I switched to a Casper adjustable bed frame — and it relieved both my swollen legs and nighttime indigestion

December 31, 2018

I switched to a Casper adjustable bed frame — and it relieved both my swollen legs and nighttime indigestion

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The Casper adjustable bed frame works with all foam mattresses. I don't have a Casper mattress, and it functions just fine with my alternative foam-based choice.
The controller for the bed frame is about twice the size of an Apple TV remote and includes six buttons: Two adjust the top part of the bed, two move the bottom part up and down, and two control both halves of the bed simultaneously.
For $1,195 for a queen size, the bed frame isn't cheap, but it only took a few nights of sleeping on it to convince me that it's well worth the price.
I'd recommend it to people with sleep apnea, indigestion, bad backs, swollen legs — the list goes on.

As someone who's in the habit of stacking three flimsy pillows behind my head to read or watch TV in bed, switching to an adjustable bed frame was a greater comfort than I'd expected.

Honestly, sleeping on an adjustable bed frame had never occurred to me before I was sent Casper's queen-size version to review a few weeks ago. For $1,195, it isn't cheap, but it only took a few nights of sleeping on it to convince me that it's well worth the price.

I discovered one of the handiest uses of the adjustable bed frame when I developed a cold shortly after my purchase. Congestion always gets worse when you're lying down, so having the bed frame to prop my head up while sleeping saved me from waking up unable to breath.

Sleeping with your upper body lifted also helps prevent snoring. Elevating your whole upper body (and not just your head) can remove pressure from your airways, making it easier to breath through the night. It can even stave off indigestion. As someone who suffers from acid reflux, sleeping upright let gravity do its work by stopping stomach acid from reaching my esophagus, something that occasionally wakes me up at night.

While I quickly learned that I'd be using the adjustable frame to lift my upper body, I hadn't thought about the positive effects lifting my lower body would have on my feet, legs, and back. After long days of pounding pavement (in New York City's summer heat, no less), letting the blood drain from my swollen legs has proven to be a huge relief.

I recently spent a day at the beach, during which I plodded through sand to get as far away from the boardwalk as possible to avoid the weekend crowds. Walking for so long in the hot sun, my feet and legs needed some extra TLC when I got home, which the adjustable bed frame easily provided through targeted elevation. Kicking your feet up at the end of the day can also provide relief from aches related to varicose veins and can help you avert blood clots (though luckily I'm not accustomed to worrying about either of those issues).

My partner, who experiences knee and back pain, particularly enjoys the lower body lift. He usually puts a pillow beneath his legs while lying in bed. Now, being able to angle his legs upwards brings him improved comfort (and frees up an extra pillow).

That being said, the biggest hazard of the adjustable bed frame is that there's just one controller, and my partner and I can fight about it like we do the TV remote. However, Casper does have a two-person adjustable bed frame option, which requires the purchase of two twin mattresses so each sleeper can customize their own experience without disturbing the other. My partner and I are both happy sleeping just short of 180 degrees on most nights, though, and we've had fun experimenting with alternative angles (yes, the adjustable bed frame can also be a pretty decent game for the less than mature).

The controller for our bed frame is about twice the size of an Apple TV remote and includes six buttons: Two adjust the top part of the bed, two move the bottom part up and down, and two control both halves of the bed simultaneously. At first, I felt a little weird about sleeping on an electronic bed base — what if it malfunctioned in the middle of the night? However, that hasn't happened, and even if it did, the worst-case scenario is that the slow, gentle movement could wake me up.

Besides that unlikely hazard, plugging the bed into a nearby outlet could prove a challenge, what with air conditioners and phone chargers often taking up the most convenient spaces. However, a power bar easily solves that problem. (I happened to have one near my bed anyway.)

The Casper adjustable bed frame works with all foam mattresses. I don't have a Casper mattress, and it functions just fine with my alternative foam-based choice.

Another plus — it's not ugly. My previous metal bed frame certainly didn't add to my bedroom décor. Meanwhile, the sleek, subtle design of Casper's bed frame is pleasing to look at and works with the various eclectic furniture items adorning my bedroom. It doesn't stand out as particularly ornamental or industrial and can fit into nearly any design scheme.

My last concern when opting for the new bed frame was the storage space. Living in a small, New York City apartment means I need all the extra space I can get, so I've long used my under-the-bed area to store out-of-season clothing and extra towels and bed sheets. Fortunately, Casper's adjustable frame is 15 inches off the ground, providing even more space than my old bed frame — my four under-the-bed storage containers fit with room to spare. And the movement of the frame never obstructs access to my belongings.

Though it's a bit of an investment, my new adjustable bed frame has brought both me and my partner relief we didn't previously think a bed frame could provide. I'd recommend it to people with sleep apnea, indigestion, bad backs, swollen legs — the list goes on.