Gransnet forums

Chat

Modern Beds too High up to climb into.

(54 Posts)
JuliaM Fri 28-Feb-20 11:33:36

Does anyone else find that modern beds are far too high up to be able to comfortably climb into? Im not exactly a short person at 5ft 5ins, although l only have a 27inch inside leg measurement andsufferfrom Arthritis in my knee.
I have given up staying in places like the Premier inns, l either need to carry a small half step to get into bed which is not ideal, or end up sleeping on the bed settee which is designed for children and not very comfortable.
Looking around the bed stores, this trend for high up beds is a common one, my own bed base isa metal one and over 20yrs old, even with an extra deep mattress on it, it still manages to be at a reasonable height.

BlueBelle Fri 28-Feb-20 12:04:10

Surely you can sit on the bed and swing your legs around
If you can’t sit on the bed it must be EXTREMELY high
I never found this to be a problem myself

tanith Fri 28-Feb-20 12:10:16

My bed is high with a deep mattress which we bought deliberately because I was having my second hip-replacement and didn’t want a low bed anymore which I was finding hard to get up from. I’m 5’3 and I sit on the edge lean back slightly and swing my legs round just need to shuffle my bum a over a bit it works well for me. I’ve also stayed in several premier inns most comfy beds ever.

aggie Fri 28-Feb-20 12:34:08

My newish bed is very high too , also bought when I had my new hip , I sit on the dge , shuffle my bum back till my feet are off the ground and then swing my legs up and find I am lying on the edge ! lots of shuffling and huffing and puffing and relax !

annep1 Fri 28-Feb-20 13:12:18

I agree with JukiaM. My son laughed when he saw our new bed and deep mattress and asked if I kept a stepladder handy. I stay in Premier Inns regularly. Beds are comfy but yes, high.

Septimia Fri 28-Feb-20 13:20:07

I've not had a problem with high beds, fortunately.

I think it could be more of a problem trying to get up from a very low one, especially if you have a troublesome back, or knees etc.

Hetty58 Fri 28-Feb-20 13:29:09

I'm 5' 5" too (a bit short) and have an extra deep mattress. I had shorter legs put on the bed base at home to compensate!

Greenfinch Fri 28-Feb-20 14:29:24

I love our high bed. I can climb into it on my knees and getting up I just sit up and get out as if it were a high seat. Low beds are much more of a problem for me.

Elegran Fri 28-Feb-20 14:49:06

It could be that climbing forwards into bed is the problem. Turn your back on the bed.

Try sitting halfway down the bed with your bum well back (and the covers turned down, obviously) and swing your legs up and under the covers. If you are sharing a double or kingsize bed, you will then be sitting up in approximately the right position, and can lie down. If you are alone in a wide bed, you will have to shoogle into the middle.

Getting out is the opposite - Lie on your side, bring your knees up so that your feet hang over the edge, and sit up facing the side of the bed so that you can stand up.

Elegran Fri 28-Feb-20 14:49:58

I am 5ft 4ins and have no problems with a high bed.

JuliaM Fri 28-Feb-20 14:57:33

I think it must be me then and a combination of short legs and a dodgy knee that just refuses to do what l ask of it! If l stand at the side of the bed, the mattress surface is above hip height, so any chance of bottom wriggling, or even sitting on the edge of the bed is non existant! My DH once measured the matress height of a brand new hotel bed and it was a whopping 36inches off the floor, my own bed is only 26 inches so quite a difference. Luckily their was a disability shop nearby and thats when we went out and bought the half step, which is really handy when tackling high steps or getting into these types of bed. Most of my total height is in my long body midriff, l have always found swimsuits and corsetry too short, the bra section was often down around my waist, and no where near the bit where it should have been!

FlexibleFriend Fri 28-Feb-20 15:12:29

I'm 5'3" and have a high bed specifically because my knees can't,don't, won't bend. I just stand at the side of the bed and swing the leg nearest the bed out straight and get into bed that way. As long as the bed is level with my hips that's fine with me.

Farmor15 Fri 28-Feb-20 15:49:34

We had a very low ceiling in bedroom of old cottage. We bought a divan bed but got the legs taken off and furniture wheels put directly on base. It was handy when children were small and got into our bed, as if they fell out, it wasn’t far!

It would be too low for us now, but agree that modern beds are too high. I think it’s mostly due to very thick mattresses.

callgirl1 Fri 28-Feb-20 17:52:20

I know what you mean Julia, I`m 5`1", and find hotel beds very high. In one, I was sharing with one of my daughters, it took me ages to get into bed, she was killing herself laughing at me! I ended up doing what has been suggested, more or less anyway, I threw myself onto the bed bum first, then managed to swing my short, fat legs up onto the bed.

CanadianGran Fri 28-Feb-20 23:22:51

I don't like the high beds that have been the fashion for the last few years. We recently switched from queen to king sized bed. I went to have a look around the local furniture shop and hated the very high beds. We have a small room, so such a large bed would visually take up more space (does that make sense?) as well as be difficult to sit on.

We ended up getting a platform frame and foam mattress that does not need a box spring. It's really nice and we are both happy with it. I haven't measured how high it is, but it is exactly as high as my night table.

Callistemon Fri 28-Feb-20 23:29:12

Our new bed is much higher. I don't have difficulty getting in, i just sit and swing my legs in.

However, I did say to DH that we must remember that it's higher when we get up in the night for the loo.

Scribbles Fri 28-Feb-20 23:36:15

I love high beds and find low ones difficult to get out of. On a holiday in Malta about 15 years ago, we had a twin bed room where the beds were no more than 10cm from the floor. Both OH and I, being long legged people, found this very awkward. We spent the entire trip hoping the fire alarm didn't go off in the night - we'd have burned alive or died of smoke inhalation before we managed to scramble to our feet.

callgirl1 Fri 28-Feb-20 23:40:53

I couldn`t cope with one as low as that Scribbles, I`d be stuck there for the duration! No, just a normal height bed is all I ask for.

M0nica Sat 29-Feb-20 09:20:54

I was 5ft 4 and am now 5ft 2 and our bed is really high as we have a divan bed, specially made that sits in an Edwardian bed frame, but the mattress turned out thicker than we expected.

I have never even thought about how I get in and out of bed until this thread, I went upstairs to check and found that like others, I sit on the bed then swing my legs up.

Sparklefairydust Sat 29-Feb-20 09:34:05

Julia, I sympathise we must be the same shape! Also problem with swimsuits being too short even though I'm 5' 4" I also have a 27" inside leg!

inishowen Sat 29-Feb-20 09:44:25

We stayed a fancy hotel in Ireland. The bed was so high I had to put pillows on the floor to reach the bed. Not an issue for my husband but difficult for me at 5'3".

dragonfly46 Sat 29-Feb-20 09:47:42

We also have high toilets. Comfort height they are called and are certainly easier to get up from.

TrendyNannie6 Sat 29-Feb-20 09:48:12

We have a high bed and a deep mattress, I’m 5’8 never ever had problem, don’t like low beds at all

grandtanteJE65 Sat 29-Feb-20 09:55:47

Try using a solid footstool that stands securely at the side of your bed.

grandMattie Sat 29-Feb-20 10:01:59

My problem is low beds as I am 5'10" and everything is made for the "average" person. It is so nice to have my head supposrted on a big armchair/sofa, not have to squat to get in and out of low furniture!