4 Tips to Sleep on the Floor Comfortably

Sleeping on the floor is good for you, as many articles on the internet have pointed out. Many people have difficulty to sleep on the floor comfortably if they’re first starting out. Sleeping on the floor provides benefits such as realigning your natural posture, increasing blood circulation, and reduce tension on your back. It’s definitely a rough start if you’re going into this for the first time. But many people can adjust their body to sleep on the floor normally after a couple of weeks or often a few days.

Anectodal evidence has led researchers have suggested that sleeping on the floor is good for your back and can be a treatment for lower back pain and joint pain. When it comes to sleeping on the floor, look no further than the Eastern world. Various cultures have been sleeping on the ground for ages. In Japan, they have perfected the way to sleep on the floor.

For many people, ditching the mattress and sleeping on the floor is part of being a minimalist. This led me to run a trial of sleeping on the floor for a duration of 3 weeks. To my surprise, it was a fulfilling experience.

Here are my 4 tips to sleep on the floor comfortably.

1. Prepare space on the floor
This is standard preparation for anyone planning on sleeping on the ground. Go to an empty room if you can. It’s just more comfortable to leave enough space for you sleep on the floor. Remember to vacuum the floor before sleeping on the ground! A lot of dust can be inhaled in if you forget this step. Sleeping on the floor is bad for you if you have allergies.

2. Use a blanket
Too often, sleeping on the bare floor can be a miserable experience and it’s the number one reason why people stop sleeping on the ground. Use a thick blanket and pillow if you can. Multiple blankets if the ground is too cold. A blanket may still not be comfortable enough for you to sleep on the floor, it takes time to get used to. Use more than one pillow to provide extra cushioning. Your legs and back will probably be the most difficult to adjust to sleeping on the floor.

3. Consider getting a tatami mat
If you are really serious about sleeping on the floor, you should consider investing in a tatami mat, which is made of woven grass and rice straw core material. They are often layered with Japanese futon mattresses and a tatami bedframe. Sleeping on a tatami mat makes a considerable difference than sleeping on the bare floor. They’re gentle enough to lay on and firm enough to walk on. Tatami mats are comfortable in its own unique way and there many sizes and variations they can come in.t’s definitely more clean and safe than sleeping on the bare floor. People have also noted that tatami mats give out a grass-like scent.

4. Use a Japanese futon mattress

In Japan, the shiki futon (futon mattress) is typically slept on while being on the floor. Light and comfortable, the shiki futon is a good choice if you want to sleep on the floor comfortably. These mattresses are often paired with tatami bedframes and mats but they are not necessary.