# Beds - Sleep Number and others - what do you think?



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I just purchased a Sleep Number i8 bed.

Have had the same King Size extra firm Beautyrest for 40 years.
Thought it was about time to get a new one (of any manufacture).
What experience do you have with this purchase?
Sleep Number? Tempurpedic? Beautyrest? Serta? Sealy? What?


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

I hope you like your Sleep Number bed better than we did. We bought a king-size bed a few years ago, and it's been gathering dust in the garage ever since. I won't say why we didn't like it, cuz I don't want to put any negative thoughts in your head. Most people I know who have them love them.

We now have a luxurious Beautyrest mattress and love it.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Hey negative thoughts are always welcome.
The idea that someone has put an expensive bed in their garage deserves to be heard and understood.

My idea here was to provide info that would help all KB members that might need to shop for a bed.
After all most of the manufacturers only warrantee their beds for 10 years.
The reason is because they recommend that you replace it every 8-10 years.
Now that may be a good idea, but it certainly is an expensive idea.
So this is certainly a subject that deserves a lot of thought.
Please feel free to vent, as needed.

Just sayin.....


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Love my Sleep Number bed (I'm a 45). I've had it for quite a few years now -- I don't remember exactly when I bought it, but I'd say between 6 and 8 years ago. The one time I had to call customer service they took care of me right away and sent a free replacement for the frame (the part analogous to the regular box spring) even though technically I was out of warranty. (It was a design flaw they have since changed.)

One thing I like about it is that the "pillow top" part of the mattress is easily unzipped and can be laundered when you feel the need -- not something you can do with most other mattresses. Also, while it hasn't applied to me yet, I suspect it's much easier to move a Sleep Number bed to a new home.


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## drenfrow (Jan 27, 2010)

We have a Sleep Number bed and love it.  The funny thing is, I have my side set on 75 and my husband's side is on 10!  The man sleeps in a pit!  Definitely makes it tricky to snuggle.


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## par2323 (Nov 22, 2010)

We've had a sleep number bed for about three years.  I love it!  I sleep better and I wake up without so many aches and pains as I used to in a regular bed.

Patricia (par2323)


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

> Hey negative thoughts are always welcome. The idea that someone has put an expensive bed in their garage deserves to be heard and understood.


haha. We'd planned on trying to sell it (cuz you can't just throw away that much money, right?!?) but somehow we never got around to it.



> We have a Sleep Number bed and love it. The funny thing is, I have my side set on 75 and my husband's side is on 10! The man sleeps in a pit!


That's one of the reasons we didn't like it. The bed isn't firm or soft - it's flat or a pit! KILLED my back.

lol - I'm picturing Fred and Ethel at the motel near the train tracks...


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

We splurged on a Kingsdown "Sleep to Live". http://www.sleeptolive.com/start_sleeping_better.html

There was a whole diagnostic program. You answered some questions on a computer and then you laid down on the test mattress while it checked pressure points and stuff. My husband ended up a "blue". I was "blue/green" leaning a bit more to "green" so that was the firmness I chose for my side. The only drawback is that you can't flip the mattress. Well, I guess we could, but we'd have to switch sides too.


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## Sarah Woodbury (Jan 30, 2011)

We bought a 'Bed in a Box' (which amazingly, had an ad at the bottom of this thread--stunning how targeting these things are these days).  We LOVE It.  Had it 2 years now.  My problem with the sleep number bed (yes, we have one of those too--in the guest room) is that my husband outweighs me and we can't get comfortable close to each other.  The same holds true with any other regular mattress--every time he shifts, he jostles me.  So the foam of the bed in a box (or a Tempurpedic, which is about 5 times as expensive) is perfect.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

We have a Beautyrest that we're very happy with.

I've heard very good things about the Bed-in-a-Box memory foam beds.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I think I posted this in another bed thread.  I have a very firm Dixie Foam mattress on a wood platform.  Have had it for 30 years and it's still good.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

I suffered for 5 years with a Tempurpedic bed. I had high hopes it would be the cure to my back pain, but it only made things worse--my poor asterisk just sank into that thing and rolling over was a pain because the memory foam remembers for far too long, so I'd spend full nights on one position...getting up every morning taught me new and inventive swear words, and I'm pretty sure I kept Ibuprofen manufacturers in business because of it.

You know a bed is not for you when spending the night in a Motel 6 is a treat to be looked forward to...

After half a decade I declared war on the freaking thing and bought a Fosters & Sterns bed (or is it Stearns & Foster?) and have been so comfortable since then.

I'd like to try a Sleep Number bed sometime, but I wasn't risking another $3000 on what might be a repeat of the Tempurpedic disaster.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Well I can make obsevations for two of you.
1.  The Sleep Number p7 has a 3" memory foam top for those who want the memory foam.  Still get the variable air chambers that let you change it from firm to soft with the same bed.  And adjust both sides separately.
2. Thumper, the Sleep Number (as I just said) lets you change the firm/soft settings as you feel you need to.  If you get a bed like the i8 that I am getting, you can add-on a 2" memory foam later, if you want to.  

And you can get the flex+ frame that lets you elevate the head and also the foot of the bed separate from each other.  So that you can elevate for such things as acid reflux or allergic drainage.  Or elevate your legs if you wish.  And you can even get one with a massage unit.  

Pretty good stuff actually.  And of course the hepa covers and things.

Just sayin....


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2011)

Every bed we own in four (US and UK) residences has a Tempurpedic Mattress.


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

I love my sleep number bed. My back problems have decreased significantly since we have had it. Hope you enjoy yours. It just takes a little time to get used to what number works best for you. Once you find it, it will be great.

Sweet dreams,
Karen


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

See this is what I was hoping for.
Your comments about what your experiences were.
I know that my bed is "worn out" regardless of how good it was originally.
I have heard good comments about the Tempurpedic but also have heard experiences like Thumper's with many of the memory foam beds.  They do tend to keep you "warm".  And they do retain the shape of your body, making it somewhat awkward to change positions -so I am told.  But then that is what the memory foam bit is all about.
The biggest problem seems to be getting too firm of a mattress when you find out you wanted a soft one.
Or getting a too soft mattress when you find out you should have wanted a firm one.
You can only find out by trying one.
The Select Number bed lets you start out with firm and change the setting to soft if that is what you find you really want.
Or change as your body changes.

Neat, I think....looking forward to it.
And I will come back and report on my experience after it comes.

Just sayin.....


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

This is a good subject too.
I have had some luck looking at IKEA. 
And the Sleep Number bed store will "fit" your pillow to your needs.

What are other people's suggestions?


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Pillows? Maybe you can find something at Lands' End. The BEST customer service. Well, one of the two best.

http://www.landsend.com/ix/Bedding-Basics/UserSearch=pillows/index.html?seq=2~1&catNumbers=2582&visible=1~1&store=le&sort=Recommended&pageSize=12


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## hera (Mar 25, 2009)

I've had a ComfortAire mattress for ~18 months. ComfortAire is an air mattress like the Sleep Number.  While it is not the worst mattress I've ever had, I'm still hoping to be able to replace it before the end of the summer.  I like to keep it at 100, and usually have to top it off when I wake up in the middle of the night.  When I've tried sleeping with it at 90, it didn't loose air over night, so I think the problem is that the air chamber just isn't suppose to be kept completely full when someone is sleeping on it.  I don't think it does a good job supporting my back, but it does not create pressure points like some mattresses do.

I had a Sterns & Foster at one time.  I bought the firmest one in the store, and always felt it was way, way too soft.  However, it was still fairly supportive. Everyone else who slept on it either thought it was great or just a touch too firm, so ymmv.  I didn't have problems with pressure points with it, and other people who slept on it thought it was great for their backs. It also held up very well, after 10 years nothing was wrong with the mattress, I just wanted one that was actually firm.

My favorite mattress of all time was a very firm cotton futon.  It had two main flaws...the cotton didn't compact evenly, so the mattress eventually developed a significant dip, and it was horrible at creating pressure points.  But the first two years I slept on it were wonderful.

I tried a memory foam topper on top of the cotton futon (to deal with the pressure points), and had the same problem Thumper did with the tempurpedic mattress.  I would wake up very stiff in the morning because I wasn't able to turn over in my sleep.

For my next mattress, I plan to try a 100% latex foam mattress.  I currently have latex foam topper on my Select Comfort, and it actually increased support for my back.  It also doesn't have the problem memory foam does because latex bounces back into shape almost instantly. 

T.L. Haddix-have you tried a wool pillow?  I am a side sleeper and use a Natura wool pillow on top of a thin foam pillow, and I quite like the combination.

Edited:After reading NogDog's post, I went back and changed the brand name from Select Comfort to ComfortAire.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Just FYI, the Sleep Number bed is a product brand name of the Select Comfort Corporation, though they appear to mainly just identify themselves by the Sleep Number brand name now.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

geoffthomas said:


> What experience do you have with this purchase?
> Sleep Number? Tempurpedic? Beautyrest? Serta? Sealy? What?


I have to confess I have no clue what brand my mattress is. It's actually just a pair of twin mattresses we pushed together to fit onto our Kingsize frame. It's mostly pretty comfortable except the egg-crate over the top is falling apart so we've got this big dip in the center of the bed.


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## Sarah Woodbury (Jan 30, 2011)

Pillows are so individual, aren't they?  I have a down pillow that I am very happy with.  I sleep on my side and I shape it to fit what suits me.  My husband has a contoured memory foam pillow, which had the amazing effect of stopping him from snoring completely.  He lies on his back and it tilts his head to just the right angle.  What a miracle that was!


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## hera (Mar 25, 2009)

NogDog said:


> Just FYI, the Sleep Number bed is a product brand name of the Select Comfort Corporation, though they appear to mainly just identify themselves by the Sleep Number brand name now.


I went back and fixed my post...maybe I even got it right this time.  Anyway, my mattress is from a different company than makes the Sleep Number beds, just in case I did get brand names confused again.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> What about pillows? I cannot find a pillow, and I desperately need a new one. I like a heavy pillow that isn't fluffy, and I am a side sleeper.


Now, the Tempurpedic pillows are decent, and if that's what you're looking for, you might like them. I'm still using the one I bought with the bed, and it's a little over 6 years old now, still holding up fine. I bought a knock-off brand to try, and it wasn't quite as good. Still decent, but not as good.

The Spouse Thingy got a nice, heavy pillow from IKEA that he likes, and he's a side sleeper. I may give one of theirs a try next...


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

I have a buckwheat hull pillow and I love it!  In fact I bought a smaller one for travel too.  It is cooler than other pillows and I can get it just right for what I need than night by moving the hulls around. I used to have 4 different pillows that I would use one and have 3 by the side of the bed to switch out during the night.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I use a tempur-pedic regular-size contour pillow on top of a down pillow.  Used to use only the tempur-pedic, but eventually it felt too low.  I'm a side sleeper.


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## Jen (Oct 28, 2008)

I've never tried a Sleep Number, so I can't comment on that.  I can comment that I'm in LOVE with my Tempurpedic and will never own another bed.  It cured my shoulder problems, and I finally sleep through the night.  Obviously we're all different!  

Pillows.  I'm a suuuuuuuuper picky pillow person - I refuse to give up my favorite feather pillow that is yellow in it's original case.  Gross?  Probably.  Do I care?  Nope!  I have to have down, but firm.  I've been known to walk through Macy's and "try out" each pillow in it's plastic case on their set up beds......


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> We tried a buckwheat pillow years ago, and it was so noisy I couldn't stand it. How do you handle that noise? I'd like to get a travel pillow, though.


I think it took a few nights but now I'm not even aware of the noise.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Forget beds for a second, though. (Sorry, Geoff, I'm hijacking, I know.) What about pillows? I cannot find a pillow, and I desperately need a new one. I like a heavy pillow that isn't fluffy, and I am a side sleeper. I have probably ten pillows scattered throughout the house that have been no-gos. I've thought about getting those water-filled ones from the chiropractor's office, but those are danged expensive, and the reviews were mixed. Please, fellow KBers, tell me I'm not alone (and someone have a solution  )


I'm with you completely. I tried a memory foam a few years ago. My head got too hot. So I tried a buckwheat pillow. That didn't work either. I've purchased every "side sleeper" pillow that department stores carry. So I got a Sobakawa 'Cloud' pillow. You know its the one that claims that dropping a brick on it won't crush an egg. Its not bad, but its still not perfect. In fact, when DH went on his business trip last week, I switched back to my old king size pillow.

Honestly, the specialty stuffing I bought for my shams (one was European so I needed something other than the old pillows) seems better than anything I've slept on before. I wonder how long I'd love it if I slept on it all night, and how long it'd stay 'plump'.


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## maryannaevans (Apr 10, 2010)

I have a Jamison latex mattress, and I love it.  I suffered with neck problems for many years.  Thankfully, I'm much better after having fusion surgery, but my neck will always be a weak spot for me.  I shopped around awhile to find the right mattress.  I thought I would want a Tempurpedic, but they just weren't comfortable in the store.  Somehow, they seemed soft while they were conforming to my shape, then they seemed too hard.  The latex is both soft and supportive, which is perfect for me.  As a bonus, latex is supposed to be hypoallergenic.  I'm sitting here sniffling now, but it's probably not the bed's fault.  There's an amazing amount of pollen flying around these days.

I got a Jamison latex pillow when I got the mattress nearly four years ago.  It's very soft and I like it, but it's getting worn out.  I'll probably replace it with an identical one.


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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

I have Tempurpedic on every bed in my house, I love it. I had back problems and could not sleep through the night which was resolved with the Tempurpedic. I have heard the too hot complaints, maybe because I keep my house cold at night and have ceiling fans in all the bedrooms I have not felt that or had my guests complain. In fact, I usually get unsolicited comments on how good their sleep was. I hate trying to sleep in a hotel, even 5 star ones.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

I think Amazon is following this thread. Today's gold box deal is a memory foam pillow. http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox?ref_=pe_36900_19164310
For $15 I might grab one...


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Bummer. Already sold out...


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Thumper said:


> Bummer. Already sold out...


Drat. I got busy doing some actual work at work today.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

mom133d said:


> I think Amazon is following this thread. Today's gold box deal is a memory foam pillow. http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox?ref_=pe_36900_19164310
> For $15 I might grab one...


I ordered a couple of those and they have already shipped. That was a good deal!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Ok so today was delivery day..

The old bed is gone forever:









And in it's place is the Sleep Number i8 pillow top split king with the flex frame:









Now we have to sleep on it and see what happens.

I will report back.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

YAY!!!  Looks comfy from here.

For all of the people that ordered the 'deal of the day' pillows from Amazon, I got mine yesterday and we slept on them last night and they are excellent!  I've slept on Tempurpedic for years but I like these much better.  They have two options - a smaller roll on one side and a larger one on the other side.  I tried it both ways and both were great.  Hubby is pleased with is as well.  That was such a good deal.


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

geoffthomas, enjoy your new bed!!! There is _almost_ nothing better than a good night's sleep. 



T.L. Haddix said:


> I invested in a chiroflow pillow today. I'll try it tonight and see how well it works. I'll let ya know.


I'd be interested to know what you think. I'm happy with my buckwheat hull pillow, but I know someone who loves his chiroflow! He's been using it for _many_ years.


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## corkyb (Apr 25, 2009)

Is that the one with water in it?  If so, I have it and love it.


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

corkyb said:


> Is that the one with water in it? If so, I have it and love it.


Yes, that's the one. For anyone not familiar with the Chiroflow, here's their website: http://www.chiroflow.com/en/index.html. I think it's also gone by the name "Mediflow."


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## tsrapp (Jan 3, 2011)

Oh don't get me started on pillows. LOL!  Let's see, I have the contoured memory foam, the standard poly, a contoured poly, a firm poly, a tempurpedic, and a Cloud.  I have to cycle through them because they'll be very comfortable for a while, then I'll start getting bad headaches.  I'm alternating between the cloud and the contoured poly right now.

Being rather allergic to things means I can't do down, feather, and probably not the buckwheat either.

And that chiroflow?  Oh yes, I can just see how long that would last with 8 cats in the house. LOL!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Ok, so last night was the first night on the Sleep Number.
I liked it.
It certainly was better than my 40+ year old Beautyrest extra firm (should never have bought an extra firm).
Set it at 50. May try 35 tonight.  Have found that I like a "plush" bed not a firm bed.

Just sayin......


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Ok, so second night.
I actually turned the number from 50 to 40.
Am loving it.
And to think we spent 40+ years on an extra firm mattress.

Just sayin......


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, so second night.
> I actually turned the number from 50 to 40.
> Am loving it.
> And to think we spent 40+ years on an extra firm mattress.
> ...


Sounds like we're similar in firmness taste. I think I started at 50, switched down to 40, then ended up eventually settling on 45.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

One plus is that you can change it so easily.  I think I'm at 55 right now, but I've swapped it around from as low as 35 to as high as 60.  Just depends on how my body feels on any given day.

We have two, both queen sized; one for us and one in the guest room.  The guests all love it.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

If I had a sleep number I would be stressed, constantly trying to figure out if I had it set at the wrong number for me.


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## D/W (Dec 29, 2010)

T.L. Haddix ~

I've never used a Chiroflow pillow myself, but have you tried adjusting it by changing the amount of water in it? If you want to give it another try, that may help.

I know that you've tried a buckwheat hull pillow in the past and didn't like it because of the sound, but they are nice because you can add or remove hulls to adjust firmness/height. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer the smaller-sized ones. It's one of the few pillows I've found that keeps my neck at just the right angle - and I've tried _a lot_ of different pillows.

There are also millet hull pillows. And this company has a pillow that combines both buckwheat and millet (two sides): http://www.pillowcompany.com/duplex.htm. I find latex pillows to be _very_ comfortable, but they do tend to be thicker. I bought a micro-fiber pillow at Wal-Mart (about $10) that is also comfortable.


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