Are you shopping for a new bed? Do you need help deciding the right height for you? If so, this article can help.

When you’re setting up your bed, it is easy to only consider the comfort of your mattress and forget about its height. However, how high your bed is actually mattered quite a bit. Not only does bed height impact how your bedroom looks, but it will also impact your level of comfort.

Your bed height matters because having the wrong height can cause your body strain, day after day. Even if you’re perfectly healthy, having a bed that’s too low or too high may lead to pain and discomfort eventually.

Factors that Impact the Ideal Bed Height for You

With the correct bed height, you will be able to plant your feet on the ground when you get out of bed, pushing off the mattress evenly. Elderly people or those with health conditions might need to pay more attention to bed height, rather than the look of their bed. Below, we’ll go over some factors to consider when you’re deciding on the right bed height.

Comfort

The most obvious reason for paying attention to your bed height is your personal comfort and how high your ideal bed should be will depend on your own height. Ideally, you won’t need to strain your body to lift yourself out of a bed that’s too low to the floor or struggle to get into a bed that’s too high.

The average bed is 25 inches high and allows a person of average height to sit comfortably with their feet on the ground. There isn’t a rule of thumb when it comes to comfort and this is something you’ll have to feel out for yourself when deciding.

Age

How old you are will likely impact how high of a bed you should have since your age impacts your mobility. Older people should pay even closer attention to bed height than young, healthy adults. As people age, their cartilage begins deteriorating and they often begin to experience aches or pains, and a bed that’s too low or high can exacerbate this.

Kids, however, are a lot more agile and bed height isn’t quite as important. If you get your child a bunk bed, just make sure there’s plenty of space between the bed and the ceiling to prevent injuries.

Height

The height of your bed should correspond with how tall you are. The average bed is between 16 and 25 inches high and will work for most people. The best way to test whether your bed is the right height for you is to sit on the edge and ensure that your knees are aligned with the hips. If your knees or hips are above each other, your bed might be the wrong height. Again, this doesn’t matter as much if you’re young and healthy versus older or infirm.

Mattress Height

Something else that will impact how high your bed should be off the ground is the height of your mattress. Mattresses come in a wide variety of materials and heights. Some are a simple single-layer design, while others can have as many as eight layers. Mattress toppers or pillow tops can also add more height to your bed, which is worth keeping in mind.

Bedroom Aesthetic

If you have a specific style you want to create in your bedroom, bed height is an important aspect of this. Having a high antique bed can create a regal and elegant feel, while standard beds look traditional, and platform beds have a modern look.

When you’re considering which height your bed should be, give some thought to the style of your bedroom and what you’re trying to portray.

While standard beds aren’t usually higher than 25 inches, you might want a higher bed if you have high ceilings as this can appear more balanced. If you have high ceilings, but don’t want a high bed, you can make your bed appear higher by using a canopy or headboard.

Chronic Pain

Having a bed of proper height is also extremely important if you or your partner suffer from any chronic pain issues, such as fibromyalgia. With a condition like this, sleeping comfortably is already a struggle, so you don’t need to add the difficulty of getting in and out of bed to the equation.

Make sure you have a proper mattress for fibromyalgia and that, when you set it up, your bed is the right height. Quality sleep can have a positive impact on your pain and stiffness, so this is important!

Bed Height Options

When it comes to selecting your bed height, you’ll have a variety of options to choose from. Each option has a different aesthetic, so that’s something you’ll want to consider, along with how high your bed will be.

The Standard Bed

The traditional bed frame usually has a box spring that goes underneath the mattress and raises it to a height that is comfortable for most people. Standard beds are typically high enough for extra storage space underneath.

The Platform Bed

Including a mattress, platform beds are usually 18 inches in height and are a contemporary or modern addition to your room. Platform beds use slats instead of a box spring and usually don’t have very much space underneath them. If you’re much taller than average, have knee issues, or need storage space under your bed, you might want to choose a different type of foundation.

The Antique Bed

Older beds are usually higher off the ground than standard beds. While they have more storage space than other bed types, they may only work well for people without any agility issues. The additional height on antique beds is typically more about style than functionality.

Overall, if you’re elderly or have physical limits, comfort should be the number one thing you consider when choosing your bed height. People who are younger and pain-free, on the other hand, can focus more on the aesthetics of their bed.

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