Sleep. What a beautiful thing. Or is it? As I began to drift off last night, I wondered what sort of sleep histories others may have had.
Until I gave birth to my first child, I was a stomach sleeper. One pillow. Average firmness. No stuffed animals. Don’t even recall sleeping positions with bed partners; sleep came easily. With motherhood came multiple night risings and sleep came of sheer exhaustion. No thought involved. When I slept with a husband/partner, I’d sleep on my side, preferring the spoon position. Whenever I was pregnant, there was always a pillow between my knees and absolutely had to have the husband/friend touching somewhere (sometimes just toes) to fall asleep.
When I have a longterm SO, I still sleep the same way. But when I’m alone, I position and scrunch the huge, down alternative pillow so that it keeps my neck from cricking (izzat a word?) and raises it at the same time, allowing better breathing when I have a cold or allergy. I use the second pillow for my arm, as I sleep in this space somewhere between my stomach and side and it somehow keeps my arm from waking up stiff and pillow-imprinted. But when I have a man in my bed, the touch factor absolutely must be there.
How many pillows do you sleep with? Do you have a
must position? Do you sleep differently when you’re alone? Has it changed over the years? Do you still sleep with your childhood stuffed animal or a vibrator under your pillow? Does alcohol change your sleep pattern?