Adjustable Bed. Can It Give Disabled People A Good Night’s Sleep? – Comfy or just a gimmick? Having a disability can make having a good night’s sleep seem impossible. I bought an adjustable bed and thought I’d share my thoughts with you.
Old Bed
My old bed was so full of lumps & bumps. I woke every morning with terrible pain all over my body, especially my back, and I felt like I had been fighting in the boxing ring. So I knew it was time for a new bed, especially a new mattress. We (hubby and I) searched online for a new bed. I was looking for an adjustable bed, hoping to give me a better night’s sleep. (Pictured left) on Dreams website. This bed frame had a built-in TV, and you could adjust your head and feet. I felt so posh!!
We then had to look for a mattress to go with it. We tested a few in the store and chose a firm mattress. Although it was a “Firm” mattress, being a memory foam mattress with over 2000 micro pocket springs, it didn’t feel rock hard. The softer ones felt like they were grabbing me and sucking me into the bed. This made turning over in the bed and trying to get on/off the bed very difficult. So, we went for the mattress Hyde & Sleep Hybrid Raspberry Mattress. We were told this mattress was compatible with our chosen adjustable bed frame. (Make sure you check as not all mattresses are compatible). So we went ahead and ordered the bed frame and mattress. We were told it would take 6-8 weeks for delivery (it actually took 10 weeks).
New Bed
When the time finally came for our bed to be delivered, the delivery guys were wonderful. They took all the boxes up to our bedroom and laid them on the floor in the order they were to be assembled, making it much simpler to put the bed together.
Hubby put the whole bed & mattress together in 3 hours by himself but needed help moving the entire thing into position as it weighed a ton. Two people should build it together, but it can be done by 1. Now, one thing to remember! The bed frame offers two heights, not something told by staff in-store or on the website. We only found this out once we started to assemble the bed. I decided to go for the higher height because I transferred onto the bed from my wheelchair. Once assembled, the bed frame is solid and feels extremely sturdy, with no wobble!
The delivery guys advised us to let the mattress breathe for a couple of hours before putting on any bedding, and they said sometimes the mattress can smell, which is perfectly normal. After a few hours, all was well.
Using The Bed
I’ve had the bed for some time now, and I do get a much better night’s sleep. We removed the TV from the bed and stuck it up on the wall, as you couldn’t see the TV if you raised the foot of the bed—something obviously overlooked when designing. I have changed the mattress over time, as our original mattress was just too hard for my hips. We didn’t bother with a compatible mattress, we chose one that just felt right, and in all fairness, the mattress is holding up well.
Conclusion!
Adjustable Bed. Can It Give Disabled People A Good Night’s Sleep? – I have to admit, being able to raise my head slightly to sleep is a major benefit for me due to my Vertigo, this lets me lie on either side without feeling dizzy! In all fairness, I would say the only downside for me is when you raise the backup to watch the TV. I have to put the back up practically vertical to see the TV and then you are pushed down the bed as the back-rest raises up making you sit even closer to the TV.
The mattress is extremely comfortable. You feel like you just sink nicely into it and every part of your body is being supported. The mattress needs rotating head to toe once a week for the first 3 months, then every month after that.
Pros:
- Adjustable
- Easy to assemble
- Built-in TV
- Sturdy
Cons:
- It is a big bed frame – Make sure you have space.
- Heavy – So once assembled, very heavy to move around
- When raising the head section, it pushes you down the bed as it seems to bend in the middle of the bed rather than nearer the head.
- Not VAT Exempt as this bed frame is not aimed at just disabled people.
**UPDATE** 25/3/22
We have removed the TV from the foot of the bed and hung it on the wall. It was just more hassle than it was worth fighting to find a good position to sit/lay in while watching. Also, if you raised the foot end, your feet blocked your view anyway.
In hindsight, I would have preferred to get a double bed with two single mattresses you can adjust. If I adjust the bed to how I like/need it, Hubby gets an uncomfortable night’s sleep, and vice versa. It’s worth thinking about before signing the dotted line, so to speak.
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