What is an Adjustable Mattress (And Do You Need One)?

There are mattresses for every personal need and preference under the sun. As the market for adjustable mattresses grows, you may find yourself wondering what an adjustable mattress even is, or if your sleep could improve by using one. But sometimes, it can be difficult to sort out information on the internet or in mattress show rooms without feeling like you’re hearing a sales pitch. We can help clear things up.

It’s Not the Mattress – It’s the Frame

First, it’s important to understand exactly what an adjustable mattress is. While some mattresses can be individually adjusted in their level of softness or firmness, that’s not typically what an adjustable mattress refers to. An adjustable mattress is a mattress that’s on an adjustable frame. The frame has multiple hinges and allows the user to adjust the incline of the head or foot of the bed.

Common adjustments may include inclining the head of the bed to slightly raise the upper body, or slightly elevating the feet. Additionally, adjustable bed bases can often include modifications that contour to the body’s natural angles, such as bending at the hips or knees.

Adjustable Mattresses for Health Issues

Hospitals and other healthcare settings, such as home health or nursing homes, use adjustable beds for health-related reasons. However, personal consumer use of adjustable beds has increased significantly in recent decades. Allowing a bed to respond to an individual’s personal needs may help decrease the risk of significant health issues, including edema in the legs or pneumonia.

A slightly inclined mattress may help bring relief to individuals suffering from arthritis in their neck or shoulders and may allow them to wake up in the morning with less stiffness in their joints. Additionally, individuals who are immobile may find that bedsores may be prevented at higher rates when their bed is adjustable.

Adjustable Mattresses for Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers can benefit from adjustable mattresses just as much as their patients. Nurses and therapists frequently must shift or move patients, help administer medication, or physically assist the patient in other ways. Having an adjustable bed allows the nurse or therapist to work at a more comfortable level – reducing the risk for back strain or injury. Adjustable mattresses can also allow the patient to get out of bed with little or no assistance, which can help soothe feelings of dependence or helplessness and a loss of personal ability in many areas.

Adjustable Mattresses for Comfort and Lifestyle

An adjustable bed may also be purely a decision made based on your personal comfort level. Many people enjoy reading in bed or watching television before going to sleep. The benefits of an adjustable bed can provide a more supportive, comfortable posture and position while engaging in these activities. Propping up on pillows may still strain your neck or feel too squashed down after awhile, leaving you restlessly readjusting or plumping up the pillows over and over. And another perk? Adjustable mattresses may even help reduce snoring, allowing you or your partner to rest more peacefully and undisturbed.

Is an Adjustable Mattress Right for Me?

There are many benefits to adjustable mattresses. Ultimately, the only person who can make the decision of whether you need an adjustable mattress is you. Consider your lifestyle and comfort preferences, your health and your needs, and the health and needs of those around you. It may be the perfect decision for you, and you could start enjoying better and healthier sleep by making this simple switch to an adjustable bed.

Fortunately, many mattresses can be used on an adjustable base, so you don’t have to worry that a mattress you love will automatically be incompatible if you decide to purchase an adjustable bed base. However, if you share your bed with a partner and they don’t have the same needs or preferences as you do, you may need to consider the options so that you can both still enjoy the comfort and support of your bed. If you are considering switching to an adjustable base, there are several options for you to choose from in order to get the most out of it.

Gardner Mattress partners with Leggett & Platt in order to provide you with the most comfortable adjustable mattress base. Our adjustable bases feature innovative technology that include massage capabilities and pressure point relief, so that you can enjoy relaxing and comfortable sleep and restful activities like never before. If you have questions about what an adjustable base can do for you, contact us today. We’d love to help you enjoy the many benefits of an adjustable base.