Lower back problems and beds...

[momo]

I have owned my select comfort mattress for 11 years now. It’s a model before the sleep number was introduced. Effectively, it’s the same thing minus the preset air pressures. I do love it but there are few things i don’t like about it.

I used to get the occasional neck and back pain from my old bed but have not have any aches or pains that I can remember since owning this bed. You can take that for what it's worth since I’m probably not the best case for this. I was rather young when I got this bed and I’m hardly a case for chronic pains. I just went from a very bad spring mattress to this. I can say I do hate most hotel beds and have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep.

I do like that it’s been 11 years already and it’s not nearly dead yet. Since this whole bed is modular, I’ve replaced the top foam layer with a 3” memory foam which has made this bed better than ever.

Now the negatives:
- This bed takes a long time to get it set the way you want it. This is where I think the sleep number setup would help rather than just guessing at the air level.
- I have a queen with dual air chambers. I don’t like dual air chambers… if you sleep alone and roll around, you wind up going to the middle.
- if you have company, they effect your air chamber. You effectively need two or three settings depending on number of “friends”.


that being said, my gf has a Tempurpedic. When i get a house, i'm getting a king sized tempurpedic.

[yellowstang]

Well shit, all this talk of sleep number beds and our mattress is like sleeping on a mountain or in a valley, so we bought a sleep number bed today. I'll let you know how good it is in 2 weeks, when it gets here.

<-- Sealy pillow top, never again!

[War Machine]

I have a Tempurpedic and I love it.

[SSMAN]

It depends on your sleep habits. Do you sleep on your back or side? If you sleep on your side, the worst thing you can do is get a firm mattress. Usually proper exercise will help your back more than any bed will. As we get older we tend to let the muscles around our back get lax. Making it easy to strain muscles or pinch nerves.

[Nick Chapman]

Well I bought a sleep number bed and have been sleeping on it for a few days now. I must say that I think it's improved my pain level quite a bit! I'll have to wait a bit longer to say for certain, but I think I can feel a definite improvement! I'm still playing with the adjustments, trying to find that perfect spot for my needs, but so far the firmer the better! lol!

[yellowstang]

What model SN bed did you get? I think we got the P5 if I remember right.

[Nick Chapman]

I have no idea lol! I'm at work right now, but will check when I get home later tonight.

[fordracing19]

Well shit, all this talk of sleep number beds and our mattress is like sleeping on a mountain or in a valley, so we bought a sleep number bed today. I'll let you know how good it is in 2 weeks, when it gets here.

<-- Sealy pillow top, never again!

So how did that work out for you?

[Lyn]

So how did that work out for you?

That bed sucked, so we sent it back and bought a Tempurpedic!

Lyn

[cobrajet69]

Nick, there is a study out that shows that medium-firm beds are best for people with lower back problems. Some people with LBP prefer firm mattresses but this can aggravate the situation. I would recommend getting a med-firm mattress...soft mattresses exacerbate the problem.

Also, exacerbating will make you go blind!

On a serious note - Nick, my suggestion would be a sleep number bed, because they do have options, but they also come with some issues as well. Make sure (if you do get a S# bed) that you get the latest model because some of the older models had some molding issues with the material they were made from - basically a rubber air mattress that holds moisture under the mattress.

Also, tempurpedic beds have varying levels of quality too, but lots of people love them. I for one don't think I could sleep on one, and I have lower back problems too.

Good luck man.

David

[yellowstang]

So how did that work out for you?

LOL, if you look at one in the store, it looks like a good quality bed. Seeing one put together when it was delivered, you see really how cheap it is. Is starts with 4 plastic cubes for the base, then a square peice of material they insert a foam rubber looking frame to hold the cheap-ass air mattress in place, slap a pad/topper on it, zip it up and you're done!

I thought it was OK, but I can sleep on any type of bed, Lyn can't. I will say this, the Temper-pedic we just got rocks!

[fordracing19]

LOL, if you look at one in the store, it looks like a good quality bed. Seeing one put together when it was delivered, you see really how cheap it is. Is starts with 4 plastic cubes for the base, then a square peice of material they insert a foam rubber looking frame to hold the cheap-ass air mattress in place, slap a pad/topper on it, zip it up and you're done!

I thought it was OK, but I can sleep on any type of bed, Lyn can't. I will say this, the Temper-pedic we just got rocks!

I have had both and I contribute my back problems from the junky Sleep Number bed I slept on for ~7 years. What pillows are you using? I saw the Tempurpedic pillows listed for sale. I had the Symphony pillow and now have the small neck pillow from Tempurpedic.

[yellowstang]

I have had both and I contribute my back problems from the junky Sleep Number bed I slept on for ~7 years. What pillows are you using? I saw the Tempurpedic pillows listed for sale. I had the Symphony pillow and now have the small neck pillow from Tempurpedic.

We are using similar pillows we got at Sleep Number. They are some form of memory foam and gel combo, so they do not retain heat as much as regular foam pillws do. They are also the type that have the lower part in the center for your head, guess to provide more neck/shoulder support. They are very simialr to the T-Pedic pillows, just sort of a hollowed out spot in the middle area.




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