A hospital isn’t one of the best places for a good night’s rest. In fact, studies have shown that people do not sleep much in hospitals, they sleep 83 minutes less than the time they would have slept at home and there are obvious reasons for this and one of such is that the pillow and mattress don’t belong to you.
When it comes to spending a few days in hospital, the greatest fear for a lot of people is that they have to contend with an uncomfortable bed and undesirable bed. Most patients are only keen on getting a decent rest when admitted in a hospital or clinic. However, there are a host of factors that contribute to how difficult it is to sleep in a hospital. These factors include human movement and noise from machines. The lowered quality of sleep is also caused by hospital beds and their characteristic properties. They are produced from plastic or metal and a few of them have wheels which enhance mobility.
Nobody deserves to sleep in an uncomfortable bed. If you are unsure of how to go about it, below are some ways to improve the comfort derived from a hospital bed or nursing home bed.
1. Come with your blanket and pillow: This is probably one of the easiest things to do. Coming with your blanket and pillow is a great way to make the hospital bed feel like home. You should not forget to maintain proper hygiene though. Clean the blankets and pillows to prevent germs. They should also be changed from time to time.
2. Soften the hospital bed with a mattress topper: This provides an extra layer of support. The mattress is obviously one of the first things you get to land on in a hospital bed. Sadly, when you land on most hospital beds, the experience isn’t great. It feels like you are resting on a block of concrete. This is where the mattress pad becomes useful. It makes the mattress softer. A mattress topper could be thin or thick. It provides extra support when used to cover the mattress. It is helpful for circulating blood, back pain reduction, relieving pressure points, and enhancing sleep. Mattress pads come in different materials such as memory foam and latex. An investment in quality mattress topper or pad is a good way to improve the level of comfort from a hospital bed. The mattress pad can also be used on a sofa couch to make it more comfortable.
3. Invest in a bed bumper pad to avoid injuries: Bed rails are important to prevent fall. With a bumper pad or bed rail pad, it becomes easier for the patient to pull themselves in and out of bed. It also helps ensure the patient does not experience a fall. It is important to use a good bed rail pad. There are bed rail pads produced from hard metal featuring plastic exterior. There are different designs for bed bumpers. You should consider the following factors when selecting bed rails:
- Padding: Cover the portions of the rail with padding for patients that are agitated.
- Adaptability: Top bed rails and bottom bed rails are important for self-support. A lot of hospitals make use of the split-rail model.
- Visualization: The window model is ideal for patients that are sad about not seeing the outside of their bed.
- Entanglement: This reduces the possibility of getting tangled in bed rail gaps.
4. Have an overbed table in the hospital room: Overbed tables are also sometimes called overbed trays. They make it easier to do some work from the comfort of your bed. The tabletop’s height is adjustable, so that there is adequate space for activities like dining, reading, or working on your computer. Overbed tables or trays are very common in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and home facilities. It can easily be purchased online.
5. Keep things organized with hospital bed caddy: With a hospital bed caddy, you can store things and keep them organized. It is removable and hangable. Hanging a hospital bed caddy on a bed rail’s upper surface is easy and straightforward. It is just a bag where you can keep personal items so that they are easily accessible.
6. Make sure you have a cooling fan: If the weather is too hot and uncomfortable, you need to have control over the temperature of the room. To start with, you may want to have an air conditioner installed in your room. For extra cooling effect, you may probably want to spend on a cooling fan.
7. Have your headphones/earplugs handy: This is important as it helps you filter hospital noise. There will be noise in the hospital and this is not unconnected with the fact that there will always be people coming in and out of the hospital. Getting a pair of earplugs for yourself will help you mute the noise. You may also have your headphones with you if you are a lover of great tunes and music.
8. Mattress covers for incontinence: sleep disorders are often brought about by bowel and urinary incontinence. Investing in a waterproof mattress protector is a good way to improve comfort level. You do not have to worry about a wet bed so you can enjoy a night of good sleep. Medical waterproof mattresses are available in online stores. With it, you do not have to change mattress frequently.