wine on the keyboard

Sleep Number Bed Headaches

by Kay~Kacey on 2/27/2009

and by headaches…I don’t mean problems. I mean headaches.

So I’ve been getting headaches when we’re over at The Love Nest. Lots of them. We even got a carbon monoxide detector to see if that was it.

Well, remember that Sleep Number Bed that I was so excited about? Well, it appears that it’s giving me headaches. Horrible ones. It just has this strong chemical/plastic smell to it.

sleep-number-foam

So I took it apart. Put the egg crate foam part of it out on the balcony to air out.

sleep-number-smell

Unzipped the whole thing and spread it all out. Yes, that’s a fan in the window…blowing OUT the window trying to suck out the smell.

Then I washed all the bedding. The mattress pad…

melted-mattress-pad

Yes, well, you can’t tell very well from this photo, but the mattress pad melted! So, how special. I look at the care tag (you know, after I already cared for it.) “Use NO HEAT when drying the mattress pad.” As if. :wallbash:

I’m quite irritated at this bed right now. I’m going to put the whole darn thing back together and see how it sleeps tonights. If I’m still getting headaches from it, I might take a machete to it and put it (me) out of it’s (my) misery. :mad2:

So, maybe I wake up with less body aches with this bed…but my headaches are killing me. Wish me luck that this airing out solves the problem.

(two more days to enter February’s Photo of the Month contest. This month theme is Cherish. Send me a link to your photo entry by using the contact button at the top of the blog!)

CindyP February 27, 2009 at 8:10 am

I wonder if Fabreeze would work????????? I don’t know how it works with a chemical like smell….

Jill February 27, 2009 at 8:26 am

I love the name of your blog especially since I’ve actually had peach schnaps on mine. Yeah, killed that laptop!

Deb February 27, 2009 at 8:43 am

Good information because I have been very inquisitive about the Sleep number bed…anything that smells funky gives me a headache. Have you contacted the manufacturer????

TSannie/annbb February 27, 2009 at 9:32 am

Hope all that maneuvering solved your headaches. Who would have thought a bed could give you headaches!

Gayle February 27, 2009 at 10:17 am

That stinks (literally). I hope all of your airing out work helps. It is really horrible to wake up with a headache.

Melissa Marsh February 27, 2009 at 11:26 am

Oh wow. I would be contacting the manufacturer, as well.

Treasia/TruckersWife February 27, 2009 at 2:18 pm

Well I do hope the airing out works for you, that has got to bad. If not take that axe to it.

Okie Sister February 27, 2009 at 7:29 pm

My brother had this same problem with one of those foam pillow toppers on his bed. He couldn’t get over the smell of it.

Suzanne February 27, 2009 at 7:47 pm

Good luck with the airing out! That sounds terrible.

Dru February 28, 2009 at 6:59 am

How did you sleep last night? Did you get anymore headaches?

Pam May 4, 2009 at 6:34 pm

We are on our 2nd Sleep Number and are still not satisfied! That odor you are talking about is horrible. I febreezed our first one and had it outside numerous days and it still smelled. Mailed that one back, they replaced the parts and we aired up the bladders and it all stinks again. Hubby called Cust Serv today, it is past the time to return it, they are going to mail new bladders. That won’t really help because all of the other pieces stink!!!!
Very Frustrated!!!

Jim May 24, 2009 at 3:41 am

having same problem with my sleep number bed. Funny but I have a bed in Florida I bought two years ago and it doesnt have that odor, but this one stinks and can’t get rid of it. cust serv says roll it up and air it out. didnt help.

Jeff Gillmet July 10, 2010 at 9:42 am

I’ve been having headaches, too. In my case, I don’t think it’s from the smell (we’ve owned ours for about 6-7 years). I think what’s happening is that I’m falling asleep on my back, and I toss and turn so little, I’m cutting off blood flow to the back of my head – no joke. The headaches come frequently, and seem to coincide with the type of pillow I’m using. If I fluff my pillow right, I don’t ,usually get the headache. Also, if I’ve had anything alcoholic, I sleep deeper, and get the headache (not a hangover headache, either – I rarely have more than one drink).

James Vance October 20, 2012 at 9:46 am

Try elevating the head just a 1/8″ or so. Maybe your head is lower than the rest of your body.

James Vance October 20, 2012 at 9:48 am

Meaning the head of the bed……

Maria November 1, 2012 at 5:32 pm

I’m having a very hard time breathing and a lot of pressure in my chest. I think it is the chemicals in my sleep number bed. This all started after I purchased my sleep number bed. The chemical smell is on my bedding as well as my pajamas. What was the outcome of your problem with your headaches. I’m very concerned regarding my situation.

Mike February 13, 2013 at 9:20 pm

Has the chemical smell gone away yet from your sleep number bed? If so, how long did it take?

Eric March 1, 2013 at 10:36 pm

I had similar problems with the i10 bed 2 years ago. I slept great , yet i woke up with really red dry eyes. The stink from the memory foam drove me nutts. Sleep number customer support recommended placing in direct sunlight (near a window, someplace clean and safe) to help break down the odors. tried placing them outside only to stress out about one foam piece blowing into flower garden, getting a little dirty and possibly nullifying my 30 day trial return guarantee.

I resorted to wrapping the memory foam in 2 vinyl bed protectors (completely encased each side). The smell began to creep through a little and I decided to send the bed back, paid the shipping; I didnt care anymore

So now its two years later, and I specifically chose a SelectComfort Sleep Number bed that doesnt have the memory foam, the i8. Well the foam stinks! So I haven’t assembled anything, I just laid it all out in my bedroom, turned on the ceiling fan and placed a box fan in the window. That was Feb 28th 2013. Im sleeping on the old bed in the living room.

Initially I received two boxes containing the top of the bed and bottom sleeve that holds the insides , as well as the support foam (rails/edges) and rubber air chambers. The foam stank like chemical ish smell. Chambers have their own distinct chemical odor as well. 24 hours later I received the rest of bed insides. Prior to opening the boxes I noticed less odor from the first components opened the day before.

Once I opened the2 main rolled up foam support pieces I was back in chemical stinky ville. I let it sit for 24 hours with ceiling fan and box fan to window and noticed the smell dissipating. Went ahead and flipped the foam on other side and noticed a stronger odor.

My doctor said she had to air her sleep number out for 2 weeks in the garage. I dont know if that was assembled or in pieces like mine. I am going for two weeks dissembled , and rotating exposed sides every 24 hours.

A sales lady at the Mall told me that dryer sheets are really good at absorbing the smell. I think shes probably wrong and it just covers the smell up a little. I cant stand scented laundry, it irritates me , so i dont think i will try that trick.

If i cant sleep in this bed after two weeks of airing out, then I am sending it back, eating the shipping and never touching a sleep number again.

Next update March 23/24th, 2013
Eric Denver CO

Eric March 8, 2013 at 9:20 pm

Well its been 9 days and the foam smell has reduced tremendously by running a box and ceiling fan with an open window 24/7 . I have resorted to closing the window at night and using a humidifier at to penetrate the foam, and suck out with dry colorado air during the day. It seems to smell stronger with humidity.

I am working on the mattress topper with a warm electric blanket to simulate body heat. I need to put some weight on top of it to compress the foam as well. Should help get it ready for the first nights sleep on March 14th/15 2013. Thats a full two weeks of defunking sleep number bed.

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