Bad back & sleeping in a van - what do you sleep on?

[marshall]

We were in Indianapolis two years ago and we saw 8" high density memory foam full mattresses for $300. Then I ran into the Serta for 178. Same one they sell at Sam's. Had a 4" memory foam topper on it for awhile, but we threw it away cause it hurt my back. It was hard to get up and out of the bed with it on. The mattress by itself is a champ.

 

[Simran]

I have a link to a place that custom makes odd sized mattresses for <br>boats &amp; campers. i'll have to look for it. I think it is on my other <br>computer; price wasn't out of line either.<br><br>gus

 

[Queen]

I had a bad back for 20 years. &nbsp;I say had because a buddy recommended a book, I read it, worked it, and no more bad back (going on nine years now). &nbsp;<br><br>Now I'm a tree hugging weirdo so it's no surprise I would buy into a mind-over-matter approach... but I loaned the book to my super conservative brother a couple of years ago, he was on his way to back surgery, now he doesn't have a bad back anymore.<br><br>Might be worth a look if you're game, and I hope it helps you as much as it helped me:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-...r=1-1&amp;keywords=dr+sarno+healing+back+pain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-...r=1-1&amp;keywords=dr+sarno+healing+back+pain</a>

 

[offroad]

<BR>your body is designed to sleep on flat hard ground.&nbsp; for a million years.&nbsp; we had no memory foam.&nbsp; we had no mattresses.&nbsp; The pressure points on your body react, and you adjust and move for proper support.&nbsp; muscles and joints automatically adjust relaxing moving healing.<BR><BR>

 

[wagoneer]

yes japanese been sleeping on those straw hard things for years. I started working "smart" years ago and every move i make is pre-thought to minimize damage to my body (which i live with every day)

 

[lost_bone]

<br>&nbsp;i always buy from "wholesale foam factory" cost much cheaper than retail store price they sell many differnt kind memory pad or matress or poly or firm chooie size of matress!&nbsp; check this<br><br>&nbsp;and will help lots for back&nbsp; use 3lb or 4 or 5lb of memory matress depend what y need for back <br><br>&nbsp;http://www.thefoamfactory.com/<br><br>hope it helpful.

 

[caseyc]

When I first started out buying memory foam mattresses, I quickly learned a lesson between higher quality versus lower quality.&nbsp; At a local bed/furniture store, I bought an 8 inch twin size,&nbsp;no-name memory foam mattress for about $400.&nbsp; This mattress was wrapped tightly in plastic and rolled up, and was only 1 inch thick when compressed and wrapped.&nbsp; I had to unwrap and take off the plastic in order for the mattress to slowly uncompress/expand to reach its full 8 inch size height, which took about 24 hours to do.&nbsp; I found this mattress to be okay, but not great.<br><br>Later on, I discovered that the better memory foam mattresses are already full size, and don't need to expand/un-compress.&nbsp; What you see for size is what you get. No waiting 24 hours for the mattress to expand to full size...that's retarded!&nbsp; The better brand names are by Temperpedic and iComfort, but these brands costs much more than the no-name brands.&nbsp; I actually like the iComfort memory foam mattress better versus a Temperpedic, and one day I felt lucky to have purchased a brand new iComfort twin size memory foam gel mattress for about $600, which normally costs closer to $1,000.&nbsp; I've had this iComfort mattress now for over 1/2 year, and I'm still very happy with it.&nbsp; I didn't get the "box spring" (lower piece) that usually accompanies the mattress, but instead simply placed my mattress on top of a twin size cheery wood platform bedframe with headboard.&nbsp; <br><br>I also have various size memory foam pillows.&nbsp; Temperpedic pillows for $100 is soooooooo worth it!&nbsp; You will never know a quality pillow until you've tried one by Temperpedic.&nbsp; Yes, $100 is rather pricey for a pillow.&nbsp; But after you've used one for some time, you will never go back to anything else, haha! <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif"><br><br>I gave away that lower quality memory foam mattress to a friend who is very happy with it.&nbsp; <br><br>Casey

 

[Blue]

I got a serta motorized adjustable bed with vibrate. I got rid of the like 11 inch thick mattress it came with (the frame is already padded by about 2 inches of firm foam) and will be getting a memory foam full sized mattress pad, to go along with the feather bed topper I already have. I really like this set up because when I want to sit up or lift my legs I dont have to crawl around on the mattress or move pillows around. I just hit the remote and the legs lift up and the back tilts and if my back is really hurting or my calves or ankles are sore from too much hiking or doing too much labor I just hit the massage function. ahhhhh....

now this does have a HUGE drawback in the leg portion of the bed cannot be folded up like a futon to make a simple seat (I gotta sit crossleged on the mattress, or sit with my legs some what cramped on the side of the mattress near the door) or I gotta get up and sit in the drivers chair to actually sit upright, but really this was a minor trade off for the ability to hit a button and change my sitting/laying position without effort.