Most campers normally have various sleeping options when going for camping trips. Majority of campers use sleeping bags, but an air mattress is one of the best backup sleeping options that you can rely on. Air mattresses are easily inflated when they are to be used and deflated for easier storage when not in use. They turn into a portable bed and back into your backpack within the blink of an eye!
While sleeping on an air mattress is so much fun, there are mixed opinions concerning the issue of sleeping on an air mattress long term. Some people believe that sleeping on the air mattress for long does not have any complications at all. On the contrary, others believe that there are some health problems associated with sleeping on an air mattress.
What is the simple answer to this issue then?
For the sake of all fellow outdoor campers out there, we are going to expound on this issue and come up with the best answer. This is a rare case, but there is nothing wrong with sleeping on an air mattress every night for a long period of time.
There are some reasons which are beyond any reasonable doubts why people sleep on air mattresses. It could be because one can barely afford a new mattress, one is suffering from back issues, and lastly, it could be like in my case where one needs something temporary for some days when camping.
Advantages of Sleeping on an Air Mattress Long Term
The feeling you get from sleeping on an air mattress is a little different compared to sleeping on other types of mattresses. If you adjust it to the right firmness, it will be extremely comfortable. Sleeping on an air mattress will make the process of sleeping outdoors in the wilderness feel like you are sleeping on your comfortable bed at home.
An air mattress can serve you for a long time. This remains to be the case only if you decide to take excellent care of it. With time, other types of mattresses do sag at the point where the pressure is constantly exerted, and so its quality depreciates with time with no remedy. For the air mattress, sagging can simply be remedied by inflating it.
Generally, air mattresses are not as pricier as other types of mattresses. If you plan to use it for a short period of time, it will be able to give you value for your money. If you are facing financial constraints and you are struggling to make ends meet, get yourself an air mattress whose cost does not exceed the budget you have allocated. With the right care, it will serve you well for a considerable amount of time.
This is the most outstanding advantage of air mattresses. You can simply adjust the firmness of your air mattress to suit you. If you want it to be firmer, then you will have to inflate it with a lot of air and less air if you want it to have a soft feel.
An air mattress that is too firm will prevent you from distributing your weight evenly across its surface. The result of that is that too much pressure will be exerted on some parts of your body depending on your sleeping pattern.
If you sleep on your side, your hip bone and shoulder will be affected. On the other hand, your lower back will be affected if you sleep on your back.
An air mattress is quite easy to store since you can deflate it and fold it to a small size. If you need to move to another campsite, you will not have problems when transporting it. Also, if you decide to hold a meeting with your other fellow campers in your small tent, you can simply deflate it to create more room so that you can discuss issues regarding the success of the camping spree.
Convincing Reasons on why you should avoid sleeping on cheap air mattresses
Disadvantages Associated with Sleeping on an Air Mattress Long Term
The materials used to make air mattresses such as vinyl are unbreathable. This makes the task of regulating heat impossible. When it’s warm, the material traps heat. This will leave you feeling extremely hot to the extent that you will be sweaty.
During the cold season, the material barely absorbs your body heat, and for that reason, you will be feeling cold throughout the night. To counter this trait, you must have a pad or a topper.
If you get an air mattress that is of low quality, with time, it will lose air hence becoming less firm. This will cause it to be less comfortable which will affect the quality of your sleep and at the same time put your back condition at risk.
In such a case, you will certainly have to be re-inflating your air mattress now and then. Some manufacturers install their air mattresses with in-built secondary pumps which re-inflates your air mattress when need be.
Also, there are instances when your air mattress could get punctured, and the pump could need replacement after some time. This will cost you some extra dimes because of the constant repairs.
This is the greatest downside when it comes to using an air mattress on a long-term basis. Compared to other types of mattresses, an air mattress requires quite some work in terms of maintenance. Before you sleep, you have to set it right which is inclusive of getting optimal firmness, and the biggest challenge is retaining it in that condition.
There is nothing as a bad night’s sleep. If by bad luck you sleep on an air mattress that does not provide you with the right support, your spine will certainly not be aligned. This will cause you to suffer from back pains and stiffness.
Qualities of the right air mattress for long-term utilization
If for some reason, you can’t help but use an air mattress for a longer period of time, there is a checklist you can use just to be sure that you get one that will serve you in the best way. Here are some of the features you should look out for:
Conclusion
An air mattress has always been everyone’s best backup sleeping option. If you have been wondering whether sleeping on an air mattress long term is right, I am certain that you can now make a sound decision based on the facts that I have stated. When it comes to issues of back pain, it is a mere misconception.
You can simply adjust the firmness of your air mattress to suit your preference. Actually, there are those who turn to sleeping on an air mattress just to alleviate back pain. With the right care, your air mattress is bound to serve you for quite some time.
In my opinion, an air mattress is ideal for backup purposes only or for use for a short period of time. It could be durable if you take good care of it. If it gets punctured, you only need a simple repair. At times, the puncture could be one that cannot be repaired and still, frequent repairs will render the air mattress useless in the long run.
They end up suffering from back pains and try to make everyone believe that air mattresses are not good. Now that you know everything about air mattresses, you can very well make an informed decision on whether to use one or not when camping.
Leave us a comment on the article and let us know your opinion on whether you support sleeping on an air mattress on a long-term basis and state your reason(s). If you are not to the idea, feel free to state why. If you need clarification on any issue, feel free to make an inquiry, and I will be glad to offer assistance.