How Do Adjustable Beds Work?

Perhaps you’ve had trouble sleeping, or maybe you wake up sore. Maybe you have to spend a lot of time in bed, or by chance you’re recovering from an injury. If any of these sound like you, then an adjustable bed might just be what you’re looking for.

When a lot of people imagine adjustable beds they think of the very basic up and down motion of a hospital bed, and anyone who’s spent time in one of those knows they’re not great. But adjustable beds are so much better--the technology in adjustable beds is moving rapidly, and new innovations are coming out all the time. There has never been a better time to buy an adjustable bed than right now.

But how does an adjustable bed base work? Are adjustable beds worth it?

Let’s Talk About Adjustable Frames

An adjustable bed is nothing without a base; the base controls how the adjustable bed operates. Beds that sit up and beds that move up and down are all in need of an adjustable bed base. The adjustable bed base is the part of the bed that controls the position you sleep in. Some bases have more joints than others. These joints are the places where the bed moves, and generally, the more joints, the more sophisticated the adjustable bed base.

If you’re having trouble picturing these joints, think of that hospital bed: it has one joint--the one has beds that move up and down, and beds that sit up . More sophisticated bases have joints that lift to elevate the knees. Some beds have joints that give you support to the neck and head.

And depending on the bed, each side of the bed might have its own free-moving joints. This way, if you’re in a king or a queen bed, your partner can adjust their side of the bed to be comfortable in their own way--you don’t need to negotiate to get the perfect fit.

The Aesthetics of an Adjustable Bed

But there’s so much more to an adjustable base than just the joints for beds that move up and down. Not only does it lift your head, torso, and knees, but some beds are designed as “wall huggers” which means that when you raise up, the bed scoots backwards so it’s always hugging the backboard, giving your bed more of a homey feel and less of the hospital look.

The adjustable bed frame actually fits into your existing bed frame snugly, so that when lying flat, the adjustable bed frame looks no different from the same bedroom set that you know and love. The headboard can remain your headboard, and the footboard can remain your footboard. How does an adjustable bed base work? By fitting into your current lifestyle in the best way possible.

There are also some bases that are designed to be as quiet as possible, so that if you need to shift during the night to get a better position, the noise of your side of the bed won’t wake your partner. For more information see us on Tuck!

There are even adjustable bed bases that can give you a massage! Some of the best adjustable beds have massaging movements that can isolate individual areas of your body--massaging your back or your neck or your legs, or all at once.

This is far from just a vibrating mattress that doesn’t really do anything more than shake you up. This real, high-quality massaging adjustable bed frame is part of your adjustable bed frame and will relax you and relieve pressure and knots.

Adjustable Bed Frames in the 21st Century

Adjustable beds are driving headfirst into the digital age. When you want to adjust your position, to have beds that sit up to turn on the massaging adjustable bed frame, or to turn on music with the speakers that are built into some adjustable bed frames, you can do it all from an app on your phone, Apple or Android. And want to charge your phone? Adjustable bases have USB ports for as many as eight devices.

Likewise, if you get up in the middle of the night and have trouble seeing in the dark, some adjustable bed frames have underside lights to make the floor around the bed glow so you’ll never trip. So how does an adjustable bed base work? It works with high technology to give you the best sleeping, sitting, lounging, relaxing, and soothing experience you can have.

What About an Adjustable Bed Mattress?

You may be getting concerned because mattresses that you’re used to simply aren’t made to bend. They’re too stiff, and what about the box spring?

First of all, it’s true that you don’t use a box spring with an adjustable bed, but with how an adjustable bed works you don’t need one. A djustable bed frames use mattresses that are specially built to accommodate all the beds that move up and down. They adjust to every contour of every joint, and they massage along with the base.

Second, Dynasty Mattress makes a state-of-the-art mattress for adjustable bed frames called the CoolBreeze Plush Gel Memory Foam mattress, which is as comfortable a mattress as you will find anywhere. The memory foam was invented by NASA engineers to give astronauts their most comfortable seats, and the technology has been adapted into mattresses. It conforms to the contours of your body, cuddling you up in a snug cocoon. But, lest you fear you’ll get too warm in that cozy envelopment, the Plush Gel wicks heat away from your body so you never get too hot.

Third, just because you have an adjustable bed doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the size of your bed. You can get a queen, king--even a California king--and more. And these mattresses are split down the middle, two mattresses in one, so that you when you’re lying in bed with your partner you can each be adjusted however you each prefer, but when the bed is empty and the base is in the down standard position, no one would ever know it’s a bed that moves up and down . It looks just like a normal queen or king.

What Else to Know:

Do Adjustable Beds Ruin Mattresses?

You have to have the right mattress, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a regular mattress on an adjustable bed. If you’re in love with your mattress, but want an adjustable base, then you can make it work. Innerspring mattresses and hybrid mattresses aren’t the best--they have too many internal workings to withstand the movement of an adjustable base.

But that’s okay, because those mattresses are going out of style anyway as new mattress technology is being introduced (as we mention above). When you buy an adjustable bed, it will have recommendations for the type of mattress you will want to use.  

What if I’m a Side Sleeper?

If you like sleeping on your side, then just move the base down into its standard down position and lie on your side. During the rest of the time you’re in your bed--watching TV, reading books, talking with family--you can use the adjustable features to sit up and be comfortable.

Shop Our Selection of Adjustable Beds