Sleep Number Bed or Memory Foam?

[Alenee]

Dh and I keep waking up with horrible back pain and we know it's our bed. We just bought it a year and a half ago and we noticed within 6 months how we were sinking down. Pillow tops do not seem to be a good thing. Interestingly enough the Sleep Number Bed line has pillow tops.... Their beds are much cheaper than the Memory Foam.

So, if you have had either of these, why did you like it? How long did/has it lasted? Anything I should know right off before buying one of these?

[Patricia in WA]

I know nothing about the Number bed and really nothing about the memory foam bed either but when our bad mattress was keeping me awake more than letting me sleep I purchased a memory foam mattress topper (http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Serta-Deluxe-2-inch-Memory-Foam-Mattress-Topper/1080221/product.html?IID=prod1080221). It solved my spring problems and made my bed super comfortable. That Christmas I gave one to my mom and my sister and they all love it too.

Does your mattress have some kind of warranty? I would check that out possibly get them to replace it and then top it off with the memory foam. You will sleep like a baby for a whole lot less.

HTHs,

[Suzanne in ABQ]

We've had our Select Comfort (Sleep Number) bed for about 15 years, and I still absolutely love it! It has a pillow top, but with the mattress pumped up as firmly as it goes (that's how we like it), the pillowtop isn't "over the top" soft.

I'm thinking, if pillow tops aren't a good match for you, then a memory foam will be the worst. It's gives a totally sinking in feeling. I have shoulder problems, along with my upper and lower back problems, so I need firmness. But, I don't like bruised hips, so I need something soft on top of the firm support.

Anyway, Select Comfort (Sleep Number) has a full 20 year warranty. I don't know about the memory foam warranties.

Do you have a mall nearby with a Select Comfort store in it? Perhaps you could go take a nap on a Sleep Number bed, to see if you like it.

[RoughCollie]

We bought a 3" memory foam pad when our mattress was giving me aches and pains. I love it.

[chai]

A memory foam pad worked on our bed for a while--maybe a year or two. When that wore out, we broke down and bought a Tempurpedic matresss. It was a great investment. I never wake up sore with this matress. I LOVE it! When I have to sleep in a hotel or guest bed, I always wake up with sore.

[clwcain]

We bought one a couple of years ago, on the recommendation of some friends who have had theirs for years (and six kids).

We opted for no pillow-top, as we found it more comfortable.

We tested the memory foam before we bought, but we'd already been doing the memory foam topper on our previous mattress and weren't impressed.

If you can afford it, go for it. :D

I had suffered chronic lower back pain for nearly 15 years. It went away within a week of getting the SelectComfort. My wife was pregnant with twins at the time. She said she had no idea she could sleep that well just by changing the bed.

If you can't tell, we love it. :)

[Alenee]

We did buy a memory foam topper two days ago. It's not the thickest. I think because our mattress is sinking so badly on both of our sides (and we're not overly large people) that the topper just won't be the best option for us. Dh and I were just talking it over. We think because of the price, we'll have to go with a sleep number. I dunno. I just want this low back pain to leave me asap!

[nancypants]

We have a 3 inch memory foam mattress topper (on top of a very deep mattress and our sheets still fit!) and it works wonders... also much cheaper as you can get them for just over $100 (or mayb $150) at Costco.

[percytruffle]

We have an all foam mattress, no springs at all. It has some memory foam in it, but the uppermost layer is not memory foam because it would be too hot that way. It is a bit on the warm side anyway. As far as sleeping, it is like being on a cloud. It's unbelievable. We've had it for about four years now and it's just starting to show a little sag in the areas where we lay. It has a ten year warranty against sag and if the sag gets any worse they will replace it.

The only real drawback I can think of is the fact that you won't want to sleep on it for a week or two after it comes because of the off-gassing. It can have a bit of a chemical smell at first. Other than that, we've been extremely pleased. I used to wake up in the morning and not even be able to feel my arms. They were numb from the position my back was in. I have much less pain on the foam mattress. When we have to sleep away from home I dread it. I almost always wake up sore, stiff, and headachy.

[Tommysmommy]

We had this same debate about 2 yrs ago. We tried a memory foam mattress pad and my dh HATED it because it retains body heat. He woke up in a puddle of sweat, so we ruled out the Tempurpedic. We've had our Sleep Number bed for about 18 months and have been pretty happy with it. The only downside I've found is it does seem to have a noticeable trench between the two air chambers.

[Elaine]

We have a Select Comfort and we would not trade it for the world! I used to suffer from wicked shoulder pain and hip pain and my chiro told me it was from our mattress. We got the Select Comfort shortly after that and that was 4 1/2 years ago, and my shoulder and hip pain disappeared. It came with a 20 year guarantee, too.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Did your get the rigid foam piece that goes between the chambers? If not, request one. That should take care of the trench.

Actually, ours causes a slight ridge between the chambers. We have a queen size. What size is yours?

[Tommysmommy]

Ours is a queen size as well. We do have the foam thingey in between but we still tend to roll toward the middle of the bed. We do have the foundation mattress that goes with the Select Comfort mattress too. I'm wondering if it's our bed frame???

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Hmmm. We have ours on a pedestal bed, with slats and plywood directly under the mattress (no foundation mattress). Maybe that makes the difference (our is queen, too).

[Linda in Oregon]

King-sized Tempurpedic here. We've had it for 10 years and it's still going strong. I have a tendency to suffer from buyer's remorse - but not with this one. We absolutely love our mattress.

[LaurainKs]

We have had a sleep number bed for about 10 years or so, and we have never regretted it. We also don't have the "trench" that another poster spoke of; our bed looks like a regular bed. I used to wake up with numb arms, sore back...so did my dh. It is an investment, but it is not a bed that will wear out like a mattress. If it is too much for you right now, it sounds like a memory foam bed might be a place to start, based on other poster's replies. I say that not knowing the cost of one of those. There is even a sleep number outlet store in our area (Kansas City area) where I believe you can buy show room models at a discounted price.
HTH!
Laura