Since high school, I’ve struggled with poor, interrupted sleep and outright lack of sleep that has only gotten worse since becoming a mother. Recent studies have shown lack of quality sleep can lead to weight gain, unhealthy eating habits, stressful relationships and overall crappy days. So why is it when we have a bad day, sleep is the last thing we blame?
In my last post I went into detail about the trouble I thought I’d have when trying to find a new mattress for my husband and me since we are complete opposites when it comes to our sleep styles. He is a hot, back sleeper who prefers a firm mattress, and I am an always cold side sleeper who likes something resembling a cloud on a fluffy day. Well, we’ve had our Sleep Number® mattress for about 4 weeks now, and I could not be more shocked by the results.
The delivery and set-up
Between ordering and delivery day it was a time span of about two weeks until my new bed arrived. In that time, I searched and read just about every article and post I could get my hands on. As a natural skeptic, I wanted to know what everyone thought, either way. Could it really be as good as everyone says it is? Prior to delivery, I received emails from Sleep Number letting me know what to expect and how to prepare for delivery and set-up. So when delivery day came it was a really easy process. The delivery guys were even nice enough to move our old, heavy, memory foam mattress into the guest room for us.
From start to finish, the building of our bed took a little less than an hour, even with me constantly asking every question under the sun. When they were finished, the delivery technician walked me through every aspect of my new bed. He helped set up the SleepIQ® app on my phone and even offered up a few tips and tricks to ensure my transition would be as easy as possible. However, one piece of advice stuck with me for good reason. He explained that if I wasn’t 100% comfortable at first to not be discouraged and give it time. He said sometimes it takes a week or two to find your ideal setting. I can’t tell you how true that ended up being.
The verdict
We’ve been in our Sleep Number bed for exactly a month now. So what do we think? For my husband, it was love at first snuggle. He slept like a baby from the very first day. I, unfortunately, spent the first night tossing and turning. The next night I went a little firmer, from a 35 to a 40. The night after I tried a little softer — from 40 to 30. Each morning I checked my SleepIQ to see how I slept that night and to see if I should adjust. Within a week to a week and a half I had found my ideal number — 25. Now I cannot wait to climb into my bed. Even though both my husband and I both started at 35 , I am now a 25 and he is a 40 and both of us are sleeping like happy little babies.
The SleepIQ app has definitely been one of the coolest parts of this whole process. Getting a comprehensive visual on exactly how I slept, when I slept and even my heart rate is not only fascinating but seriously educational. Knowing these key factors and using them to adjust accordingly has led to some of the best sleep I have ever gotten. I scored a 93 last night!
If you’re wondering how the temperature balancing sleep surface (which absorbs excess heat and then releases it back to you as the night gets colder) really works, my little furnace of a husband said he no longer wakes up in a puddle in the middle of the night. During our first week of 100+ degree weather here in Phoenix, we both slept cool as a cucumber. We never could have never said with our old memory foam mattress.
So what’s my real life, no fluff, opinion of our new Sleep Number i8 mattress? This now fully rested mom gives it an enthusiastic thumbs up, I highly recommend it. But if you’re wondering if a new Sleep Number bed it right for you then ask yourself a few questions: Does your partner snore? Does your partner lie and say that you snore? 😉 Do you find you’re too warm or too cold at night? Are you having trouble sleeping because of pressure points, back issues, or generally just being unable to find that comfy spot? If you answered yes to any of these questions then it’s time to get yourself to your local Sleep Number store and take back your sleep.
What do you consider your biggest obstacle to good sleep?
