Is it OK to always sleep on an air mattress?
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Before I begin the tale of how and why I voluntarily slept on an air mattress for four months, I’d like to begin by saying this:
- I am indeed a normal person, I swear.
- I never thought I would use an air mattress as a bed for four months.
- I cannot believe I am sharing this story with you.
Now that the necessary groundwork has been laid for this story, here it goes.
Why I slept on an air mattress for four months
My senior year of college, I moved into an apartment with only one semester left in my academic career. I knew I would only be here for four months, so I wanted to expend as little energy as possible to make the transition. In the spirit of laziness, I had no desire to shop for a bed. Investing in a frame and a mattress seemed like a waste of money at the time, and investing the energy to move my bed from home seemed wasteful. As I shopped around online, I had an absurd epiphany while scrolling through the bedding results on Amazon… I could just use an air mattress, right?!
I found a queen-sized air mattress that honestly looked more like a raft than a bed. But it was only $50, so I took to the 6,000 reviews to find out what other people thought about it. Maybe it only looked like a raft. After falling into the review wormhole and comparing this mattress to other brands, I felt like the one I found couldn’t disappoint, especially for only $50—so I bought it.
Getting the air mattress: A promising start
My friends made fun of me at first for bringing an air mattress to school as my bed. They thought I was crazy, and maybe I was. But the ease of moving into my apartment was well worth it. All I had to do was take the mattress out of its bag and inflate it. As a bonus I put a memory-foam topper on it to protect my back from potential torture. I was determined to prove to my friends that this $50 mattress was going to be just as good as a real bed.
Credit: Amazon
Every night for the next three months (more on that in a minute), I slept on my air mattress half expecting to wake up on the floor on top of a deflated mess. But to my surprise, the “raft” (as my bed was affectionately referred to in the house) stayed plump and intact.
When you sleep on an inflated bed every day, of course a bit of air can escape. I had to top off the mattress with air every 3-4 days, but this only took about 5 minutes to do. But I made sure not to jump on the bed, drag it across the floor, or do anything that would provoke it popping. I positioned the bed near an outlet too, so I could hook up the internal pump for routine refills, which were quick and easy.
After successfully making it through three months of peaceful sleep on this thing, I figured my ‘bed’ would never deflate. I knew it wouldn’t let me down! I bragged to my friends, who always threatened to pop it anyway. (I swear they are good people.)
But with only one month left in the semester, my beloved raft did indeed begin to sink.
A slight malfunction with one month left to go
One morning, I woke up on the cold, hardwood floor, with multiple Snapchats in my inbox from my amused roommates. There I was, on this gorilla’s nest that was once my bed. The damage seemed irreparable, but I refused to give up on my raft with only one month left. Assuming it was a hole that caused the major leak, I grabbed the patch kit that conveniently came with the bed, and enlisted a friend help me find the hole.
I blew up the bed and stripped the sheets, and had my friend lay atop the mattress as we listened for the faintest whistle. He joked, “I honestly can’t believe it lasted this long.” He was right, I couldn’t believe it took three months of constant use (also known as abnormal wear and tear) for the thing to deflate.
We finally found the hole, which was no larger than the tip of a pin, and patched it up. From then on, my raft wasn’t really the same—I now had to top the air off every 1-2 days, and had to be extra careful not to wear jewelry in bed. But hey, at least I didn’t wake up on the floor again! It held up well enough for the remaining month, and although it required a little extra care, it was still a comfortable air bed. All in all, I’d say my accidental sleep experiment was a success.
Side note: This is the only flaw of any air mattress—the tiniest hole can ruin everything. But just make sure you have an extra patch kit. They are life-savers.
Here’s what I learned from the 4-month experience
Sleeping on an air mattress for four months sounds insane, I know. But I did learn a few things from the experience.
- Using an air mattress as a bed is NOT for people who suffer from back pain. To me, the bed was extremely comfortable with the memory-foam mattress topper, and I never had any back pain—but then again, I never do anyway. Those used to firm beds would probably struggle sleeping on an inflated surface.
- Sleeping on an air mattress can get very cold. Some nights I would wake up freezing, having to layer blankets between myself and the bottom sheet on the mattress just to warm up. This happened on chilly fall and winter nights when our heat was running on low, and the floor was particularly cold. Maybe I should’ve placed a rug underneath the raft? Oh well.
- This Intex air mattress is WELL worth the $50 price tag—especially since competitors charge almost double. I literally slept on this mattress EVERY NIGHT for four months. The fact that this air mattress survived in a college apartment and only deflated once is beyond impressive. If that isn’t a test of true strength, durability, and worth, then I really don’t know what is.
Credit: Patricia Camerota
Actual footage of me waking up in "the raft"Would I do this again by choice? Ha! No way. But I buy this Intex air mattress over and over again. It’s perfect for when friends sleep over, and for bringing on short trips—you really can’t go wrong with the price.
My next mission is to try out the mothership of air mattresses, the SoundAsleep queen air bed which boasts a 4.5-star rating from over 13,000 reviews. If I could sleep on the Intex for four months (which I highly recommend as a low-cost option) then I wonder how long I could last on the SoundAsleep!
Prices are accurate at the time of publication, but may change over time.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
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If you need an additional bed for guests or are camping, air mattresses are a terrific option for comfortable sleeping. It’s crucial to ensure it is correctly filled to get the best comfort from an air mattress.
You will feel yourself sinking into a soft bed and possibly get back pain. On the other hand, if the bed is excessively firm, you might find it difficult to get comfortable and wake up with painful muscles. Additionally, if you try to push too much air through the valve of the mattress, you risk damaging it.
The capacity of an air bed to distribute the body’s weight and point of contact with the hospital bed mattress more evenly is the key to its high comfort level. Traditional mattress designs can create concentrated pressure spots that are uncomfortable and frequently out of alignment because they are stiffer and can push certain body parts in touch with the mattress to absorb the whole weight of the body.
Why do air mattresses promote better sleep?
Air mattresses were initially developed for hospitals and medical contexts where higher degrees of back support and fewer pressure points on the body where required. Air beds can shape and mold to the contour of a sleeping body. Now, you can bring this technology into your bedroom to improve the quality of your sleep.
By limiting the amount of dust mite nesting space available, air mattresses can benefit allergy sufferers. As many as 5 million dust mites can be found in a typical coil mattress, the largest breeding and nesting ground for them in a home. These mites eat skin debris that filters into the inner core of the mattress. This issue is solved with an
air mattress system
, which can help you breathe better while you sleep.
The adjustable dual air support chambers may give one side of a bed the ideal level of firmness and back support without disturbing the other side. Sleeping on an air mattress helps improve spinal alignment throughout the night, resulting in a very cozy and peaceful sleep.
Since each side of an air mattress typically has a separate air bladder control that you can adjust, air mattresses may frequently also be altered to meet the specific support requirements of bedmates.
An air mattress is a mattress with an air bladder in place of firm steel springs.
The CCSA or Congress of Chiropractic State Associations recommends some air mattresses for persons with back support issues.
How can I pick a long-lasting air mattress for a good night’s sleep?
If you only use an air mattress sometimes, it makes little difference which one you purchase. Getting the best hospital mattress you can for long-term use is crucial to get the finest treatment for your body and wake up feeling refreshed the next morning. Your physical and emotional health can both be negatively impacted by sleep deprivation. Therefore, ensuring you have a restful night’s sleep is important. The following are the most crucial things to think about:
- Warranty
Your decision must have a good warranty. You must first ensure that you will receive a replacement or your money back if something goes wrong. The reputation and warranty practices of the manufacturer are a good place to state. A guarantee against manufacturer’s defects of two to three years should be the minimum starting point.
- The electric pump
The days of manually pumping an air mattress are over. Pumps that pull and push air into the chamber include middle- and higher-tier beds. Electric pumps are really helpful since you can quickly deflate and put the bed away, creating more space in your home without using any more energy.
- Durability
You get what you pay for is a proverb that applies in this situation. You know an outfit won’t last very long if you walk into a bargain store and choose the cheapest option. Shopping for air mattresses is the same. It would help if you bought the highest-quality air mattress you could manage. Recognize the low-cost items won’t last as long and will cost you much more in the long run.
- Comfort
The comfort of the air mattress should be your priority. Will it be comfy, and can you use it every night? Is it solely intended for camping, or will it be soft enough to sleep on permanently? Choosing versions that let you customize the firmness to your preferences can be advantageous. However, it would help if you prioritized finding something that offers superior overall assistance.
- Material
You want a product that has a sturdy foam layer that won’t break down easily and a resilient vinyl cover that won’t tear or wear out easily over time. Although many things have softer finishes that are pleasant to the touch, the choice will ultimately come down to the foam underneath. You won’t be sleeping directly on the cover because you’ll use a sheet, duvet, pillows, etc. Therefore its importance isn’t as great.
- Air holding
You should have good air retention if you select a high-quality product. While occasionally topping off the air will be necessary, you don’t want to do it constantly. Thus we advise you to look for a high-quality product with good air retentive qualities.
Final Thoughts
Is an air mattress the greatest choice for long-term sleeping arrangements? Depending on the choice you pick, this will happen. Even though it is not ideal, it might be a good solution for people who are short on space and money. The most important element you should think about is support. The benefit of adjustable items is that you can select the level of firmness that you want. By choosing the ideal base, using the appropriate bedding, or adding an air mattress topper, you can increase the comfort and support of your air mattress.
When it comes to the question, “can you sleep on an air mattress every night?” We hope AvaCare Medical was able to provide the how and why.’, and now it is our chance to hear from you addressing any remaining queries on the matter. We would be happy to hear any information you would like to give us by emailing us at [email protected] or calling us at 1-877-813-7799. You may also view our picks for the top air mattresses currently available!
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