3 Ways an Adjustable Bed is Good For Your Health
When it comes to taking care of your body, most people focus on hitting the gym and eating better. Unfortunately, many overlook the importance of sleep and body position in bed, which can lead to back pain, neck pain, swelling and even skeletal issues. Complicating this issue is the fact that a partner sharing the bed may or may not have similar sleep concerns. Fortunately, the market has an answer: the adjustable bed frame.
Modern adjustable beds are motorized, silent and integrated with Bluetooth technology that allows users to control their mattress from their smartphone or tablet. In addition to easily raising and lowering the neck or foot portion of the mattress, some models even offer USB charging stations, advanced massage settings and programmable memory buttons that allow people to create customized controls.
These state-of-the-art mattresses are more than a luxury. Adjustable mattresses have been found to alleviate medical conditions and keep people comfortable and rested. Here are three ways an adjustable bed is good for your health:
1. Soothes Snoring
Snoring is more than a quirky sleep habit. Research has shown that people who snore are more likely to develop serious health conditions, such as sleep apnea, which can have damaging effects on the body and increase your risks for developing high blood pressure and certain kinds of cancers. WebMD reports that snoring usually is caused by mild airway obstructions from swollen throat tissue, poor muscle tone of the throat or a long soft palate or uvula. Since these issues tend to get worse over time, people who snore can develop obstructive sleep apnea, where the sleeper’s airway is cut off altogether for seconds at a time.
Fortunately, because some airway blockages are caused by heavy neck tissues, head placement or swollen tissues due to upper airway infections, snoring can be soothed by raising the head area. Some adjustable mattresses have a “snore relief” button that allows spouses to gently raise the head portion of their partner’s mattress, calming snoring. In addition to making it possible for partners to keep their bedroom quiet, snore relief controls might also help the snorer enjoy a steady stream of air so they can avoid issues such as morning headaches.
2. Better Skeletal Support
People who suffer from skeletal problems such as sciatica, degenerative spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis can find it extremely difficult to sleep because of joint pain. Sciatica patients often find that pressure in their hip joints sends excruciating zings of pain down their legs, which can severely disrupt their sleep. Patients with osteoarthritis often find themselves sore in the morning, while people with spinal stenosis can find it excruciating to lay flat. However, because many of these issues can be alleviated by offering patients a variety of sleeping positions, adjustable beds can be incredibly helpful to people who have skeletal health issues.
The beauty of modern adjustable mattresses is the incredible range of motion that they offer. While older adjustable mattresses only had head and foot portions that moved 25 degrees or less, newer models are capable of adjusting as much as 30-90 degrees. This means that you can adjust the head portion all the way to a 90-degree angle to sit up comfortably, or adjust the leg portion downward to make your bed feel like a comfy recliner.
Two-sided adjustable beds are also helpful for couples who have different skeletal support issues because each side of the bed can operate independently. For example, if you suffer from spinal stenosis, you can adjust your side of the bed to make you lean forward as you sleep. Meanwhile, a partner with sciatica can leave the upper portions of the bed flat, with the leg portions pointing down to take pressure off of their hip joints.
3. Relieves Swelling and Edema Pain
When the body is injured, the body responds by rushing blood and fluids to the injury. This reaction is called the inflammatory response and it causes both immediate and long-term swelling until the injury has healed. Unfortunately, swelling also can put pressure on neighboring nerves, which can cause a lot of pain. Serious, untreated swelling even can result in tissue death. Since swelling also can stem from certain chronic illnesses or medications, it is important for people to be able to control it whenever it occurs.
One of the best things about adjustable mattresses is they can help alleviate swelling by raising the affected area and encouraging circulation. If someone experiences a broken leg or swollen feet due to diabetes, the leg portion of the mattress can be raised to discourage fluid from building up. Adjustable mattresses with massage controls also can encourage circulation, which allows excess fluid to be removed from areas where it tends to collect.
