Are Platform Beds Bad for Your Back?

Are you thinking about getting a platform bed due to its minimalistic design but don’t know if it is okay for your back? Well, it depends on many factors, such as if you have chronic back pain or not.

Also, the platform bed and mattress type determine whether it is bad for your back. And guess what? Aside from some people, platform beds provide direct benefits to many sleepers.

We will discuss everything from what exactly is a platform bed, its types, and what type of sleepers it is good for. So, hold on tight as we dive deep into this topic!

What is a Platform Bed

Important

Since platform beds are like sleeping on the floor, it is suitable for keeping people with excessive body heat cool. Also, the storage platforms are great for saving space and storing stuff.

However, platform beds are not good for people with back, knee, and neck pain.

There are no box springs in platforms beds. So, they may exert more pressure on your lower back. Still, you can make these platforms more comfortable by using mattress toppers or sheets.

What is a Platform Bed?

It is an elevated surface made of wooden slats or similar material. Think of it as the base layer for your mattress. It’s where you place your box spring and mattress, creating what should be a solid surface for sleeping.

Platform beds keep your mattress higher off the ground to have additional storage space and a smooth sleeping surface.

Since Roman times, platform beds have been around when it was common to sleep on a raised surface to keep cool. The elevated surfaces were also used for storage purposes, so the bed catered to both needs – sleep and storage.

Different Types of Platform Beds

Platform beds give your bedroom a clean and modern look without having you spend money on a luxury mattress. This list of platforms goes over the common types to choose the best one for your lifestyle and preferences.

Classic Platform

Classic platform beds do exactly what they say on the tin – they provide a flat, raised surface for your mattress. They’re usually made of the same material as the rest of your bedroom (wood, metal, plastic) and often come in simple forms like square or rectangular shapes.

Floating Platform

Floating platforms are named so because they provide no solid base underneath your mattress. Instead, they offer a flat surface surrounded by supports that keep your mattress from touching the floor or wall. These come in different forms but are typically oval or round and made of wooden slats with metal cross pieces for support.

Storage Platform

These platforms offer more than just a place to sleep; they also provide storage space. They’re typically smaller than other options but still come in various styles and shapes. Some storage platforms include drawers or doors to hide your stuff, while others keep it out for display.

Is Platform Bed Good or Bad?

Platform beds have been around longer than many types of beds, but most people have only recently started to discover them. We think a platform bed with storage is very convenient, but this bed has a few disadvantages for certain sleepers.

The Bad Points

If you have bad back or other health problems, it may not help you sleep better. It’s hard to breathe freely on a platform bed because of a lack of air circulation under the mattress. So, if you have asthma, a platform bed is not a good choice.

Moreover, if you prefer a soft and cushioning surface, a platform bed will be firm. It is not suitable for people with knee pain, hip pain, and shoulder pain. Therefore, senior citizens should avoid getting these beds.

The Good Points

Platform beds are close to the floor, which keeps everything cool, great for hot sleepers. Also, it helps maintain your posture by keeping your back straight and avoiding any spine problems. If you don’t have any health problems, platform beds are perfect for you and provide health benefits instead.

Why Are Platform Beds Bad for Your Back?

Platform beds are pretty popular, but they can also be bad for your back despite their many positive aspects. The most common reasons why people think that platform beds are bad for the back are:

They increase stress on your back. Due to the lack of box springs below the mattress, there is more weight load that your lower spine has to support.

It leads to low-grade pressure on the discs in your lower back (the lumbar region). That pressure might not be low enough to cause you any pain, but it could lead to damage over time.

Another common reason people think platform beds are bad for the back is because they sleep on the floor, which means their mattress is simply resting on the ground.

Although this could cause problems with dust mites or other pests, it doesn’t contribute to back pain.

How To Make A Platform Bed More Comfortable?

Here is a quick and easy way to make your platform bed more comfortable.

Step 1

Buy memory foam mattresses, which are like a mattress topper. You don’t have to worry that the mattress pad will add extra height because the platform bed frame is too high. It is an easy but crucial step to make your platform bed more comfortable.

Step 2

Place a layer of boards on top of your platform to provide extra support. Panels come in various lengths, widths, and thicknesses. They give your mattress more support when you lay them down in a criss-cross pattern. As a result, it keeps the mattress from sagging, conforming to the shape of your body over time.

Step 3

Cover your mattress pad with a fitted sheet. It will keep it in place on top of your mattress. You also need to ensure that you have a plush enough sheet not to feel the boards underneath when you are lying down.

Step 4

Put a plush mattress on top of the board. It will make your platform bed even more comfortable than ever before because it is soft and supportive.

Step 5

Place down your sheets, cover your pillows with pillowcases, and you are ready for bed!

FAQs

Q: Is a Platform Bed Worth It?

A platform bed is worth it if you want an easy-to-make, healthy sleeping surface that’s more affordable than a custom-made mattress.

Q: Do Platform Beds Make Your Mattress Firmer?

No, platform beds do not make your mattress any firmer. However, platform beds can have a pronounced effect on the comfort of your mattress. Your mattress will likely feel firmer if you sleep on a platform bed.

There are no box springs on platform beds, so your mattress does not get any support from below.

The lack of support can cause some softening in the top surfaces of your mattress over time. Platform beds with slats (small pieces of wood or metal running between each of the four sides of the bed) will have a minimal effect on the firmness of your mattress.

Q: Can Platform Beds be Comfortable?

Yes, platform beds can be very comfortable. A platform bed does not have a traditional foundation. Instead of supporting the mattress with a box spring and metal frame, it has a solid platform on top of the floor to support it.

Platform beds are sometimes called “zero clearance” beds because they don’t have a metal frame sticking out from under the mattress. It makes it easier to get into bed or around your bedroom because you don’t need to step over metal parts of the bed.

It also means you don’t need to lift the mattress to make your bed (making moving a platform bed very easy).

Q: How Thick Should a Mattress be for a Platform Bed?

Mattresses for platform beds need to be thicker than mattresses on a traditional bed frame. The platform may not provide the same level of support in all areas.

Since many platform beds are designed with slats to allow airflow, there is less firmness than a typical bed frame. For this reason, it is vital to find a mattress that is about 6 inches thick.

It will provide the most comfortable and still allow airflow between the slats or between the mattress and floor.

Wrap Up

No matter which platform you choose, make sure it’s safe and sturdy! Platforms that sit directly on the floor already have a lot of stability but those that don’t may require particular legs for support.

Also, if you don’t want to suffer from low-grade back stress every night, you might need to raise your mattress higher, resulting in other problems, such as neck strain.

So, whatever you choose, the decision should be wise enough to stay healthy!

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