Lying on the floor can have positive effects on your body and mind.
If you can’t find Lauren Carls at her desk, you might try looking on the floor. Several times a day, she takes a break from sitting in front of her computer to stretch out on the floor in her home office.
“Lying on the floor for a few minutes not only relieves the tight muscles in my lower back, but also relaxes my busy mind,” says Lauren. “It’s like a mini-vacation from the workday. And, if the dog stretches out next to me, it’s an extra benefit,” she adds with a smile.
As it turns out, Lauren is not alone.
While the topic is lacking research, many people have found that lying on the floor has many benefits. It can alleviate back pain, help loosen tight muscles, and have a calming effect on the mind. The practice is definitely having a moment – posts with hashtag #floortime have received millions of views on TikTok and articles extolling its benefits are starting to appear in major publications.
Just finished a long, frustrating meeting? Feeling tension in your neck or back? Staring at your computer screen and feeling unproductive? Try stretching out on the floor for a few minutes.
Feeling Grounded
Why does lying on the floor feel so good? Some psychologists say that spending time on the floor can help us feel grounded. “When you lie flat on your back, your posture is open and relaxed, which may have a calming effect,” said Ellen Hendriksen, a clinical psychologist in Boston.1
On the other hand, it can be hard to fully relax when sitting upright, especially if you’re hunched over a desk or a laptop. And, although there may not be studies on floor time, there is plenty of research regarding stretching. In addition to improving flexibility, stretching also increases blood flow to your muscles and boosts oxygen levels. It’s also been proven to reduce tension. Perhaps that’s why stretching out on the floor feels so good.
Although its popularity seems to be increasing, “floor time” is not new. For centuries, people have been reaping the benefits of lying on the floor. For instance, the yoga pose savasana helps people slowly relax each part of the body while lying on their backs. Many types of meditation are also practiced while lying on the floor, as well as entire stretching routines.
Back Pain Relief
According to some neurosurgery and spine specialists, lying on the floor, and in some cases, sleeping on the floor, can help alleviate back pain and improve posture. There are many instances where sleeping on a firmer mattress or on the floor with proper support such as a mattress pad has resulted in back pain reduction. While traditional mattresses tend to sag in areas, especially in the mid-back range, the floor offers a hard, supportive surface which allows for better posture and alignment.
It's interesting to note that in many cultures around the world, it’s customary to sleep on the floor. For instance, in Japan, sleeping on the floor on a combination of mats and cushions is a century-old tradition. They believe it helps relax muscles and maintain proper alignment of the hips, shoulders, and spine.
Of course, this doesn’t work for everyone. Sleeping on the floor may exacerbate painful areas such as hips or shoulders for some people. If you want to try sleeping on the floor, experts advise doing so in gradual steps and experimenting with extra padding and support. You might also try a short nap first to test it out.
What if You Can’t Get Down and Up from the Floor?
Many people have mobility issues that make it difficult or impossible to get down and up from the floor. However, anyone can take advantage of the benefits of “floor time” with the PhysioBoard! The PhysioBoard provides a firm, supportive surface on your bed, so there is no need to get down on the floor.
Made of a unique lightweight, yet sturdy honeycomb composite material, the PhysioBoard weighs only 11 pounds (so it’s easy to move and store), but provides a rigid surface on any mattress, making it simple to stretch and exercise on your bed. In fact, the PhysioBoard was designed by a physical therapist and an engineer to help people who struggle getting down and up from the floor continue their physical therapy at home and perform their daily exercises on a raised surface. The PhysioBoard also features a dense foam padding for extra comfort and a water-resistant, washable cover.
So, if you’re feeling the need to stretch out and relax both body and mind, you can get the benefits of “floor time” on your bed with the PhysioBoard!
To learn more about PhysioBoard, visit our website.
1 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/08/well/mind/floor-time-benefits.html#:~:text=Although%20there%20isn't%20a,done%20or%20should%20have%20done.%E2%80%9D