My girlfriend and I are moving into a new apartment together. It’s a bachelor suite, so we’re trying to be spacially clever. Will sleeping on a futon every night give you back problems over time?
I’ve been sleeping on a futon for… mm… more than 5 years, I think. I find it more comfortable than a normal bed by now. However, I do use additional padding–foam pads on top of the ‘mattress.’ I have had no problems with my back. I don’t have any other research to offer except my personal experience, I’m afraid. However, I’m pretty young and flexible. If you’re older or have back problems already, that might be different… I don’t know.
My information is that a futon is actually good for your back, because of its extraordinary firmness. Mr. S prefers our futons (all of the beds in our house are futons, including the guest room) to a regular mattress – after 10 years or so of sleeping on one. We have several friends who also prefer futons.
It does take a few days to adjust, especially if the mattress you had been sleeping on was at all mooshy.
Probably not. But that depends on if you’re sleeping on a 10-year old cheap cotton futon or if you’ve gone out and splurged on some high-tech futon with layers of foam and cotton and springs.
Futons come in different grades depending on how you plan on using them, so you can get them designed for every day sleeping.
We replaced the old foam mattress from our boat with a futon, cut to fit. It’s a middle-cost one with foam and cotton, and we put an eggcrate pad onthe top. My husband loves it - he says it’s very comfortable. I prefer a softer bed, but I do prefer it over plain foam.
A cheap cotton futon will be lumpy and miserable in a few months. A good Japanese futon, while only an inch or two thick, will last for years.
It really depends on if your back can handle the firm mattress over time. But make sure you get a good one, whatever you do.