Jennywren (Perth, Western Australia, Australia) on 05/31/2013:
Yay. After reading about Inclined Bed Therapy, my husband and I raised the top (head) of our bed by six inches last week as we'd heard there were multiple health benefits with doing this. We bought new, taller bed legs but others have used bricks, books and planks of wood. So I can report back after 10 days:
- I don't get heartburn at night anymore (not to say I don't still have a hernia or reflux, but I just never suffer from heartburn at nighttime)
- My husband's loud snoring has greatly improved (now a gentle murmur).
Others have reported improvement to varicose veins (meant to take 4 weeks: I'm waiting! ), deeper sleeps, more vivid dreams, fixing their backs, fixing their oedema (swollen feet/ankles) and less up and downing to the toilet.
Hope this helps, it's such a simple solution!
Mario (Dallas Tx, Usa) on 02/20/2013:
I have been sleeping in a incline bed for few mounts , so far good improvement, back pain, gone acid reflux better, sleep apnea much better snore gone. The problem is I also have leg pain and to relieve that, I need to put pillows under my legs. I hear that may causes problem later on. Need some opinion, please.
Steve (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 11/24/2012:
My Wife and I started Incline Bed Therapy a about a week ago and both notice we are sleeping better through the night, less snoring (we both used to wake each other up with loud snoring) less back pain, we waking up feeling more energetic and with a generaly better mood than before. We used 4 inch wooden bed lifters. Steve
Beverly (Old Hickory, Tennessee/usa) on 10/09/2009:
My husband and I started sleeping on the incline - head about 6-8 inches higher than feet approximately 10 days ago. What we have noticed so far: 1. husband no longer snores (did not sleep with him for several years on consistent basis because of this, even though he had $500.00 dental snoring device after trying every over-the-counter remedy available)
2. We are both sleeping through the night without having to get up and use the bathroom except on rare occasions - we are able to go right back to sleep if we do get up - best few nights of sleep I have had in years.
3. We are both starting to remember our dreams, which I have not had access to in years
4. Stools are more compact without being constipated
5. I am able to sleep in my own bed now instead of the sofa, which I had difficulty doing even when hubby was not in the bed
6. Have started to notice a decrease in husband's blood pressure - will continue to monitor since he is on medication for this
7. Have noticed that I do not seem to be as thirsty during the day
We are pretty much hooked. Will continue to observe how we do with this different mode of sleeping and report any further benefits.
John (Escondido, California - USA) on 02/02/2009:
Up until last June, I had been getting up two to four times a night for years due to an enlarged prostate. Then one day I was painting the base of my bed and didn't want to set it back on the floor, so I put a couple barbells under the head to keep the painted base off the carpet. Hit the sack that night and woke up at 5:00 -- couldn't believe that I had slept all night. So, I went to the Internet to do some research and ran across the "inclined bed therapy" concept.
Now I'm at 6 inches high and sleep well every night and only get up once. Also had a cough that would wake me during most nights... that went away. Varicose veins have subsided. My wife no longer snores. This one simple move has changed our lives - and it can change yours. Regardless of the problem you have, try it and see what happens. I don't take any drugs and sleep like a log every night.
Cindy (Kansas, USA) on 10/04/2008:
Just wanted to share my experiences with "incline bed therapy" that I read about here on earth clinic.
I've found IBT to be one of those things that one should just do, do now and do for the rest of their lives. I am 100% convinced that people should not sleep flat. Ever.
After sleeping inclined (6 degrees)for 3 1/2 weeks I slept flat for one night. 4 glaring differences were 1) I had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, 2) I looked about 20 years older when I got up the next morning, 3) I was extremely dehydrated when I got up (I'm a big fan of the watercure and hydration, in general), and 4) what I thought was fat ankles - which I've had my entire life - was actually edema, which completely disappeared.
I was so amazed by the improved skin tone and younger appearance in the face and the fact that my ankles were no longer fat that I failed to noticed that I wasn't getting up in the middle of the night with a great urge to go to the bathroom. Nor had I noticed that the struggle to keep hydrated had disappeared when I started sleeping on the incline. After sleeping flat for one night, I felt as if I couldn't get hydrated all the following day.
I don't have any health problems, so I can't speak to that, but if one's circulation is disrupted when lying flat, as Mr. Fletcher discovered, then it stands to reason that even a "healthy" person would benefit from a 50% increase in the time the body spends in a state of proper circulation. I can only imagine what it would do for people with serious health issues!
Aside from the occasional experiment, I will definitely be sleeping on an incline for the rest of my life. And to clarify, that is a straight incline. It isn't the "hospital bed" position where only the head is raised.
EC: Thanks, Cindy -- new remedy page created! Question: what did you use to raise the head of the bed 6 degrees, bricks?