Totally off-topic: sleep number bed

[Mezzaluna]

Okay, I know this has just about nothing to do with cooking except that you need to be well-rested to cook well .

My husband and I are ready for a new mattress. We're considering the "sleep number bed" model 7000 from Select Comfort. We've read the posts at epinions.com but are curious to know if anyone has experience with this type of mattress (air plus viscous foam). We have a local store to deal wtih , so it wouldn't be an Internet transaction.

Any thoughts?

[phatch]

I've got one. Had it 6 years. Love it. Absolutely love it. No viscous foam though. I don't like that stuff.

I really like I can change the bed if I'm having trouble sleeping or stiff from hard work or injury. My wife particularly liked it when she was pregnant and could adapt the firmness on her side.

The foam structure pieces do compress a bit over time. I expect those would be what fail, not the air chambers.

Phil

[Glenn]

We have one and love it. When we got it, there were about 3 levels of "plushness" to choose from. I think they were the 4000, 5000, and 6000 models at that time. I guess the numbers have changed, but the concept is still the same. You can adjust the firmness from 20 to 100, and every number in between.

If you get warm easily when in bed, I would stay away from the most plush one with the thinkest pillow top. It traps more heat in all that padding. We got the mid-level of thickness for the pillowtop, and it seems good. I think they're available in all sizes -- King, Queen, etc....

Insider's tip -- Pump up the bed to a firm level (70 or higher) before "recreational activities". ;-) Much better spring action. Otherwise, you might sink down in it too much if it's set to a softer number. No fun in that!

"The more the spring, the more you sing!"

Glenn

[Mezzaluna]

Thanks Phil and Glenn. We all want to have spring in our...uh... steps!

[phoebe]

We've had ours about a year, and it's great ! Along with all the advertised advantages, it's a bed that's a lot easier to make. The "mattress" portion is very light, so lifting the corners up to adjust fitted sheets doesn't strain your back (our old mattress weighed a ton).
The one disadvantage is that it's better not to sit on the edges of the bed (like when you're tying your shoes). The foam that forms that part of the bed will wear out faster if you do. But then all you have to do is replace it (at least that's what one of their phone operators said).

[Mezzaluna]

Hi Phoebe,

I'm very glad you like it. In fact, the opinions of all three of you are important.

I just got back from signing on the dotted line for a model 7000 king with the adjustable base. It'll require extended twin sheets, but I have a place to get them at a reasonable price.

We'll see how the 30 day trial goes. My husband is pumped about this (if you can excuse the bad pun!).

[Pete]

You guys now have me interested in these. But I have a few questions that maybe you can answer. What's the cost like compared to standard mattresses? Im sure they are quite a bit more, but is it astronomically high? Can you use these on bed frames or are you stuck with what they have? How well do these handle pets? I have 2 large dogs that sleep with Wanda and me (and yes, we like it that way!). Thanks, in advance, for any answers.

[phoebe]

Have a good time with it, Mezz! But why does it need twin sheets? I don't remember which model we got, but it is a king and we just use king sheets with it.

Pete, the dogs are an interesting problem. We have two cats who periodically sleep and/or fight on the bed while we try to sleep , but they don't weigh more than 9-11 pounds each. When you adjust the bed, you are supposed to lie flat on it, I guess so it can adjust itself and the numbers to your weight. If you add the dogs to the weight later I wonder if they throw the levels off a bit. Something to ask the people at Sleep Number.
But, yes, you can use your own bed frame. The contraption itself sits in/on your frame (or on the floor, if you like, I think). We just set ours on the metal frame with wheels and backboard we had.

[deltadoc]

Originally Posted by phoebe

We have two cats who periodically sleep and/or fight on the bed while we try to sleep .

We got two cats too. You're making me feel very sleepy. It's time to take the Tylenol PM's and have a sound sleeping experience!

doc

[phoebe]

Originally Posted by deltadoc

We got two cats too. You're making me feel very sleepy. It's time to take the Tylenol PM's and have a sound sleeping experience!

doc

Sometimes those Ty PMs are pretty helpful. But Bailey ("Cha Cha" when he's being cute and "The Monster" when he's being, . . ., well, NOT being Cha Cha ) has this way of batting me on the head with his paws and then when that does not have the desired effect (my getting up and opening a can of wet food at 4 a.m.) he inserts his claws into my skull until either I hurl him off the bed or give in. Somehow all this defeats the good offices of the drug.

P.S. But Bailey likes the bed too.

[Mezzaluna]

Phoebe, we got the adjustable bed frame that can elevate the head and foot of the bed; I have pretty significant reflux, so I must sleep with my upper body elevated. My husband doesn't, so we got the split king. Despite the split, they promised us we won't fall through the crack!

For pets, they say you just adjust the mattress to compensate. I guess many customers ask about that.

[phoebe]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

Phoebe, we got the adjustable bed frame that can elevate the head and foot of the bed; I have pretty significant reflux, so I must sleep with my upper body elevated. My husband doesn't, so we got the split king. Despite the split, they promised us we won't fall through the crack!

I'm sorry you have to deal with so much reflux. I know how uncomfortable even a slight case of it is.
But that adjustable bed frame will be great for reading as well. The pillows we use to prop ourselves up always seem to fall through the bookshelf part of our headboard, defeating the whole purpose.

[deltadoc]

Phoebe,
I know what you mean! Little Kitty wakes us up every morning just about 4am! She scratches a cardboard box and if that doesn't wake us up, she claws my wife in the face. I'm ready to get rid of her!

Mezzaluna,
My wife suffers from GERD too, so much so that she has developed Barrett's Esophagus, which means that once a year she has to go in and have a biopsy taken to ensure that she is not developing esophageal cancer. Kind of a drag! But most people don't seem to realize how bad having "indigestion" or "heartburn" can be over the long run.

doc