I am a design student with the Open University and need to find out people's experiences regarding mattresses. I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions.
1.) Have you had any difficulties in purchasing a mattress that suits your needs?
2.) Have you experienced any problems when getting onto a mattress?
3.) Have you encountered any issues when lying down on a mattress?
4.) Have you had any difficulties getting up off a mattress?
5.) Do you have any experiences of memory foam or other specialist mattresses?
6.) Have you struggled to keep a mattress clean and hygienic?
7.) Have you had any difficulties with putting sheets or protectors onto mattresses?
8.) Do you have any ideas for anything that would help you?
thank you very much, your answers are much appreciated.
Written by
Rachel_Designer
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi I have the tempur mattress, especially designed for medical problems (ie the most expensive one!) It does help as I notice when I don't sleep in it but it is not perfect as I doubt there is anything perfect that cures all pain
Hi! I have a tempur mattress on an adjustable base. I find the mattress can make me hot and I think it is quite hard. I have a muscle disease and OA. I have some difficulty in getting off the mattress, maybe due to bed height? i find it difficult to make the bed due to muscle probs. the mattress cover is removable but I could never remove it, and replacing it if I did remove it would be an absolute nightmare!
i would find a thicker, slightly softer mattress more suitable, memory foam would be fine as long as it doesn't make me get too hot!
We have a memory foam mattress which you can not turn over due to the memory bit only being on one side. We have a Merino sheep cover over this which is beautiful to sleep on being natural/
David has a frame which goes under the matress, sticks up at one end and he can pull himself up. Other alternatives are hoists. Used to be available from OT but probably not any more.
As a couple I have to share whatever is good for David regardless of whether it suits me or not. No intention of having single beds.
Special mattresses are expensive too.
Questions 1 and 8 are for the 'experts' to come up with solutions! Affordable solutions.
Oh yes - I removed zipped cover from matress recently for washing. Putting it back was like trying to stuff an elephant's uterus back from whence it came.
I have a latex mattress which I love! It is a natural material (from the rubber plant) which is wonderfully supportive without sucking you down and making you hot like memory foam. I tried a lot of mattresses before this one which is expensive!!! Grrrrrr....
It has natural properties which make it anti allergenic and no dust mites for asthma sufferers. Long lasting and can easily suit two people of differing weights at the same time. No need to turn it either.
Putting sheets on any mattress is hard on the back. Some sheet manufacturers are a bit stingy on material which means you have to do extra work pulling at the corners. Shocking to confess but sometimes the weeks creep by without me changing the sheets....😳 I'm exhausted by the time I've wrestled the sheet, pillows and duvet into place!
1. No found a mattress that does suit, but it was very expensive, and still needed a topper.
2.Yes, have real problems due to the twisting action, swinging my legs up.
3.Yes, lowering myself down is very painful.
4.Yes, now have a bed loop, so I can control how fast I move.
5.Yes, tried memory foam, but it made me very hot and so had to get rid of that bed,also sank into it too much which made getting out,turning over difficult.
6.Yes and no, my husband has to change and wash sheets ect, as I can't bed or lean over to do it myself.
7.Yes, not able to do either.
8.Yes, could really do with a bed that raises it's self up, I know they exist, but I can't afford one. Another idea would be a sheet that had "open" corners, with plastic re-enforcers that you could just push downwards and would meet together,and could be removed like collar stays.
1.) Have you had any difficulties in purchasing a mattress that suits your needs? Yes esp pillows cos of my neck twisting with the RA. I am now 72.
2.) Have you experienced any problems when getting onto a mattress?
No
3.) Have you encountered any issues when lying down on a mattress?
Yes because of the RA and OA.
4.) Have you had any difficulties getting up off a mattress?
Yes but my husband helps me
5.) Do you have any experiences of memory foam or other specialist mattresses?
Yes and memory foam has really helped me. Cannot have latex or dunlopillow [sp] cos of allergies to latex.
6.) Have you struggled to keep a mattress clean and hygienic?
Yes all the time. My husband and I now have separate beds but close together as we have different needs. Also he has psoriasis which causes the mattress to need cleaning sometimes until I put a coevr over it.
7.) Have you had any difficulties with putting sheets or protectors onto mattresses?
Yes always.
8.) Do you have any ideas for anything that would help you? No and physios were useless.
1. Yes 2. Yes. Good quality mattresses are thick and make the bed high. Unless one purchases a low bed. But i need a divan bed with drawers. 3. Yes. Too soft or too hard no good. 4. Yes. High beds. Low beds are safer for rolling off. 5. Memory foam makes me sweat. No good at all. 6. I put a simple cotton protector on. Plastic based protectors no good - make me sweat. I hoover mine when I am fit enough (not very often!!). 7. Yes. Very fiddly and extremely painful stretching the things on. A tight fit is needed for optimum comfort. I hate changing the bed with a passion. 8. Get somebody else to do it! Good quality mattresses are extremely heavy and lifting them to change bedding & frequent turning (which is recommended to improve the life of the mattress) is impossible. My mattress has a dint where I sleep. I can't turn the blasted thing over!! Arrgghh!!
1. yes - difficult to try out even when taken to shop, as getting on/off very risky re spine problems.
2. difficyult to move far enough onto mattress as no movement possible once legs are lifted into bed.
3. can't turn at all, so have to get up to turn and 'climb' back into bed facing different direction - risky dropping into place
4. own mattress firm'ish, no problem. Hotels can be very tricky especially if bed average height or low. Need help.
5. yep. too hot and get fixed into one position. Have thick, firm, well sprung mattress that works, but need extra pillows under limbs.
6. Yep
7. mattress too heavy and deep for me to make bed - rely on partner. Would probably have to adapt flat sheets with ties to each corner if alone.
8. my best 'invention' has been a snake pillow that fits exactly under neck , between arms and supports topmost leg when lying on side.
My suggestion would be something like two or three neck pillows joined end to end so they fit directly under my spine and allow me to sleep on my back occasionally?! But I'm not sure how this could be positioned as I have no lifting, wriggling or twisting movements?
1 no, I have just got electric bed, brilliant, memory foam mattress, could try it for one week, if not suitable I could change it.
2 no, were I got my bed from, they took your height and weight, they could make the bed to fit your height, another alternative if you do shrink a little, a safety footstool by the side.
3 no, not since I got electric bed.
4 no, as above, 3.
5 this is my second memory foam bed, I like them much more than sprung.
6 not as yet, probably best to invest in mattress cover.
7 slight difficulty, find it easier to put my bed up at both ends, with being electric.
8 I suppose I have answered mainly re electric bed, if a couple buying one I would suggest 2 singles, you can push them together as a double and make up as double, or if partner as frame make as two singles.
I did recently purchase a Tempurpedic mattress after doing an exchange . It cost me an additional $1500! I also have an adjustable frame which is nice but the bed is a bit high to get into. The bed is still not what I need because it is still too hard, but I can't do another exchange. I sleep pretty good on it but I am very stiff and hurt every morning. I also have an extra cover to keep it from becoming too hot. As far as making the bed, yes it is hard to get those fitted sheets on. I find if I raise the head of the bed I can slip them on and then lower it again. They use to sell a product to hold flat sheets that looked like the old garter belt hooks. Basically a strip of elastic with the holder part on each end. Then you put one hook on top of the sheet and stretch it over the end of the mattress to the underside of the sheet. Hope this helps some people with making the bed.
There is a problem with my husband, we have changed many mattresses but still he feels back pain, he didn't find relief in any kind of mattress. Can anyone of you suggest the solution??? i am really worried regarding this issue.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Hip pain and bed
Weight Loss
First Time Using a Walking Aid in Public
Hip replacement
How do you not end it all when it's so relentless???????????????????????
