Key Takeaways
- Methods to Secure Sheets: To prevent sheets from sliding around on adjustable beds, consider using elastic bands, sheet suspenders/fasteners, or fitted sheets with a full elastic band that wraps around the entire sheet. Also, make sure your fitted sheets have deep pockets to cover the entire mattress and tuck them several inches underneath to prevent slippage.
- Benefits of Adjustable Beds: Despite the challenges with keeping sheets in place, adjustable beds offer several advantages, including easing back pain, reducing acid reflux, relieving snoring, alleviating muscle tension and joint pain, and improving circulation. The zero-gravity position that adjustable beds offer can contribute to these health benefits.
- Addressing Sheet Slippage: By implementing the recommended sheet-securing methods, you can mitigate the issue of sheet slippage on adjustable beds, allowing you to enjoy the numerous benefits associated with these specialized bedding solutions without the hassle of constantly readjusting your sheets.
There’s no denying it—adjustable beds are pretty great. They can put you into the zero-gravity position to help ease back and joint pain. They can help reduce the snoring caused by sleep apnea. And they can ease the symptoms of other medical conditions. An adjustable split king might even be the key to some partners being able to sleep in the same room at night!
However, one of the biggest problems with adjustable beds is you just can’t seem to keep a set of sheets on the things. As soon as you adjust the bed settings, the sheets start sliding around. The good news is there are a few things you can do to stop this. Let’s take a look.
Elastic Bands
Some fitted sheets have built-in external elastic straps that are sewn onto all four corners. These durable elastic bands hug the bottom corners of the mattress to hold the sheet in place and are not visible once the sheet is on the bed.
Sheet Suspenders/Fasteners
Sheet fasteners or sheet suspenders are stretchy straps that have clips on each end. Some sheet straps may have a third clip in the middle that attaches right at the turn of the sheet corner for added stability.
These fasteners can prevent fitted sheets from bunching and sliding as you adjust your bed. So if you don’t have sheets with built-in elastic bands, suspenders are a good alternative.
Internal Elastic
Most fitted sheets come with some type of internal elastic band on their edges, but to get the best fit, you’ll want a band that wraps all the way around the entire fitted sheet. While this describes many fitted sheets, many also only have the elastic band sewn only into the four corners. This can especially be the case with cheaper sheet sets.
The best sheets for an adjustable bed have a full elastic band. Elastic all the way around will make the fitted sheet hug the mattress tighter. This tightened fit helps to prevent slippage when you change settings.
Deep Pockets
Does your fitted sheet not go all the way underneath your mattress? That means your mattress is too deep for the sheet. This can cause sheets to pop off when you adjust your bed or even when you just sit down on it. Go for a fitted sheet with pockets deep enough to cover your whole mattress. Tuck the sheets at least several inches underneath the mattress on all sides.
Benefits of an Adjustable Bed
Despite the problems with keeping sheets on them, adjustable beds have tons of great benefits. The following are just a few of them!
Eases Back Pain
Back pain sufferers report relief from adjustable beds, especially when they sleep in the zero-gravity position. This position elevates the head and the feet above heart level. Raising the body like this ensures the spine is aligned in a neutral position.
The spinal alignment of the zero-gravity position can relieve muscle tension that causes lower back pain. It also takes the pressure off of individual vertebrae by distributing it evenly across the whole vertebral column. An even distribution of pressure can further alleviate pain.
Helps Reduce Acid Reflux
Sleeping in an elevated position can help prevent your stomach acid from coming back up your esophagus through the use of gravity. Sitting upright while you sleep leaves your esophagus above your stomach instead of in a straight line with it, meaning the pull of gravity makes it harder for reflux to occur.
Can Relieve Snoring
Patients with sleep apnea and plain old snorers alike often find that sleeping sitting up relieves their symptoms. Lying flat can exacerbate or outright cause the tissues in your throat to collapse and obstruct your airways, leading to snoring and obstructive sleep apnea symptoms. Elevating the head and upper body relieves the obstruction, opening up your trachea to allow free airflow.
Alleviates Muscle Tension and Joint Pain
Sleeping lying flat can put pressure on certain parts of your body. For instance, side sleepers may suffer pressure point pain in their hips and shoulders, while stomach sleepers can get lower back pain from the tension caused by their pelvis sinking into the bed.
Sleeping with the head and knees slightly elevated can help take pressure off of side sleepers’ joints. Certain adjustment settings may also help stomach sleepers train themselves out of sleeping in this unhealthy position.
Improves Circulation
Not only can the zero-gravity position help relieve back pain, but it can also increase blood flow. Ironically, gravity is your friend in the zero-gravity position. Why? Because keeping the upper body and feet elevated above the chest help pull blood back to the heart.
The heart then has an easier time pumping all this extra blood back through your body. The improved circulation can help reduce arthritis pain, stiffness, muscle tension, and even inflammation.
Bottom Line
It might be tough to keep fitted sheets from sliding around on an adjustable bed. Still, with a few simple steps, you can secure your sheets in a way that either drastically reduces sliding or eliminates it. That way, you can enjoy all the benefits of your adjustable bed without this annoying drawback.
Frequently Asked Questions
Split king sheets are a little different than if you just had one mattress since you need two twin XL fitted sheets, one king size flat sheet, and one king comforter/duvet. A standard size king sheet will not fit a split king on an adjustable bed because the second you adjust your two mattresses to different settings, you rip the sheet.
However, finding the right sheets for an adjustable split king can be tricky because most standard king sets come with one king size fitted sheet. That means you may need to either look for a split king sheet set or buy two matching twin XL fitted sheets to go under your king size flat sheet and comforter.
Flat sheets on adjustable beds tend to untuck and slide around as you move the bed. So adjustable bed flat sheets may need to be longer than regular sheets. You may also need to clip your oversize flat sheet onto your adjustable bed with sheet suspenders just like you do with your fitted sheet. If you just tuck it under the mattress as you would with a regular bed, the flat sheet won’t stay in place.
The ideal thread count for any sheet is between 300 and 500, as this will give you a high-quality and soft sheet at a fair price. However, while all sheets need to be soft on an adjustable bed, they need to be extra strong too.
That means not only will you want a thread count between 300 and 500, but you’ll also want to look for durable fabrics that will stand up to multiple adjustments without ripping or wrinkling too much. Cotton, polyester, and linen are all sturdy fabrics that will make excellent sheets for an adjustable bed.
That depends first and foremost on what size bed you have. If you don’t have a standard king size adjustable bed, then a standard king sheet won’t fit it, and you’ll need to get a set of sheets that corresponds to your bed size.
A king sheet also won’t fit an adjustable split king. Though a split king is technically the same size as a standard king, you won’t be able to adjust your two twin XL mattresses independently if you have a single king size fitted sheet. The only time a king fitted sheet will fit an adjustable bed is if you have a single king size mattress. Otherwise, we recommend split king size sheets.
Despite what you might think, there is a right and a wrong way to put on a fitted sheet. First, you want to make sure the sheets are not inside out. There should be a seam running down the middle of each corner. Make sure this seam is facing down towards the mattress to ensure the sheets are right side in.
Next, look for the tag-along on the inside seam. The tag should be at the bottom left-hand corner of your mattress. That way, you know that not only is the sheet right side in, but you also know it’s facing the correct way.