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Best Mattress for PD?
I need a new mattress and am not sure what type to choose. I’ve been sleeping on a Temperapedic, which has become difficult to turn and move on. Any recommendations of particular brands and models?
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58 Replies
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Dear Bari,
More important than the mattress is having a “slippery surface” that you sleep on to assist in turning over. I bought som satin/silk pajamas, and found some satin curtains at a second hand store. Then I cut a strip long enough to tuck under both sides of the mattress on top of the bottom sheet and 50 cm wide (1,6 feet). Without it I would have a hard time turning in bed at night.
Good luck!
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Tom, I confirm what you’ve said to be true, too, but not for me. Poly/satin, which FEELS so slinky and lets you slide into turns, but it doesn’t breathe, and I wake up drenched in sweat. Real silk is kind of expensive so I’ve upscaled my all-cotton sheets to higher-count sateens. It’s the best I can do. The same thing can happen to me if I sleep on an all-foam mattress, especially memory foam. I’ve had PD for 22 years, and this problem with excessive sweating is a lovely new symptom I could do without!
So – I’m looking for a mattress that has cooling features in the top layers, and maybe another few layers of natural latex in different densities. I’ve tried two hybrid mattresses and sent both back. They used pocketed coils for the support layer, but I never felt like I was getting enough back support. I’ve since learned that the pocketing process means little if the coils are cheaply made. There are just so many things to be considered, I feel like I’m searching for a unicorn!
Some fact’s I’ve gleaned:
- A higher coil count doesn’t necessarily make for a superior mattress – one must compare the GAUGE of each coil and its construction. Gauge is measured inversely – the thicker the wire, the smaller the gauge. (Thicker is better)
- Whether or not the steel in the coils is TEMPERED matters (Tempered is better & will last longer)
- Another important factor is how tightly each coil has been wound. Coils constructed with a higher number of turns will result in a softer, more durable mattress.
- Pocketed coils may provide more motion isolation, but won’t necessarily provide better support – the coils need to pass the above tests first.
You may note that none of these burning questions can be determined by looking at coils encased in semi-opaque pockets.
- Finally, if you decide to purchase an all-coil bed – the kind you grew up sleeping on (not a hybrid) – OFFSET COILS are the best.
So, (again) – does anyone have any recommendations?
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We have slept on a SleepNumber bed for several years now. It has worked very well for us because each side is adjustable. It is a system of air baffles that you can fill or empty to the firmness you prefer. I find that my PD is not always the same at night and some nights I need more support and some less. We also have a heated mattress cover that is adjustable for each sleeper. I usually start out the night cold only to wake sometime later too hot. this way I can set it to be warm at the beginning but it will cool off to a very low level later in the night. Now if I could just turn off my mind I would have nighttime solved.
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Wow what a coincidence, my wife and I are finally changing our mattress. We loved our mattress for many years, but it’s me for the banana bed to leave our home! I’m 58 and have had PD for at least 5 years but diagnosed for 3 1/2,. I would also like to know what is the best bed for PD patients as well. I also have some issues tossing and turning. We went to look for beds and were told that the Tempur-pedic was good but have also heard that it was not. Please someone help us, don’t want to spend 5-6K and have a mattress that’s not comfy! Thank you so much!
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This sounds like it could be a good solution, Karla. Thanks. I’ll check it out.
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Hi Bari,
I have nothing to add to the mattress conversation, but I was interested in your comment on sweating. This is a new symptom for me, as well. Any suggestions from you or your Dr. It’s maddening!
Judy Caldwell
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Unfortunately, it isn’t a one-size-fits-all purchase. Like everyone, I too suffer from difficulty turning in bed – Thank you PD! 🙁
The silky sheets suggestion is a smart one for starters. Hand/support bars can be useful too.
My hubby and I have completely polar preferences when it comes to mattresses. He likes them soft, I prefer firmer options. We have been getting twin mattresses and using king fitted sheets to stay connected. We have tempurpedic with adjustable bases and it is still hard to move even on my ‘firmer’ side. Recently, we replaced a mattress at our cabin with the same type of bases and much softer memory foam. He LOVES this, but it’s even harder for me to move in the softer mattress – but it IS quite comfortable. Our solution will be grab bars which we have yet to install…I figure I’ll be getting an upper body workout first thing in the am 😉
Best wishes in finding a solution that works for you.
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I found this by a Parkie friend who bought it – it’s perfect as a grab bar, deterrent to falling out of bed, with pockets to stash my 1st am dose of carb/levo.
got it on Amazon for $109 – It’s the Stander EZ Adjust Bed Rail,Adjustable, and bed Assist Grab Bar for Elderly Adults with organizer. It’s the only one I could find that wasn’t for a child. When I have company or need to change the sheets, the rail folds over and down.
Worked for me!
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Thank you!
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Thanks
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I think grab bars would help me just wondering where you plan on installing them?
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Bari I have the same issues that you described and have also found satin sheets be way to slippery to move around. I’ve been looking for a while but hadn’t seen anything that seemed like it would work at all. I also have the PD issue of always being too hot so I’ve shied away from foam mattresses.
I finally saw a mattress, in a program for a disability fair, that is made by a company that makes mattresses and other items for people with various disabilities.
I would name it but I’m not sure what the policy is on the forum.
I actually got the mattress delivered yesterday and I won’t review it after just one night, but last night I actually stayed in my bed for more than six hours – more than twice as long as I usually do.
The mattress has the ability to keep you from sinking into it – which seems to be my problems with regular mattresses – once I sink in, I can’t turn over or move at all.-
hi Judi, can you plz share the name of thee mattress?
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Ann, I’m eager to hear more about this new mattress of yours. I hope you’ve found a winner and will be able to share your opinions about it with us, as well as the name of the manufacturer. (Maybe our moderator will step in and clarify).
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Here’s the link, so far it’s been very good. I’m having one of my PD hot flashes, so I’ll give you a mini review later.
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Here’s the link, so far it’s been very good. I’m having one of my PD hot flashes, so I’ll give you a mini review later.
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As soon as the moderator okay’s it I will post the website of the maker/seller.
My sleep issue is fragmented sleep. For the last 5 years I had no trouble falling asleep, but woke up 2 hours later, stiff and unable to reposition myself and would wind up just getting on living room chair watching TV until morning. The perhaps good thing that came out of was I take a dose of sinemet between 2-3 am and am able to walk, albeit slowly, first thing in the morning – the bad thing is I’ve never missed that middle of the night dose.
I still have not gotten past the fragmented sleep issue, but last night, after taking a few hours break on my couch, I was able to comfortably lie down and sleep from 5-7 am
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Dr Laurie Mischley, a PD expert and PhD, spoke recently about Melatonin – the type that melts in your mouth (maybe even sublingually). She said to take it if you wake up between 1 and 3 am. It works well for me. There is science behind those words. Apparently the natural melatonin is so low around that time, that it makes sense.
Hope this helps you. -
Yes, as Jean said, as long as you’re not posting links for profit, it’s alright. Please feel free to share accordingly. And let me know if you have any additional questions.
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Hi Judi, you can post the name as long as you dont work for the company and you are not trying to make money off it. I used to be one of the forum moderators and I am also a coumnist (Slow is the New Fast) for this website
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My messages aren’t being posted – can you help?
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hi judy, i see the message that says your messages arent being posted. how many others have u posted that u dont see?
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It looks like 3 aren’t – two of which are probably the same
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Hi,
I posted the url for the mattress earlier, and apparently hit submit more than once (don’t know how that happens but my fingers always hit stray keys…….. or it needs special moderation because it contains a url to another site.at
The mattress is called Thevocalm the company is in Germany with a branch in Washington State. The company is Thomashilfen and if you put www in front of the full name NS .US at the end it should get you to their site. -
Hi Judi,
Sometimes our posts go through an approval process, which means that they can get hung up for a little while before posting. Are there currently any posts of yours that are missing?
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I am in the same situation finding a mattress. I talked to the occupational therapist from the Movement Disorders Program . She told me it to buy foam mattresses that it wasn’t recommended for Parkinson’s patients. Thanks
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Hi Alba, I didnt understand your response. you were told foam is good or bad for PwP? Does MDS O/T consider ‘memory foam tempur pedic’ a foam mattress?
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Hello Bari – I too am diagnosed for 21+ years. The main complaints I hear from PWP is that they are afraid of falling out of bed. So…I measured 23″ on the height of my present bed, and I find that the mattresses now are high and big, but I will continue to look. I simply want my feet flat on the floor when I am sitting on the bed.
The 2nd complaint I hear about is repositioning. I have kept a Canadian firm’s info for anyone that, like you and I, like the feel of cotton but need the slide ability as well.
http://www.comfortlinen.com – check them out – you can also get satiny PJ’s from them – which is a must.
My original idea is still working for me. I went to a fabric store and bought a strip of satiny like (polyester of some sort) material with a moleskin like underside. Then I added (a tailor did it for me), regular moleskin type fabric to both ends of this rectangular strip. In the end you’ll have moleskin on both sides of the bed (friction, so you don’t slide off the bed) with the satiny stuff in the mattress top range. Total width depends on bed width. 18″ for the length of the bed. As you might surmise, this allows you and your significant other the feel of cotton, with the added repositioning feature just set at the core area of your body (hips area).-
What I’m envisioning is something like a table runner – would that be correct? Working in thirds, the two ends of the runner are made of a slip-resistant fabric, while the middle third section is a satin-y fabric to make turning easier. And then you lay it crosswise on top of your bottom sheet – right where the hips and tush touch the mattress. Is that right? I think that’s a brilliant idea! 🙂
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You’ve got that right!
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I posted just after you emailed that it was ok, but it is awaiitng moderation/approval – I accidentally post it twice. I will see if removing one will let the other one post. If it doesn’t I’ll post again with the name rather than the URL.
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When my husband was diagnosed almost ten years ago, and we needed a new mattress, we got a sleep number. A queen not the one that goes up and down separately but does go up and down. So when choosing, we chose a temper top (I do not think that is the word, I have brain fog from a migraine) maybe mattress topper. Thinking it would be better as his Parkinson’s progressed. Well, about four years into our new mattress he was not comfortable at all. Whether the mattress was soft, firm, up down. So he has been sleeping in an electric reclining chair. He has tried to come back to bed several times but is not comfortable at all. We are so far away from when he fell out of bed in our early dating years.. 22 years ago. He used to sleep on his side, on the edge.. one night he rolled over, crash.. and once I checked that he was not bleeding from his head from the sharp night table, he got back into bed.. and we had such a laugh…
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We, too, would like the name/manufacturer of the disability mattress.
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ok, i think because you had a link in your post, it is flagged for moderation. i dont have authorization to approve forum posts 🙁 can you just post name of mattress and we can google?
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one of my posts is flagged for moderation, probably cause i had a link. to help with my rolling around in bed, i use satin pajamas (Natori), occassionally use a silk contour sheet (didnt work that great and pricey) . i did puechase the Thevocalm which is geared towards PwP. I do NOT recommend. I have had one 16 months and middle is starting to sink, and it doesnt have support on the edges so where i sit on edge of bed, it is sagging. the best thinh i have found is the Snoozle slide sheet. website is mysnoozle dot com
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Bari and everyone else – can’t keep scrolling back and forth, I did post info a few hours ago but they are being held up because the first one has an address, I won’t be specific lest this one gets caught in the filter. Here’s what I think will be ok. The bed is made by a firm xalled Thomas Hilfen The specific mattress for PD is called, Thevo calm
Now I’m hoping this will work
Judi-
Thank you Judi for your perseverance. Sounds like you might have better luck with the thevocalm mattress than i did. I have one important suggestion for you (and it may not apply to you). Sitting on the edge of the bed (that is how i get dressed in the morning) really does a number on the edges which are sinking on me know sincw there is no edge support on the Thevocalm
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That’s interesting as they make a point of saying that they’ve greatly reinforced the sides of the mattress specifically for wheelchair users so they can sit on the edge of the bed during transfers without damaging the mattress.
The mattress I have seems to have some reinforcement of all the sides, which I can feel just enough to know it’s there. I’m just happy to be able to sit on my bed with my feet touching the floor.
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Wow! All these responses have generated a lot of info. Judi, I wish you the best of luck with your new bed. Let us know how it works out for you. Jean, thanks for your honest input. I did read thru most of the Thevocalm info (War & Peace) and I noticed that the bed for Dementia has firm edge support, but not the PD model (?) I think I’m leaning toward another Tempur-pedic, with a heat-dispersing mattress pad on top.
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sounds like a good plan Bari, my mattress prior to thevocalm was a tempurpedic and I may go back to that. as someone with pd, i am desperate to find relief from my symptoms and anything (especially the thevocalm) that says it can improve a person with parkinsons quality of life, I am all over it.
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Robert BD 1950 Dx 2005
During my years of experimenting with sleeping adjustments to improve my sleeping (I’ve had insomnia since about age 8), I bought an offensively expensive mattress and automatic frame adjustment system. The top of the mattress reached 26 inches from the floor, which I encountered twice while asleep. About the same time, I realized that I was tossing and turning even more that ever, and that the bed was TOO SOFT. In the store it had felt firm, and since one of my many complaints was that my spinal arthritis left me in discomfort unless I constantly changed position, I concluded that I needed firm and not soft.
Meanwhile, though, I tried the satin sheet ploy, but as some of my astute friends have already noted in the screens of this blog, that dive get only a 4 out of 10.
So I moved to the floor.
FLOOR SETUP #1. On the laminate floor, I rolled out two high density foam exercise mats, side by side, each 24 x 72 x 1-inch thick. On top of them I put a microfiber blanket, a cotton quilt, and I think maybe a sheet. That set up worked reasonably well because it flattened and firmed the contact with my back, lowering the pain on my lower spine, and second, it made tossing and turning easier (though by morning my bed needed to be re constructed.
FLOOR SETUP #2. For this setup, I moved my bed to the side of the king bed and built my sleeping spot into an area about 36 x 72 (with the bed on one side and the wall on the other side. I also was able to open and close the window in the wall next to me, so that I could lower the temperature of the bedroom. (Wife long ago has been sleeping in the family room or the library, so she is not affected by the temperature drop.) Sleeping docs have said that the ideal room temperature for sleeping is 60 degrees F. I had been tossing and turning in a 70 degree (usually) to 72 degree (mother-in-law visiting) room temp. Now I can sleep in a nice cool room. (I also have a heated throw, which keeps me snug.)
Conclusion: the hard, relatively smooth surface makes tossing and turning much easier that any blanket or sheet you can put on a regular mattress.
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And I thought it was just my husband who had an elaborate (and often preferred) floor ‘system’! My kids upped his game and he now has an ExPed camping mattress from REI. It’s still ‘floor firm’ but it is semi inflatable so a bit more comfy AND it packs up so he takes it traveling.
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Lol! Yes, getting a good night’s sleep is THAT ridiculous, isn’t it? I’m printing this out for my husband to read.
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i wear satin PJs (by Natori), sometimes use a silk top sheet (did not help much) but the best aid for me so far is the Snoozle https://mysnoozle.com/.
I was NOT impressed with the Thevocalm https://www.thomashilfen.us/thevocalm. For the price i paid, it should last for more than 16 months. It sinks in the middle and sides are sagging where I sit on edge of the bed.
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We are looking into a new bed right now, a split king adjustable with two twin XL bases. Stearns and Foster and Serta both make a firm mattress that provides more support when my husband will sit on it. (He does not like how he sinks into the one we have right now while sitting on the edge of it.) Those mattresses have coils so that provides a stiffer edge. A Sleepnumber bed provides no stiffness on the edges and he would just sink way into that.
As far as sheets go, we have had good success that has eased his ability to shift around by using bamboo sheets by Cariloha. (expensive but made such a difference in his ability to move around in bed.) They also provide more coolness than cotton, wicking away moisture. Other places call these tencel sheets lyocell. They are eco-friendly, too. I found that Mattress Firm sells bamboo sheets that may be cheaper than the Cariloa. You can feel the smooth sliding feel of them at Mattress Firm to get a sense of them.
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Dear Bari,
I can’t offer advice on a new mattress, but I can forward advice from a fellow PWP on your new symptom. He highly recommends a “BedJet” for people who are too hot or cold in bed. Add “.com” to the end of that word, and you’ll arrive at their website. I’m not associated with the company and haven’t tried it, but my friend swears by it.
As for myself, I currently don’t have trouble turning over in bed, but I am one of those PWP who suffers from REM sleep disorder. For a long time, I tried to deal with that by taking melatonin, and have tried regular, controlled-release, and fast dissolving (sometimes in combination). However, I still found myself thrashing in bed, as documented by the app I added to my phone that is noise-activated and, before I moved out of our bed, by my wife. I eventually decided to take my neurologist’s advice and he prescribed clonazepam. I take 0.25 mg and it pretty much knocks me out for the night. I’m still not crazy about the taking it, but it has allowed me to return to sleeping in the same bed as my wife without much in the way of worry for either of us (Knock on wood!), so it’s worth it. Good luck!
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There are plenty of models on the market, so I’m sure you have something to choose from.
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Purple mattress really works for us. We got it at Sleep Experts
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I tried the silk sheets only to find when tossing and turning in bed, I ended up falling on the floor. Not a good option for me. Marcia
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We have had good luck with bamboo sheets from Cariloha. They allow him to slide just enough to turn.
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I would go with an Essentia mattress if I were ready to get a new one.
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I would go with an Essentia mattress if I were ready to get a new one.
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My husband (with PD and a bad back) and I were in the same situation last year. We did a lot of shopping around and testing mattresses (and unfortunately listening to a lot of sales pitches). I am a Pediatrician so researched mattresses for muscle issues etc. What we found was, despite all the sales pitches anything at all with memory foam was a big NO (no matter the price, quality, etc— even Tempurpedic). It got to be comical, he would lay down and in a nanosecond give a????. Memory foam is wonderful (felt good to me, lol) because it coddles you and surrounds you, conforming to your body BUT it is just that that ‘trapped’ him and made it extremely difficult to move at all. We were advised to look at Latex mattresses (many different styles). Latex has the cushion of memory foam But it has spring so you don’t get trapped. Surprisingly we tried Purple on a whim (the sales person assuring me that my husband wouldn’t like it!, lol). It was great! (And he did!) worked for my bad hip and with their ‘hybrid’ line had both enough support and bounce that he could move easily, bonus was that it is cooler too. We ended up with 2 mattresses, both of which we both like (a miracle) . Guest room has Latex Hybrid (with coils) from Silk and Snow (Canadian company, delivers here), the other the Purple2 Premier (they keep changing names but it’s their hybrid with 2” purple topper— firmest of their hybrid line)—- (their website lists showrooms where you can try them )
I hope this helps, happy shopping… and don’t let a salesperson talk you into anything!, they do not understand Parkinson’s!
btw we bought the Latex mattress as a leap of faith, didn’t know where you could try one. My son had mattress from Silk and Snow that he loved and they had ‘premium’ Latex model. This company was also less expensive than others so we gambled and got one for guest room, then slept on it for a bit. Fortunately ie was good.
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My husband was diagnosed in 2017 and the search for a mattress and sheets has been on-going and expensive.
Our first mattresses were Temperpedic, a firm for him and a softer version for me, Split King with adjustable bases. He hated his and I wasn’t thrilled either. Next was the Thevocalm for him and a different one for me that was to help with chronic back pain. The good thing was the height. The mattresses are only 7” high, so he was able to get in and out easier. But, the insides seemed to just give way after a couple years.
Then, we moved and didn’t want to pay to move the rarely utilized adjustable bases, so went back to a coil mattress that was very firm in a King size. To keep the lower bed, we went without box springs, instead put a 3/4” piece of plywood underneath. I will admit that the mattress on Roy’s side of the bed sags due to his getting into bed routine, which includes pushing down with his fists and scootching back so he can swing his legs up. We switch it around every few months in an attempt to keep the darned thing for longer than a year!
The one thing that does work pretty well for him are Cosy House sheets, an on-line store. We have both the Luxury 1500 and the bamboo. Both are slippery enough that with all cotton undies, he can usually move around independently. If he can’t, I get called upon to help him get comfy. Some nights, there isn’t anything that works, so he heads for his recliner and dozes to the flicker of 24/7 news.
I guess I feel a bit better knowing that it isn’t just us that are having this dilemma. Sleep is so important and PWP sure have many issues that make it elusive, at best and non-existent at worst. Most times, I think it is the Parkinson’s causing the problems, not the actual mattresses. Because every once in a while, we sleep the sleep of people not living with Parkinson’s. Those nights are heaven, though fleeting! -
Hi,
I’m not too sure of the brand names but my husband who has Parkinson’s got a really Firm mattress because he was unable to move out of position on a pillow top or mid firm . It hurts my back because it is so hard ( I may sleep in another bed) but he loves it and can get out of bed earlier. We just use a bottom sheet and a duvet over, He sleeps naked so there is no PJ’s to get caught in anything
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