Problems with sleeping away from home.
 

As always, I was away visiting the in-laws for the holidays, and just like every year I had a real problem. It seems that, over the years, I have become unable to sleep well in anything but an adjustable bed, which is what I use at home.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t sleep very well at home either. Because of my bladder frequency I sometimes feel that I never get a full night’s rest. But when I am away from home, my bladder is the least of my problems.

No matter what sort of sleep surface I have tried, I still wake up every hour or so with nearly every muscle in my torso in a painful cramp.

I’ve tried sleeping with pillows and other devices propping me up similar to an adjustable bed. I’ve tried sleeping in a reclining chair, an option that is not always available. I’ve used air mattresses, which seem to the least-worst solution. But I have not found an effective solution.

I have assumed (sp) that this is an MS thing, but I could be wrong. Do others with MS experience this? I have to find a solution soon, because my hubby wants to take a month or two off and drive to Alaska from Connecticut. I don’t think I can endure that much pain on that little sleep for weeks on end.

Does anybody else have this problem? Have you found any sort of solution?

This works for me for television viewing, from an overpriced catalog store- (Herrington (cough, cough) got an "ergonomic, some down, lumbar support, sit-up in bed back rest cushion, you know thing with arms to read or watch tv while in bed. I found a put in oven, heat-up buckwheat neck thing and this helps my neck (whose muscles hurt sometimes) and when on sit-em-up (as I call it) puts pressure along with heat on back of neck muscles and emits a wonderful clove/cinnamon smell - from Bliss but I got really cheap at Marshall's). It helps me. Love the smell! Think it's got Eucalyptus too.

By the way, don't smoke or drink, I'm worth it!!!!!!!!!! Hey, always been a low expense person.

You have my empathy, Marion, I've done some traveling and I cannot say enough about a high-quality goose down pillow. Over the years I've tested some of the latest-greatest gimmicks and always go back to the old standard. The ability to customize the support it provides is its primary hallmark, it makes an enormous difference in the quality of my sleep everywhere and anywhere.

Definitely go to Alaska, it's sooooooo worth it!

I will be following THIS thread, hoping for answers for you, and maybe some hints for myself.

I haven't found a comfortable way to sleep for a long time. I sleep in the recliner maybe four or five times a week, in bed the other two or three. The recliner is the better option, but for my back's sake, I have to do the bed now and then, but I can only stay comfortalbe about three or four hours. Kicker, I'm going to look into one of those sit-em-ups.

I rarely go anywhere overnight. I used to lug a suitcase full of equipment--neck rolls, knee pillows, something to hold the blankets up off my feet, blah blah blah. Once I got to a hotel and they had one of those weird metal scrollwork headboard things that I couldn't prop up against without my head falling through. It would have been a nightmare, if I could have slept.

Cindy is right on, with the goose down pillow. Expensive little fella, but worth every penny. :)

Gulp~ hate to admit this, but AMN got me hooked on down pillows and now I can't sleep w/o it. Granted, I still wake up several times during the night due to other problems, but the pillow is a must.

With that being said, I still don't sleep as well away from home~I like my own bed.

I swear by down and Cuddledown sells silk pillowcases fairly cheap (for silk but I only got one and wash and use over and over.). My hair stays better (I get a shower like twice a week in my chair but my dry skin and dry curly hair doiing better!! and very easy to slide on.

I'm sorry I don't have a solution for you. But I hope you find one and can enjoy your Alaska vacation.

Seems as I've gotten older and MS has gotten worse it just makes sleep in general very difficult. And NO I can't sleep away from home either.

I wish you the best!:hug:

I have a metal bed. Pretty to look at, impossible to prop myself up. Pillows slide between the mattress and headboard, which curves inward toward the bed, like a spine lol. Can not read in that thing.

I had a body pillow (finally fell aprt from too much washing) for the end of the bed which helped a lot - kept me and my pillows out of the rails. Need a new one of those.

Love the sit-em-up idea.

Almost got down pillows - is 2 for $40 about right? I am so cheap. should do better for my neck than $5 pillows but to throw away in a year? ~shudders~