There are several methods campers use to make their air mattress more comfortable.
The best tips for a more comfortable inflatable mattress include:
- Getting the air mattress off the ground
- Choosing the best bedding
- Buying a good quality airbed
- Using a mattress topper
How To Make An Air Mattress More Comfortable – Top Tips
A good night’s sleep is not always a guarantee when you are sleeping on an air mattress.
Whether you are sleeping on an inflatable mattress in a house or in a tent while camping, you may not enjoy a restful and comfortable sleep.
Air mattresses are a great bed option for camping as they can fit easily into a tent.
However, if you are an avid camper and have spent one too many nights sleeping on an uncomfortable air mattress, you may be wondering how to make your air bed comfortable while camping.
We have the best tips on how to do this, just follow our step by step guide and enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep on your air mattress.
Air Mattress Buying Guide
To have the best night’s sleep possible during your camping trip, you will need to buy a good quality air mattress.
Cheap and poor quality air beds can deflate quickly, be made from uncomfortable materials and provide little support for your body while you sleep.
When buying an air mattress, there are several factors you will need to consider.
One of the main factors is that choosing a good quality inflatable mattress will help to increase your chances of having a comfortable night’s sleep.
Size
Do you need a single, double or queen sized air bed? Always be sure to check the dimensions of an air mattress before buying.
Even if you are planning on sleeping alone, a single air mattress may be too small for you to sleep comfortably on all night.
You will also want to consider the height of the air mattress before you buy.
If you struggle to get up from a low air bed, a taller air mattress will better suit your needs and increase your comfort.
Pump
If you require a specific level of firmness to be comfortable, you should look to buy an air bed with a built-in pump.
Air beds with a built-in pump are much easier to quickly deflate and inflate; you can effectively release small amounts of air at a time.
It can be more tricky to get the perfect firmness when inflating an air mattress with a manual foot pump.
Support
Different inflatable mattresses provide varying levels of support.
Read customer reviews and thoroughly read the item description before buying your air mattress.
There are air mattresses that are made with tempurpedic technology, raised memory foam or are designed with multiple air channels to provide support.
There are many high spec air mattresses available on the market that claim to offer as much comfort and support as a regular bed mattress.
Materials
If you want to be comfortable during the night especially while camping, you need a comfortable air mattress.
Not all inflatable mattresses are made from the same quality materials, and if you want comfort, you need a soft and cozy air bed.
Look for an air bed that is durable, waterproof and tear resistant so it survives the test of time, but also make sure your potential new air mattress is topped with a soft and comfortable flocking.
Why Air Mattresses Can Be Uncomfortable
You do not need to buy the best air mattress on the market to have a comfortable night’s sleep.
However, the higher quality your mattress, the less likely you are to face some of the common issues that can make inflatable beds uncomfortable.
Although some campers may accept a bad night’s sleep is just a part of the camping experience, not all air beds have to be uncomfortable.
If you are struggling to sleep happily on your inflatable mattress, here are some reasons why you may be finding your air mattress uncomfortable:
- The air mattress is too low – Getting into bed and up again in the mornings can be difficult and uncomfortable if your air bed is only a few inches above the ground.
- The air mattress is too cold – The air inside an air mattress can easily become cold. A cold mattress can cause you to feel a bit chilly and uncomfortable at night. Whilst a cold air mattress can be beneficial on a hot summer’s night, most nights can be cold and a mattress filled with cold air will only make the matter worse.
- Not enough support – If your air mattress is not offering your body enough support when you sleep, you may wake up with back and neck pain in the morning. An inflatable mattress needs to evenly distribute your weight, this will stop your body from sagging and putting uncomfortable pressure on your hips, spine and shoulders.
- Too inflated/deflated – An air mattress that is fully inflated may be too firm and feel hard and uncomfortable. Equally, if your air mattress is not inflated enough, it will not offer adequate support during the night. Poor quality air mattresses can deflate quickly and tear more easily, resulting in sleepy campers waking up on the tent floor in the morning.
What You Need To Make An Air Mattress More Comfortable
Before we share our best tips on how to make your air bed more comfortable while camping, you are going to need a few essentials.
Many of the things you need to make your air mattress comfortable you will probably already have at home.
If you want a comfortable night’s sleep on your inflatable mattress, you are going to need:
- A good quality air mattress
- Pillows and blankets/duvet
- A mattress topper
- Fitted sheets
- Foam tiles/mat or rug
- A box spring
How To Make An Air Mattress More Comfortable – Step-by-Step Guide
No one wants to be uncomfortable when they are trying to sleep.
When you are camping and have nowhere else to sleep, it is essential that your air mattress is as comfortable as possible.
If you always wake up in pain after sleeping on your air bed, or always feel uncomfortable and struggle to get off to sleep, we have some tips for you.
Follow our step-by-step guide the next time you sleep on an air bed.
You will notice how much better you sleep on your air mattress.
1. Buy a good quality air mattress
Whilst there are many budget friendly air mattresses available, they are not always the most reliable and often can’t compete with the comfort levels of something a little more high spec.
You don’t have to buy the best air mattress on the market, but you want to feel confident that you are buying a good quality air mattress that won’t completely deflate while you are sleeping.
2. Make your air mattress up like a bed
Sleeping on an air mattress doesn’t have to mean that only sleeping bags are allowed.
Sleeping bags definitely have their place but they are not always the most comfortable bedding to sleep in.
Instead, make up your mattress like your bed at home.
Use the same amount of pillows you use in bed, add soft and warm blankets and cuddle up under your cozy duvet from home.
If you are worried you will still be cold, you could use your sleeping bag as an extra layer, placing it over your quilt like another blanket.
3. Fitted sheets
You don’t want your bed sheets slipping off or bunching up in the night.
The air inside an air mattress will grow cold over time, a fitted sheet will keep a layer between you and the cold air throughout the night.
Fitted sheets will stay in place and shouldn’t slip off, even if you move around a lot in your sleep.
4. Add a topper
Sometimes air mattresses may need a mattress topper to provide optimum comfort.
A mattress topper will make your air bed further away from the ground and will also provide added support.
You may choose to buy a Memory Foam mattress topper especially for your air bed, or if you use a topper in bed at home you can use that with your inflatable mattress.
Your mattress topper will need to have the same (or very similar) dimensions to your inflatable mattress.
5. Put something underneath
Putting your air mattress directly onto the tent floor is not the best idea if you are hoping for a comfortable night’s sleep.
By adding a layer between your inflatable mattress and the ground, you will be creating a softer and more comfortable base beneath you.
You can use foam tiles, a rug or a thick mat.
Some campers will put their air mattress onto a camping cot.
Not all cot beds are suitable for use with an air mattress, however, there are plenty of options available on the market.
A cot will also make your mattress higher from the ground, making getting in and out of bed much easier and more comfortable.
Using a box spring is another option if you want your air mattress to be higher.
A box spring will also make your air mattress feel more supportive and comfortable.
6. Perfect the inflation
If your air mattress is not inflated enough, you may wake up with a sore back and hips.
Your air mattress needs to be inflated adequately to offer you maximum support and comfort.
However, an over inflated mattress may feel too hard and firm.
Experiment by letting small amounts of air out of your inflatable mattress until it is firm but not too hard.
Conclusion
Everyone wants a good night’s sleep and that includes avid campers too.
Unfortunately, sleeping on an air mattress is not always a comfortable experience.
If you have ever wondered how to make your air bed comfortable while camping, we hope this article has helped.
Follow our step by step guide and you will enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep on your air mattress wherever you are.
FAQ
Why Are Air Beds So Uncomfortable?
Air mattresses can be uncomfortable for several reasons.
An air mattress can become very cold overnight and may also release some air and deflate slightly as you sleep.
Compared to a regular mattress, air mattresses do not offer enough support and may not adequately distribute your body weight for optimum comfort.
Is It Bad to Sleep on an Air Mattress Every Night?
Air mattresses are a great solution when you need a bed for camping or if you have guests over to stay.
However, most air mattresses do not offer as much support for your spine as a standard mattress and whilst spending a few nights on an airbed will not do you any harm, you should avoid sleeping on an air mattress every day.
Can You Put Two Air Mattresses on Top of Each Other?
It is possible to stack two air mattresses on top of each other.
If you do want to do this, you will need to consider the size, inflation and weight limit of each mattress.
Stacking two air mattresses on top of each other will give you an airbed that is higher off the ground and may offer more comfort overnight.