When it comes to striking the perfect balance between comfort and convenience, no sleeping surface comes close to air beds and mattresses. Not only can most air beds be deflated and folded up for easy storage, but their compact nature also allows them to be used virtually anywhere.
I’ll be the first to admit that air beds have improved exponentially over the past decade.
But if we’re being honest, it can be a bit difficult for them to match the comfort, support, and reliability of a traditional bed. That’s why we’ve delved deep into the sleep industry in search of different ways how to make air beds more comfortable.
Here are the top 6 tips and methods that came highly recommended by veteran air bed and air mattress users; what’s more, they can all be done easily, at no added cost, and even used on conventional beds.
1. Re-inflate regularly
As promised, we’re starting off easy. See, most people don’t understand that it’s the simple things which matter most. Since these beds use air, a properly inflated mattress can make all the difference between a great night’s sleep and a long night of incessant tossing and turning.
Even the best air bed in the market starts to sag after a couple days of use. So if you want to maintain optimum comfort levels, then you’ll need to keep the mattress firm and supportive by pumping in some more air daily.
2. Place it on soft surfaces
Here’s another simple tip to squeeze even more comfort out of your air bed or mattress. As you know, most air mattresses come with a plastic or vinyl bottom to prevent unnecessary slipping and sliding.
However, this bottom layer doesn’t auger well with hard surfaces such as hardwood floors. Nobody wants to go to sleep to the sound of annoying squeaks. To avoid this, simply place a rug, carpet or a simple blanket under there to make an even softer surface.
3. Make it a real bed
As tempting as it may be to drop those tired bones on your air bed (or traditional bed for that matter) and go right off to sleep, it pays to spruce it up and turn it into a real bed.
Air mattresses have the uncanny habit of reacting instantly to any temperature changes, which can really make you uncomfortable all night long.
Adding a set of quality sheets, a comforter, some plush pillows and whatever else you want can will not only help insulate the air bed, but also give you quite the rewarding sleeping experience.
Read also: How to fix an air bed with a hole
4. Use a mattress topper
Is the rubbery feeling of your air bed keeping you up at night? Adding a mattress topper under the sheets can really help kick the comfort up a notch by recreating the softness or firmness of a conventional bed.
Mattress toppers come with numerous benefits such as heating or cooling pads. But if you don’t have a topper on hand, then egg crates or foam pads will do just fine.
5. Get a headboard or improvise
There’s no question about it; not having a headboard on your air bed is one of the things you will miss most. Due to their flexible and compact design, most air beds and mattresses will never come with a headboard. It may be an easily overlooked feature, but headboards are essential for comfort.
Not only do they keep pillows from rolling off in the night, but they also allow you to sit up for late night reading and breakfast in bed. If you don’t want to spend on a headboard, you can simply push the air-bed against a wall, cabinet or couch.
6. Keep pets (and mischevious kids) away from the bed
The key to ensuring consistent and comfortable sleep is to make sure that all the air actually stays in the air bed. Air beds are a ton of fun for curious pets such as cats whose claws can substantially damage and puncture your air mattress.
Similarly, air beds make for great bouncy castles and trampolines for fun loving kids. Your air bed won’t take much more of this, and it will get really beat down and uncomfortable in time. So try to keep all pets away and educate your children about not jumping on the beds.
Parting shot
There you have it folks; all the top tips that will allow you to make the most of your air bed. It doesn’t matter if you’re using the air bed permanently or as a temporary sleeping surface for guests. Even if it’s just for a couple of hours, there are a lot of benefits that come with obtaining optimum comfort levels.
Yes, even the best air bed still needs a little nudge to feel just right – after all, everyone has their own preferences and needs in a bed. So keep trying out different things to see what works for you and your particular bed.
