Hello, I have just lately raised up the head of my bed 6 inches, and I have a question. For years I have had the habit of placing a pillow under my knees while sleeping (on a flat bed). I have read that it is important to tilt the whole bed, that is, to not merely raise the part of the bed from the waist up. Anyway I was wondering if having a pillow under the knees would counteract the benefits of the tilted bed, by in effect making it so that the tilt is only applied from the hips upward. In other words, with the bed tilted and the pillow under the knees, the upper legs are straight horizontal. Is this significant?

I have a friend who, despite being advised many times to remove the pillow she places under her knees, while sleeping inclined and who struggles every morning to straighten her legs, due to tendons shortening overnight and compromised circulation, refuses to accept her model of IBT isn't working. One would have thought that after two knee replacements and two hip replacements, she might question her logic?

Aside from the now obvious benefits with circulation when sleeping inclined, having the knees raised when sleeping on ones back does indeed affect bloodflow.

Having the knees slightly raised when sleeping on either side, relaxes tendons, so a combination of stretching out in bed and raising knees when on our side seems a good model. Unlike sleeping on our back with a pillow under the knees, this will not compromise our circulation.

Rotation in bed is imo the best method to distribute our weight evenly and avoid pressure pain from our heavy skeleton pressing down on muscle and soft tissue against the mattress, whether on a flat bed or inclined. It also benefits the digestive system and no doubt lymph and cerebrospinal fluid circulation.

Andrew

I have a friend who also refuses to remove the pillows from under her knees. My reasoning is that not only does it compromise circulation, it causes the tendons to shorten making it painful to straighten up. I also recommend not sleeping in one position, but to rotate, even spending a few minutes laying on one's tummy is advantageous. Presumably, you spend a lot of time sleeping on your back?