Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Cushion? Mattress? What do you do?

Last year we got a new mattress. My wife thought a firm mattress would be best for me. She had good intentions, but the mattress was killing me at night. Then she added on top of the mattress a memory foam layer she found at Costco. Oh what a relief! I was immediately able to get more continuous hours of sleep. I still wake up after about 4 or 5 hours and have to find a new position, but now it is much better.

I have had trouble sleeping for years, couldn't recall the last time i slept through the night, half a night, or even a quarter of the night (unless I had been drinking, lol). About two weeks ago I splurged and bought a temperpedic bed. I bought the rhapsody model, which is temperpedic's much more firmer mattress, but yet still supports and molds to your body like a normal temperpedic. I also bought the ergo base, which is an adjustable base that allows you to raise your feet up and/or head. I can truthfully say, it has been worth every penny, I can actually look forward to going to sleep again, as opposed to dredding the though of it. I would highly recommend looking into temperpedic's rhapsody bed, or another memory foam brand that has a firmer type of foam.

Although I still wake up once or twice a night, its nothing compared to the 10, 20, 30 times that I had grown accustomed to. I think there is a certain healing process that occurs when you get a good nights sleep, for any medical condition. I have felt alot better, both at night, and throughout the day, after making my purchase.

I am so happy to read all of this, I signed up for KA a while ago and never got involved, but as I progress...if you can call it that, I need to see what others do and this was I don't feel like I am losing my mind!
Anyway, I am all for a soft bed and hate the looks I get when I grimace waiting in line and wanting to cry from the pain. I can imagine those who don't know me think I am pretty lazy for a 30 something woman.
I will keep checking this site, thanks everyone!

I use a soft mattress with the box spring on the floor. Because it is so hard to get comfortable, I am flopping from head to toe about every two hours. Use six pillows to position and pad my hips and back.
As for standing in lines, I still can after I adjusted my structure. I have gone from 6 foot to 5'10" with my right leg almost a half inch shorter. Custom orthotic (arch supports) balanced out my foundation (made everything level) which took alot of pain out of my feet, knees and some from the hips. I put a heel raise just on the right. This made a world of difference in reducing the pain in the lower extremities and my muscles are not as fatigued by the end of the day.
This is what I do for a living, keeping individuals walking as pain free as possible.
DOC

i have sleep number and put a memory foam tooper on it. with AS i feel different all the time so i can adjust til im comfortable. we have the dual chamber so we are both happy. whats really nice too is when he moves around the bed stays still so im not disturbed as movements cause pain which wakes me. as for furniture uhh anything with arms and thats sturdy so i can lift meyself out. my couch has a somewhat low, wide, cushioned arm which helps to get up. i scoot all the way against the arm then turn my back to it, reach behind and lift myself to sit on arm. then i can get up from there. hope this helps :]

Hi Bleeker,
as for beds, I read lots of helpful ideas from people, so I don't have anything new to say, except that I find that getting up, walking around, doing some stretches and having some hot tea (no caffeine) can help me get to sleep if I've woken up.
As for standing in line, I have found that wearing Dansko shoes make the biggest difference for me. Not everyone loves them, but I do.
Best wishes!

Hi Bleeker,

I've had a couple of beds, but we bought a new one this year - it's great..a Royal Comfort bed (Australian)- Latex Indulgence cushion top, with pocket springs, health guard fabric..after all the mattresses I've tried, this is heaven. It was a little expensive. But now I sleep more peacefully when I do. Chairs: I bought a cheap posture office chair in black from officeworks and it also has padding...hope that helps. I also find in winter an electric blanket on low before you get in is good and helps the stiffness a little more in the morning...Cheers AngelX

Oh yeah, waiting in line...I can't bear it for long. I go first thing in the morning when the store opens and less people are around. If I can I come with a friend, husband, another person who dosen't mind the wait in stores where they have a chair and somewhere to get up and walk I do, then they give me a wave as they are getting up to the counter. I've only had to do this a couple of times though...

I never sleep well and am in pain most all of the time no matter what I sleep on, but I love our temperpedic mattress the best of any bed I have ever tried. Standing or walking for any length of time is agony too. Sitting in hard chairs is out without a soft,soft cousion. I use my computer chair with a cusion on the bottom and a neck pillow. I have various pillows and cousions for everything. My bones cannot stand hard surfaces. Also my wife made heating pads with rice inside soft materials that I can heat up in the micro for aches or I can freeze them to use with ice packs. This disease requires a lot of accessories. Finding comfort and relief is mostly impossible but I try.

I have not slept well since I was about 13 yrs old. I have slow sleep insomnia but not sure if that has to do with the pain of AS or is a separate issue. Hubby and I bought a wizz bamm matress 2 yrs ago that was very expensive and supposed to be excellent for bad backs. I can't sleep on it.
I sleep on an air matress in the lounge. I find it is good as like others have said, you can ajust the pressure. Still wake from pain but no where near as much as sleeping in bed.

Oh and ulike Donna, I don't have regular visits. LOL
something about my hip dislocating everytime is not realy a big turn on.

Love my air bed.