Adjustable beds are engineered to rise and fall at the head and foot. This, in turn, enables users to obtain relief from a variety of maladies including sleep apnea and reflux.
Adjustable beds have come a long way in the past 30 years and are now quiet, versatile and reliable.
Below, our health and wellness team have brought together the most important benefits of adjustable beds.
11 Benefits Of Adjustable Beds
If you are considering an adjustable bed read on to learn some of the most impressive benefits they can provide.
1: Adjustable beds may help prevent snoring.
There are many potential causes of snoring but one of the most common is a blocked airway (1). A blocked airway occurs when the soft tissue of the airway becomes too relaxed while sleeping and vibrates as air passes over it. We hear this vibration as snoring. An adjustable bed allows you to elevate your head while sleeping. This in turn helps to open up the airways of the throat preventing the soft tissue from interfering with airflow.
2: Adjustable beds are very convenient.
For example: sometimes at the end of a long day there are still a few things that need to be done. But you don’t feel like sitting at the table to do them. An adjustable bed can be positioned to allow you to work on your laptop, make calls, read or study for a big test. If you’re feeling a bit under the weather, or you are recovering from surgery or injury, you can still get things done without having to leave the bed. Adjustable beds are also extremely comfortable so when you’re ready to sleep you should have no problem.
3: Adjustable beds can help lessen the pain of arthritis.
Arthritis is a debilitating degenerative disease that typically attacks the joints (2). People with arthritis often have difficulty sleeping (3) due to the pressure in their joints and the pain this pressure can cause. An adjustable bed can help reduce the pressure on affected joints like the ankles and knees.
4: Adjustable beds can alleviate back pain.
Back pain has multiple potential causes (4). But regardless of the cause the result is often a restless, sleepless night. An adjustable bed can potentially reduce back pain so the sufferer can get a good night’s sleep. The ‘zero gravity’ position is thought to be particularly helpful in this regard. The zero gravity position is when both head and feet are elevated more or less equally. This position enables your back to assume a less stressful position and discourages sleeping on your stomach. Which can often aggravate back injuries (5).
5: Adjustable beds can help improve circulation.
Often times when sleeping on a flat bed we get into unusual positions that interfere with proper blood circulation. When this happens we often wake up with numb limbs. An adjustable bed can go a long way toward preventing that. Also, with the body in the zero gravity position blood flows more easily and does not accumulate in the lower legs. A condition known as edema which we’ll discuss shortly. Elevating the upper body also allows for more normal breathing which allows for better oxygen distribution throughout the body as you sleep.
6: Adjustable beds can help treat edema in the legs.
Edema (6) is a troubling condition wherein blood and other bodily fluids collect in the lower extremities and cause swelling. There has actually been something of an epidemic of edema in recent years as people move away from physical work and instead spend long hours staring into computer screens. Edema in the legs and feet is a potentially dangerous condition that can lead to blood clots. Using an adjustable bed to raise your feet while sleeping is a great way to reduce or eliminate edema.
7: Adjustable beds can help prevent reflux.
Laying down flat with a stomach full of undigested food can lead to indigestion and possible acid reflux (7). Experts suggest you wait at least two hours before going to bed after eating to allow the digestive process to kick in. But that is not always possible. If you have an adjustable bed you can elevate your upper body and this will discourage stomach acid from leaking into your esophagus and creating reflux. A word of caution: Just because an adjustable bed will help fend off acid reflux doesn’t mean you should get in the habit of going to bed right after eating.
8: Adjustable beds can help prevent sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea (8) is a little known and, outside the medical community, little understood malady that can lead to serious complications. During sleep apnea the soft tissue of the throat collapses into the airways, blocking breathing. Heart disease and death are possible results of this condition. If you suffer from sleep apnea you should have an adjustable bed. Why? Because studies have shown that elevating the head during sleep can be quite effective in fending off attacks of sleep apnea (9).
9: Adjustable beds are comfortable.
You don’t need to suffer from a serious health condition to enjoy what an adjustable bed has to offer. Anyone who has found sleeping on a standard flat bed to be less than satisfying is likely to benefit from a better nights’ sleep using an adjustable bed. A good night’s sleep is not only critical to effective physical and mental performance (10) it also plays a huge role in determining our emotional state (11). So, if an adjustable bed can produce a better night’s sleep that alone should make it worth the price of admission.
Conclusion
Older folks and people with various sleep conditions will find adjustable beds have a lot to potentially offer them. Adjustable beds are affordable, reliable and easy to use. They can help relieve the pain of arthritis, reduce back pain, improve circulation, prevent reflux and are useful in treating sleep apnea.