Let's talk beds

[AMK]

Has anyone found that any particular type of bed improves their numbers? I've been looking over my history and it looks to me like my numbers got worse when I got a new mattress set in 2015. I'd gone from an ancient (25 yrs old) hard innerspring mattress to a new, but cheap, fluffier one. I had to pile some mattress pads on it. I find researching beds to be a black hole. And forget going into show rooms. I feel like I sleep well enough on the bed I have now...it's not obviously uncomfortable. I just wondered if anyone else has made any observations.

[sewsleepy]

Good question. Trying to choose a new bed is, indeed a black hole! I started reading a site called the mattress underground and that helped a little. I do find that a new mattress often calls for a change in pillow. If you have a firmer mattress, you need a thicker pillow. A soft mattress you sink into needs a thinner pillow or your head will end up bent upwards. Not sure if that can affect breathing or mask fit maybe?

[Josiah]

I recently bought a "Sleep Number" adjustable firmness mattress. I've tried several settings. It feels comfortable but I can't say I saw any great improvement in my sleep. I've also put blocks under the feet of my bed to raise the head about 3" above the foot. Somewhere I read that might reduce apnea events but doubt it. The raised bed is, however, a reliable approach for people with reflux problems.

[quiltybe]

We stayed overnight at a Hilton Garden Inn and loved their bed!! I stripped the bed to get the name. It was a “Natural Form” mattress made somewhere in New England.. it has air tubes and you can adjust the firmness. (It’s not electric) They aren’t cheap, but we have never regretted the day we bought it.. and as an added bonus, my husband stopped snoring sleeping on this mattress. They give you 100 days free trial...

Bev (^..^)

[klv329]

Elevated the head if the frame 6 inches to help reduce GERD issues, and it does help to reduce felt GERD.

Now I feel strange sleeping in flat beds because I have to readjust to the mild head rush I feel when lying on a flat bed.

[Sheriff Buford]

Years back, I bought a Temper-Pedic... have never looked back.....

Sheriff

[Airwolf]

My wife and I both hated the tempurpedic. My folks had one and when we flew out to visit, they let us try it. We were shopping around for beds and found one we both liked. Based on the recommendation from a coworker before we bought that bed, we tried a sleep number. We both love it, we ended up signing papers that night for an iLE. It’s been the best purchase we’ve made since our marriage.

[AMK]

Tempurpedic is definitely something people seem to either love or hate. I decided after a lot of thought to stick to innerspring mattresses. I tend to "sleep hot" and the impression I have is that I want to stay away from foam beds, and also I don't want a bed that weighs a ton. Bev, I'm going to look up that Natural Form mattress. That's quite an endorsement, thanks. I'm wary of sleep number because of the hard sell if you so much as stick your nose in the store.

[Airwolf]

Re asleep number, Don’t blame the bed for the salesman. We didn’t have that experience; probably would have walked out if we had.

Glad we didn’t... it’s been a few years and we both still agree it was money well spent.

[SewTired]

Yes, absolutely, a change in mattress can affect apnea as well as heart function (for those with heart problems). The positioning of your whole body changes. There is no effect for the majority, but a fairly large subset will have increase or decrease in apnea.

I don't know about specific studies for apnea, but there are several for heart patients. One of the arguments in that study was that apnea probably changed which was one possible explanation in heart beat rhythm changes. Unfortunately, I can't access that information any longer as I deleted it when cleaning off the computer last year. I came across it originally because my Dad's heart function changed when they disassembled the waterbed after his surgery (difficulty getting out of bed after chest surgery). However, because it improved when he moved to a recliner, my folks opted not to reset up the waterbed.

I loved the Tempurpedic that I tried out, but I got too danged hot. My current mattress is getting replaced next Spring, but haven't decided what to get. I guarantee though, it won't be FIRM!

[quiltybe]

Amk
The Natural Form garden System mattress has a lambs wool zippered topper on it to keep you cool.. It really is a very comfortable bed-- if you go on their website look at the reviews... It was those reviews that sold us that mattress sight unseen... A good nights sleep is priceless.....
I sound like a salesman for the company, I'm not-- just love this bed!!!

[Okie bipap]

We have a memory foam mattress (not Tempurpedic) and a split adjustable bed. Each side can be adjusted independently. I have severe arthritis in my back and sleep with my head and feet raised, similar to being in a recliner.

[Janknitz]

Elevating the head of the bed does NOTHING for my GERD. I can fall asleep sitting straight upright and if I don't have my CPAP on I will have reflux. CPAP helps my reflux. And when the head of the bed is elevated, I slowly slide down, no matter what.

On another forum I saw someone declare her apnea was "cured" by elevating the head of her bed. It does help SOME people with GERD, and if GERD was exacerbating her OSA that's good, but I did suggest she get another sleep study with the head of the bed elevated to confirm.

[poppi2]

.... And when the head of the bed is elevated, I slowly slide down, no matter what. ....

Bingo. My second problem is keeping the mattress from sliding down the box springs.

[Redonthehead]

I spend a lot of weekends at a hunting cabin and use an OLD steel frame bed with a soft worn out mattress. I consistently have half the AHI on that bed over my "better" bed at home. Not sure if it the bed, the fact I keep the room in the mid to low 60's temp-wise, or because I am alone (without the wife), or a fine bourbon before bed!