my back starts acting up. My bed used to be fairly soft, and I had back issues. Didn't have a clue what was causing it. I went on a road trip and stayed in hotels with hard beds. By the end of the week, my back/knee/ankle problem was gone. And it came right back when I went back to sleeping on my soft bed.

I replaced my bed at that time with a Sleep Number bed, set to 100. Much better.

Also, a book I've passed around to a number of people with back issues is "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue. Check out the 300+ reviews on Amazon. And the libraries carry it. I've passed the book on to half a dozen people. Of the two it didn't help, one has one leg about 3 inches shorter than the other, and the other one turned out to have cancer in her spine.

One of the success stories was someone who used to have ice on the back of his chair to keep the pain in check, and another said she regularly took 6 Advil a night to deal with the headaches. Both got to the point they were without pain and back to normal activities.

I'm still trying to figure out the hammock thing. No back yard to set it up in, so I've got a hammock stand in the back bedroom. I'm fairly long in the legs for my height (just over 6') and the Hennessy Expedition I bought seems a bit cramped. I'm hoping to get that figured out before my next trip.

I've only hung once on a camping trip, and the comment about having to go to the bathroom struck home. I had to get up 3 times that night, and that isn't typical for me.