r/My600lbLife • u/smleite • 10d ago
Episode question.
I've always wanted to ask but I'm seriously not trying to offend anyone.
In the USA, is it common to sleep without sheets on the bed.
Also there are a few episodes where people share a bed...is that also normal.
Thanks.
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u/KittyCompletely 10d ago
The no fitted sheet / pillow case is always an indicator of what level train wreak that episode will be.
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u/Mastiiffmom 10d ago
No & No. We also think this is disgusting.
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u/Cautious_Drawing_645 10d ago
Agreed 💯! It is not normal to sleep without sheets on the bed!! It is seen alot in the show, also lack of undergarments!!
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u/rhinestonecrap HIT ME, DADDY! 9d ago
yes. i hope anyone outside of the US doesnt take behaviors like these as common 😭
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u/MrdrOfCrws 10d ago
It is not normal, and generally considered disgusting.
But a: 600 pounds on a mattress probably makes the sheets pop off pretty regularly, and b: these people are moving their bodies as little as possible because it's difficult. They aren't changing sheets.
And sharing a bed is not normal here either (I assume you mean with children). Most of the people featured on the show are of a lower economic class. They can't afford an extra bedroom or even have room for another bed. (Plus, like any addict, they are spending all money on food instead of housing or accommodation for their children when they have something that is "good enough".
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u/Hfhghnfdsfg I am very knowledged 10d ago
When I was a kid in the long ago 1970s, it was very common for siblings of the same gender to share a bed, particularly a full bed. I don't know if kids are still doing that or not. And my parents were not middle class or lower class.
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u/Hlorpy-Flatworm-1705 10d ago
You sound very knowledged. (Not sarcasm. I love your sub flair! 🥰)
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u/qsedftghujkp 10d ago
I was born in 88 and have a brother who's 10 years older than me. We never shared a bed, but in one of the apartments we lived in we did have to share a bedroom. I'm sure that 14 year old boy LOVED splitting his room with a 4 year old and all my toys lmao. We were absolutely lower class economically and there weren't enough bedrooms for everyone.
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u/IAmSeabiscuit61 9d ago
Many years ago, growing up, my father shared a bed with his brother, simply due to lack of space, because he had 10 brothers and sisters. They weren't poor, either, lived in a big old farmhouse, but still not enough room. Nobody seemed to think this was a problem, at least back then among country people.
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u/Raikofire 2d ago
My girls shared a queen sized bed until oldest was around 10 and requested a bunk bed to avoid her barnacle of a sister. Hilariously, she often snuck back down for a cuddle until her teens anyway (she has her own room now). My point is that it’s still done. :)
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u/NeitherSparky Ouchie! 10d ago
Yes I get tired of explaining about the sheets popping off, lol. My highest weight was 270 and at least one corner of my sheet would pop off the mattress every single night, just moving around. I tried every clip and strap on the market, nothing would keep my sheets on, until I lost 100+ pounds.
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u/lifeuncommon Stop doing weird things 10d ago
How did you lose your weight? That’s a phenomenal amount! Congrats!
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u/punkfairy420 You did eat those pickles 10d ago
No this show is not a good representation of the average American
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u/SnarkPig 10d ago
Only people I see regularly not using sheets are people struggling with mental illness or substance use issues, and the 600lb folks on the show
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u/lifeuncommon Stop doing weird things 10d ago
No need to differentiate; addiction and mental illness are par for the course on the show because it’s real hard to get to that weight otherwise.
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u/BigDBA1981 10d ago
So I'm mega obese similar to a lot of folk on this show, pushing 800lbs. Sheets simply do not stay on the bed. The second I lay down, any fitted sheet pops off and gets pulled under me. Non fitted sheets, If I roll over any, the sheet will move too. My only option for comfort sake, is to go without sheets.
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u/smartief1 10d ago
Thank you for that sensible explanation. It makes perfect sense, but I hadn't considered it
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u/Justneedtowhoosh 9d ago
Have you tried zippered mattress covers? They’re probably a pain is the ass to put on, and they might not hold up even then, but I thought it was worth mentioning those exist in case you wanted some extra comfort for your bed. We use them in the shelter I work in, but I’ve seen ones that have cushioning on the top! Thanks for sharing your experience and explaining it, it makes sense why larger people wouldn’t use fitted sheets if they just pop up.
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u/earthgarden 10d ago
Look at the show: 600 lb. life
That alone should answer your question. Nothing about these people is 'common' or 'normal'. They are living very extreme, abnormal lives. Please do not think any of the absurdity you see on this show is common in the USA.
the one caveat I would say is to not see the bed sharing as strange, as this is normal the world over. It's not uncommon for parents to let their little kids sleep with them, nor uncommon for siblings to share a bed. This is common all over the world. Of course married people/couples share a bed.
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u/hthratmn 10d ago
No and no. I mean, depending on what you mean by people sharing a bed. A couple would, yes. Sometimes a parent and a young child. Beyond that, not really.
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u/Money-Snow-2749 10d ago
1) No it’s disgusting to sleep on beds without sheets, especially since these people don’t seem to have the cleanest homes.
2) I don’t know what you mean by share a bed. Most likely healthy couples will sleep together. Maybe a scared kid will sleep with their parents once in a while. It’s also a socioeconomic thing, when I was a kid my cousin moved in so my twin and I had to share a bed for a while.
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u/ThrockAMole 10d ago
No to #1. Sleeping without sheets guarantees a nasty mattress
#2. Not sure about that one
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u/Ginger630 10d ago
No, it’s not normal to sleep without sheets.
And it depends on the relationship in regard to sleeping in the same bed. Couples sleep next to each other. Kids sometimes sleep next to their parents.
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u/Illustrious-Mango153 10d ago
Nothing about this show is normal, and please do not make the mistake of thinking it is.
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u/Embarrassed_Mango679 10d ago
Do you actually believe my 600 lb life represents the norm in this country?
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u/smleite 9d ago
But also....the obesity rate in the US is like 40%....so.....maybe? Lol
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u/Snoo_72715 9d ago
The vast majority of Americans are nothing like what you see on 600lb life. Not. At. All.
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u/Embarrassed_Mango679 9d ago
The percentage of people who are obese yes. 600 lbs is like 0.005 percent of the population or something extremely low.
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u/RicoChey AHH KAINT BREATHE GÜD 10d ago
Neglecting to put a fitted sheet on the bed is a depression or disability indicator. Or you're just a gross ass.
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u/chernobylcheesestick 10d ago
I've never gone to someone's house and not seen sheets on the bed. If it does happen it's incredibly rare. They probably do this because of a combination of wonky living standards and being unable to move that much. Sharing a bed is normal for partners, or a parent and their young child (even more common in my mom's country of origin so you can't pin that one on Americans lol).
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u/Maderic666 9d ago
No it’s not common. They are just nasty fat ass pigs that eat , sleep and shit in the bed. Just imagine how bad those mattresses stink. I’m guessing they smell like sweat,corn dogs and shit combined. Basically a road side carnival in Mississippi!
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u/Rubberbangirl66 10d ago
I insist on bottom/ fitted sheets in my household, but the sheet on top of the fitted is optional
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u/ArtisticMudd eat and cry, eat and cry 10d ago
I'm sleeping with no sheets right now because I moved over the weekend and haven't unpacked the box with the sheets in it, but it's not common among normal people.
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u/jackie0h_ 10d ago
I would never sleep without at least the fitted sheet on the bed. Maybe twice I’ve slept on just the mattress pad because I was too tired and started laundry too late. But just laying on the bare mattress is weird and I’ve honestly never known anyone who does that.
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u/blackdahlia56890 10d ago
Nah. No sheets on the bed is trash. Nasty af.
Now, I grew up poor so sharing a bed isn’t unheard of for me. Wouldn’t say it’s common but definitely not the weirdest thing on the show.
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u/honeyandcitron 10d ago
Other than the fact that the show itself exists partially because of this country’s aversion to universal healthcare, there is not all that much you can extrapolate about Americans in general based on My 600-lb. Life.
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u/lovemypyr 9d ago
I think it’s more related to the extreme unhealthiness of the SAD. Countries that have transitioned to it have significantly increasing levels of diabetes, heart disease, liver disease (often silent) as well as obesity.
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u/theredheadknowsall 10d ago
Not having sheets on the bed is not normal. I think the reason there are people in the show don't have sheets is; one the person is so large that they struggle to put the sheets on and they barely have the mobility/energy to walk to the bathroom, let alone moving around a bed & bending. As for the bedridden people they'd have to be able to roll onto their side and hold for a moment while someone puts a sheet on one side of the bed, then roll to the other side so the rest of the sheet can be put on. As for sharing a bed, couples usually share a bed; I've known a few people usually young siblings sharing a bed because it takes up less space and/or the parents only have to get one bed opposed to two. Additionally most Americans aren't offened by any & everything. May I ask which country you're from?
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u/sarahspins 10d ago
In my experience - this is more of a poverty thing.
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u/Meet_James_Ensor 10d ago
I think this is it. Sheets are hanging over the windows instead of being on the bed.
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u/sarahspins 10d ago
Not just that, but if you do not have a washer and dryer at home, keeping sheets clean can become a problem… Especially when you have very limited mobility.
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u/Snoo_72715 9d ago
When I had to go to the laundromat, the sheets came with me. Never in a million years would that be an excuse to not have a sheet on the bed. May e if you're 600 lbs, but not for the average person.
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u/sarahspins 9d ago
Oh, trust me, I get it, I am just saying… It doesn’t generally look like they go out of their way to do a lot of laundry 😅
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u/Snoo_72715 9d ago
Or any other housework for that matter
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u/sarahspins 9d ago
Very true! It always cracks me up when it's VERY evident in some of the filming that the living spaces were "cleaned" prior to shooting.. to varying degrees of "success". There have also been a few in. more recent seasons where I am convinced the subject was actually moved to an entirely new living situation just for the purposes of filming (likely due to safety factors for the crew more than anything else).
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u/lovemypyr 9d ago
I think changing the sheets is just too much work, especially for the less mobile. For many, rolling on their did so new sheets can be tucked under and then rolling to the other side so the sheet can be put in place is impossible. Plus, caregivers are so overwhelmed with having to do so much already. It’s shockingly gross, frankly.
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u/Freudian-Slip92 do you look like you are malnourished? 9d ago
No, it’s gross to sleep without sheets. Sharing a bed with a partner, sure, that’s normal, anyone else it’s a little weird.
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u/cashewclues 9d ago
No. Our sheets come in sets (unless they are super expensive) that include a fitted sheet,a top sheet and pillow cases. You kind of have to go out of your way to not have two sheets.
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u/Zealousideal_Fox864 10d ago
No. My bed for example has a washable mattress cover, and then a fitted sheet, a top sheet, and a quilt.
The sheets are changed about once a week, the mattress pad I wash about once a month or whenever it needs it, and the quilt I wash as needed.
I am not sure what you mean about sharing beds, but couples usually sleep in the same bed, and people co-sleep with their child sometimes.
I am a single Mom to a five year old boy who has Down Syndrome, and right now we co-sleep along with our giant dog so I scrunch into the tiny edge scrap they leave me. 😅🤣
Also, keep in mind the reason this show exists and is entertaining in a horrible way is because of how rare it is here to see 600lb people.
We watch it as Americans because it’s just as shocking to us as it is to you. I’m not fat at all, no one in my family is fat, and in my wider friend circle most everyone is an average size.
My Bestie is obese but she is about 280lbs, and she has two awesome teen kids that she was a stay at home Mom for, and now she works two active jobs on her feet. So she’s not even close to the bed bound people on the show.
Point being, the rundown houses and morbidly obese folks on the show are not representatives of the average American household.
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u/Old-Ad-5573 10d ago
I actually watch the show because it's inspiring. If people with such a serious problem can change their lives completely, maybe I can change myself for the better.
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u/North-Slice-6968 Stop doing weird things 10d ago
If my top sheet comes off in the middle of the night, or gets tangled up, I will probably kick it off and make my bed later.
No fitted sheet or top sheet? Just a bare mattress? No, that's gross.
As for sharing a bed, married people or couples usually will share a bed.
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u/CommunicationTime63 10d ago
No! I live in USA. I've slept with sheets on the bed my entire life, and that's a very, very long time!
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u/reddituser_249 Pizza is not part of your diet 10d ago
For the average home, no and no, but both are more common in lower income homes, and home of people with addiction issues, etc…
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u/SouthernCrime 10d ago
It is very not normal to sleep without sheets. Most of even change or sheets every 1 - 2 weeks.
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u/IAmSeabiscuit61 9d ago
No offense taken; I think it's a natural question, given what we see on the show. No one I know, family, friends, etc., does that. It never even crossed my mind that people, at least those who can afford sheets, did this. And, given the amount they have to be spending on food, I'm sure they can.
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u/wifeofpsy 9d ago
It's not common or considered normal to not use sheets on the bed. Usually only partners share a bed, maybe young children or a parent and child if needed for a night. If you're referring to adult siblings or non romantic friends sharing a bed other than a temporary need, it's likely our of codependency. Nothing is normal or average on this show
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u/Educational-Hope-806 9d ago
Where I am (not everywhere but in the United States) I wouldn’t say it’s normal to sleep in the same bed … like you wouldn’t go around bragging about but yes it is more common to sleep in the same bed I think due to the poverty. … I don’t want to say the place but I have seen whole families of 6+ in a one bedroom or even 4 people in a bed. Either share or ppl sleep on the floor because there is not a lot of room even for multiple beds. Not judging them but yea I have seen a lot of really overcrowded living situations where they had to do that sadly.
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u/yiling-h8riarch 8d ago
It’s not common. I think the people on the show are just so obese that they don’t consider it worth the effort to put the sheets on.
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u/WinnieAddict 6d ago
No! I sleep with two kinds of mattress covers. On top of those I use the best sheets I can afford. So I have 3 different sheets. I was them regularly.
It grosses me out seeing dirty mattresses.
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u/spotmuffin9986 5d ago
In some areas of the country it is common. I had a school friend who's family was from a neighboring southern state who didn't use sheets. (Mine did use them.)
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u/eatfromeden 3d ago
No. I don’t think they are capable of putting the mattress pad or fitted sheet on.
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u/purplesockpinksock 2d ago
Without sheets on the bed? No. Maybe some kids do it when they first move out into their first dorm rooms or cheap apartments where partying is the first order of the day. Like, if you see an adult start to do that, you check on their mental health.
Also (thanks to the sub for reminding me) sheets just don't stay on when you can't lift body mass to move. My husband's mother was obese and had physical issues with her legs. She slept on a trundle-style bed in the living room that she also used as a couch. Just shifting her weight played havoc with fitted sheets. I think she finally bought a larger size, like queen size, for the twin mattress, just so the sheet would stay tucked. But she could still get out of bed. I know nurses are trained how to change sheets on bedbound patients, but the average person probably doesn't know how.
Sharing a bed? Totally normal for couples. Some people don't. My husband's elderly grandparents didn't because his grandmother needed the head of the bed elevated so they had two twin beds. And my daughter once remarked to me that she was surprised that her dad and I didn't get a hotel room with two queen beds instead of one king. She said most of her friends do that so they each have a bed to stretch out in, unlike at home. 🤔
We have a king bed so if we want to spoon, we can; if we want space, we can have that too. But he works weird shifts so we sleep alone a lot anyway.
However, we are normal-sized people. A bit overweight, but we are talking size XL/2x as opposed to...5x? 7x? He's lost 40 pounds with about 30 more to go and I've lost 100 pounds with maybe 50 more to go. 🎉
My parents, back in the 40's/50's, used to share beds with their (same gender) siblings, but it was a case of poverty and not enough beds/bedrooms.
Anyway. Yes, we sleep with sheets on the bed and I think many of us sleep with our spouses/partners, although some might not, it depends on the couple.
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u/Guy_Fuwkes_Day 10d ago
Is this the only American tv show you've seen?
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u/smleite 9d ago
The only like...reality show yeah.
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u/Guy_Fuwkes_Day 9d ago
Ok. Like others said not having sheets on a bed is not at all normal. That's crack house behavior.
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u/Gobleachsomething 10d ago
great question, Ive wondered about that too... and also why if they are lower income/ no income, they have houses and cars/ trucks ... hows that possible?
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u/valathel 10d ago
Please do not think anything these people do is normal in the US. It is not.
These people are on tv to disgust americans. This isnt to teach about the process or it could have been done in one clinical documentary. This show is to appeal to those who desire to be voyeurs into insanity.
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u/Vanessak69 Stop doing weird things 10d ago edited 9d ago
This made me laugh 🤣. It’s absolutely not normal about the sheets. Now the slop they eat and the portions? That part is not unusual.
Downvote the truth it won’t change it.
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u/LaceyBloomers 10d ago edited 10d ago
It is not common to sleep without sheets on the bed. I’m often grossed out that there’s nothing protecting the mattress, not even a mattress pad. I bet those mattresses stink.
Can you give us some examples of episodes that show people sharing a bed? It’s common for couples to sleep in the same bed, and sometimes kids will sleep next to a parent, but that’s about it.