The mattress in your bed?

My wife and I have a sleep number adjustable bed. I'm an 85 and she's a 55.

Having sleep apnea and a lower back condition the ability to adjust the firmness and the position of the mattress means I can accommodate both my CPAP therapy and my back condition. I sleep with my head and legs slightly elevated. Sometimes in the early morning just before waking for the day I'll awake and feel sore in my back. So I hit the button to put the bed level and I roll to my side to finish my sleep. It's a really nice feature to have.

When I sleep away from home I never sleep quite as well as I do at home.

The sleep number bed was very expensive but so far (3+ years) it seems to be holding up nicely.

Pugsy wrote:Here; Now I don't know about the Sleep Number bed that costs $1000 because mine cost more than that but there's a world of difference between what I have and the WalMart one.

I think you actually mentioned only two differences - adjustable firmness and topper.

Couldn't one let a little air out (or add some) to the Wal Mart version to adjust the firmness?

I'm not familiar with them, but I see mattress toppers listed for sale from the $30-$250 range. Wouldn't adding one of these to the Wal-Mart version be comparable?

Even with a fancy topper, the Wal Mart version would only be about a third the cost of the basic Sleep Number (probably without a topper).

Really, I am serious. Wouldn't the Wal Mart mattress offer basically the same support as the Sleep Number? (assuming each is adjusted to the same level of firmness) What am I missing?

Jay Aitchsee wrote:Couldn't one let a little air out (or add some) to the Wal Mart version to adjust the firmness?

I suppose one could...but the WalMart one I have (which isn't/wasn't an el cheap model and I think it was in the $50 range) sags with body weight if the air is let out and it sags worse in the middle. Might work okay for one person but I am unsure how it would work with a spouse added. And unless you used 2 of them side by side it wouldn't help those couples who have different firmness levels preferred...but I suppose it could be done with 2.

Jay Aitchsee wrote: I think you actually mentioned only two differences - adjustable firmness and topper.

It's more than just the firmness and topper thing. Hard for me to explain. It's the overall feel of the mattress itself. I could probably use my WalMart air mattress short term if I added some really good mattress toppers but I don't know how it would work out long term but even if we used 2 side by side there's no way to tell except by feeling what "number" a person is using. That would involve a lot of trial and error and it's a PITA to air up the WalMart mattress.

Jay Aitchsee wrote:I'm not familiar with them, but I see mattress toppers listed for sale from the $30-$250 range. Wouldn't adding one of these to the Wal-Mart version be comparable?

I actually have some experience with toppers because that's what I tried first to salvage the old mattress before I bought the Sleep Number. They do help but I found that I actually had more difficulty turning over with the memory foam topper because I kinda sank down into it a bit. Turning over took a lot of effort and not so great when one is in pain. Hubby sank down worse than I did...he's a lot heavier and he hated it.

Jay Aitchsee wrote: Really, I am serious. Wouldn't the Wal Mart mattress offer basically the same support as the Sleep Number? (assuming each is adjusted to the same level of firmness) What am I missing?

You know it might just work out well enough to make someone happy...if they used 2 mattresses to allow for individual firmness preferences (assuming there was a second person in the bed).
And they figured out an easy way to adjust the firmness and they found a topper that suits them...and if they didn't use a topper they didn't have kitties

I am not saying it's impossible but for me I just can't see it working out. I sometimes like a 45 level of firmness and sometimes 55 and sometimes 65....kinda depends on how much I abused my body during the day and using the numbers approach makes it easy to duplicate firmness levels...can't do that with the WalMart product.

The WalMart product has to be pretty firm or a person will sag in the middle which could present a comfort issue even if only one person is doing the sagging.

But could a person make their own Sleep Number bed...probably it could be done depending on needs and preferences and presence of kitties. The one thing that is hard to put into words is how it feels just to lay on my sleep number bed and a plain air mattress (with or without a topper). When I lay on my bed it doesn't feel any different than a high quality pillow top mattress except I can adjust the firmness. I like the feeling I get.
I did lay on the WalMart product with the grandson and while I didn't have a topper for it there's just a world of difference in how it feels...at least to me.
Now maybe I am the princess in the Princess and the Pea story but for me and my needs I don't know that the WalMart type of product and a topper would get the job done.

Now for someone else maybe they could achieve the level of comfort that they need by building their own Sleep Number bed. I even tossed out the idea to my husband back when I was balking at the price but he wouldn't hear of it and his main concern was the cats. I am the ultimate tightwad for sure Could a couple put 2 twin air mattresses together and add some toppers to suit their individual needs...I suppose they sure could and it would cost a lot less and if it meets their preferences and needs then hey...I am happy they could get it done.

So is it possible to recreate that level of comfort? Yeah...it's possible but there's a lot of variables involved like an easy way to add or remove air and the tendency of the air mattress to sag if it isn't fully inflated and the various toppers that are out there and there is a huge difference between the various toppers so a person might have to use multiple toppers or try different toppers to get it "just right".

I am not saying it can't be done..just that the logistics of it could present some challenges.
Remember I am a lazy sot and I want fast and easy gratification.

Jay Aitchsee wrote:So, is there really much difference between a Wal-Mart air mattress for $53 and a Sleep Number air mattress for $1000?

Seriously?

Cat claws = butt on the floor with the cheap ones.

Re: Pugsy and BlackSpinner

So, Sleep Number beds are "tougher" more resistant to puncture.

Wal Mart beds wouldn't be suitable for two - or at least more difficult.

There is a definite difference in "feel" between the two. SleepNumber mattresses don't sag but Wal Mart mattress do? Then SleepNumber mattresses must have some internal filling or baffles lacking in the Wal Mart one which somehow prevents this sag? Pugsy, cut yours open and have a look, would you?

Jay Aitchsee wrote:Then SleepNumber mattresses must have some internal filling or baffles lacking in the Wal Mart one which somehow prevents this sag? Pugsy, cut yours open and have a look, would you?

I don't need to cut it open....it has a zipper on it so that I can unzip it and fold the top back (and the top has some cushion to it) and get to all the stuff on the inside.
I have to change the sheets later and if I don't forget I will try to get some pictures for you.

There's a lot more to it than the air bladder by itself...if you just look at it you would think it's a normal pillow top mattress. The air bladder itself is just a small component to the mattress and is pretty much surrounded on all sides with some sort of foam/padding/topper stuff.

The zipper thing allows for a person to change the various "toppers" that go over the bladder. My husband has a more skinny topper because he doesn't like cushy and I have a much thicker "topper" on mine.
It comes with multiple toppers...just put the one you don't want to be next to you on the bottom. It's quite versatile.

These toppers and the foam in the middle also make it so we don't feel the middle part that divides the 2 bladders. You can essentially build the levels of comfort that suit each individual by using the various layers available. Plus you can change it out if you want to try a different combination.

I think you can see the levels here
http://www.sleepnumber.com/sn/en/beds/I ... se=modular
I have the i10...I probably would/could have done just as well with the i8 but the i10 was on sale at the time and ended up being not much more than the pseries was listed for. It was just too good of deal to pass up at the time. It ended up being not much more than a regular high end mattress and they had one of those 0 % financing things going on too. I didn't pay anywhere near the full retail price...I couldn't afford that at all.

Thanks, Pugsy

I hate shopping for mattresses. There just doesn't seem to be any way to compare "value" between brands, models, and types. The thought that one has to pay upwards of a $1000 for a basic mattress makes me crazy.

On top of that, there is no way to determine the difference (that I have found) between the ficticious Beauty Rest "Float on a Cloud" sold at some store and Beauty Rest "Sleep Like an Angel" sold at another. Both may promote similar characteristics, have similar warranties, etc., feel the same in a lay down test, but yet be priced several hundred dollars differently. I'm betting there is no difference except for the proprietary label.

I think I'm with Dreamstalker - build your own.

Jay Aitchsee wrote:he thought that one has to pay upwards of a $1000 for a basic mattress makes me crazy.

I hear you and being the tightwad that I am...I hear you loud and clear.
A lot of thought and comparison went into the Sleep Number purchase and lots of going to stores and laying on the various mattresses out there. I know hubby got real tired of shopping and that might have played a big part in the "just get the damn Sleep Number" exclamation.

It was quickly determined that we each like/need/prefer different levels of firmness and then we add in my own unique back situation where sometimes I want firmer and sometimes not so firm...that pretty much means an adjustable air mattress of some sort. I did look at some of the other air mattresses available online that are supposed to be "just as good as the Sleep Number" but there's no way to test them out to see what you want.
Or to look at the quality of how they are made.
I also know that I always have champagne taste to go along with my beer pocketbook and never seem to do well with the base model in anything. Even with the high dollar memory foam mattress that I like (hubby hated) I liked the most expensive the best without even knowing the price before I laid down on it.

2 things clinched the Sleep Number purchase....the Black Friday sale for the model that I liked the best anyway put it into my pocketbook range...and the time frame for the money back guarantee if unhappy with purchase.
I knew after the first night that I wouldn't be sending it back and so did hubby...we talked about it the next day.
They tell you not to dispose of the cartons that the stuff comes in just in case you want to return it so we put them up in the barn for safe keeping. The very next day I told hubby to burn the boxes and he said he felt the same way. Yeah, we spent a lot of money but my back is just so bad that I need all the help I can get and like my hubby says...I'm worth it.

Pugsy wrote:... but I found that I actually had more difficulty turning over with the memory foam topper because I kinda sank down into it a bit. Turning over took a lot of effort and not so great when one is in pain. Hubby sank down worse than I did...he's a lot heavier and he hated it.

+++1 Same experience... turning over took a lot of effort, which surprised me. I was lucky the store I bought it from allowed me to return it. I'm not overweight so again, I was surprised about the whole experience. That's when I decided to buy a new bed.

Jay Aitchsee wrote:On top of that, there is no way to determine the difference (that I have found) between the ficticious Beauty Rest "Float on a Cloud" sold at some store and Beauty Rest "Sleep Like an Angel" sold at another. Both may promote similar characteristics, have similar warranties, etc., feel the same in a lay down test, but yet be priced several hundred dollars differently. I'm betting there is no difference except for the proprietary label.

Yes, it's like buying a car! Consumer Reports says it's even worse.

LSAT wrote:Just bought a new "firm"and it was two sided which is very hard to find. We update mattresses every 10 years.

Yeah, and that's another thing. It seems to me the new one sided mattresses are just one more way to rip the consumer off by selling 1/2 a mattress. Of course, they promote them by adding some sort of "pillow" top. I don't want a pillow top. If I did, I could add one after the fact. Dammit

15 years ago we bought a Tempurpedic. It was the most expensive mattress in the store, but nowhere near as much as they are these days. Wife loved it from the first night, it took me a couple of weeks to get used to it. It is somewhat firm, but is cool, and to this day has never sagged...as flat today as the day we brought it home. I don't expect we'll ever have to buy another mattress, so what appeared initially to be an expensive mattress may prove to be the cheapest one by far. The only downside is that once you get used to it it's difficult to sleep on any hotel mattress.

A few years ago, I bought an adjustable bed with a split queen memory foam mattress. Each side can be turned over if desired. One side is medium firmness and the other is firm. We both use the medium side of the mattress. The sheets they sell for the bed are very expensive. My wife bought king sized flat sheets and made sheets for the bed. The look like large pillow cases. They completely cover the mattress so they stay in place when the head or foot of the bed is raised. It doesn't slide around when getting in and out of the bed. We both have arthritis and back problems. The bed came in handy four years ago when I had foot surgery. I had to spend almost three weeks in bed with my foot raised higher than my heart.