5 Health Benefits of Using an Adjustable Bed for Seniors

When most people think of adjustable beds, they initially visualize a patient admitted to a hospital, increasing their bed’s incline to snack on some cafeteria Jello. Notwithstanding popular opinion, adjustable beds can benefit those with mobility restrictions or chronic health conditions. These models are also valuable for seniors with chronic pain or mobility issues.

Typically, as people age, their body experiences rapid transformations, including lowered oxygen levels, decreased bone density, and muscle strength. These dramatic changes can inconvenience and affect the quality of life for seniors over sixty. These seniors’ mobility can worsen over time if deprived of a quality night’s sleep.

Attaining a good night's sleep means owning a comfortable bed conducive to eight hours of uninterrupted slumber. That’s where an adjustable bed comes to the rescue. Here are five benefits you can expect after purchasing an adjustable bed for seniors.

Helps relieve chronic pain

One of the most important benefits of an adjustable bed is that it helps reduce chronic pain. Designed with advanced features, adjustable bed owners can recline into a position suitable for their sleeping needs. When seniors, specifically those with chronic diseases, sit or sleep in a comfortable position, the pain arising from conditions such as arthritis and sciatica will subside.

If you're wondering how the adjustable bed works, it is essential to note that you can control your position with just a touch of a button. You can visit the My UpBed website to learn more about these state-of-the-art bed models.

That said, if you experience severe chronic pain, you can schedule an appointment with your physicians for medical advice that can steer you in the direction of pain relief. Whether the situation requires physical therapy or surgery with lengthy recovery times, these medical professionals can help your elderly loved ones lead pain-free lifestyles and enjoy a high quality of life. 

Promotes a comfortable resting and sleeping position

Seniors with back pain or other chronic pain need a comfortable place to rest or sleep. However, snuggling into a spine-aligning position often poses a challenge for many sleepers. Although support cushions can help to some extent, it's neither an ideal nor long-lasting solution. The good news is that adjustable beds bridge this gap by enabling a person to rest and sleep in a comfortable position based on their preferred sleep style, mobility restrictions, and chronic conditions.

Moreover, through the touch of a button, you can raise your head and shoulders whenever you want to eat or watch television. Similarly, you can lower the bed to your preferred height. The bottom line is that adjustable beds can change settings to suit your specific needs.

Boosts blood circulation

As a person gets older, they may lack the ability to move around freely due to poor blood circulation. Almost all seniors suffer from varicose veins and ulcerated legs caused by prolonged bed rest periods.

While exercising can help reduce this problem, routine cardio isn’t possible for disabled individuals with a limited range of motion. A simple solution to this problem is boosting blood circulation by raising the lower body above the heart. With an adjustable bed, this position is simple to achieve. With a simple push of a button, you can raise the lower portion of your bed with ease. 

Helps reduce the severity of snoring

Breathing problems can prevent an individual from benefitting from a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, snoring occurs when a sleeper is lying flat, forcing the neck to exert unwanted pressure on the windpipe, thereby closing it.

As a result, air cannot move through the windpipe to the lungs effortlessly, so a person produces a snoring sound. In the long-term, this windpipe-straining sleeping position could lead to breathing difficulties, preventing an individual from enjoying quality sleep.

Fortunately, the adjustable bed allows you to raise yourself into a preferred position and prevent tension typically applied on the neck, which can inflict too much pressure on the trachea. When propped into this nearly-inverted position, you’ll rest comfortably and peacefully throughout the night and wake up feeling refreshed. 

Reduces acid reflux

Most people tend to eat before retiring to bed. Sadly, sleeping in a flat position can inhibit the food from traveling through the esophagus, causing an acid pool. As food collects and obstructs the esophagus, it triggers stomach acid build-up, resulting in indigestion, heartburn, and even acid reflux disease.

 If you or a senior,you know, have been diagnosed with acid reflux, you may need to consider an adjustable bed to help prevent stomach acid that rises in the esophagus. Keep in mind, when you elevate your head up five inches or more, stomach acids will be barred from traveling upwards.

While some people may settle for a pillow to help elevate the head, this method isn’t nearly as reliable as it can slip and slide as you toss and turn. In a pinch, pillows tucked under your neck will suffice. However, those elderly sleepers searching for long-term solutions should turn to adjustable beds when addressing their sleep-related woes. 

Conclusion

Though an adjustable bed will involve a higher initial cost, this purchase will be well worth the investment when you rest soundlessly throughout the night and wake up ache-free. Unlike other beds on the market, an adjustable bed offers you the flexibility you need and allows you to adjust select portions of the mattress or the entirety of your sleeping surface.

Remember, mattresses aren’t a one-size-fits-all product. Tailor your bed to your unique sleeping needs.

This is a guest blog entry.