For people bedridden for a long time, post-operative recoveries, the elderly, and those with limited mobility, "sleep" means more than just resting the body.
Lying in a wrong posture on a regular bed can cause pressure build-up on the back, make breathing tough, slow down blood circulation, and even result in pressure sores, muscle atrophy, and joints getting stiff. In contrast, patients on adjustable medical beds are allowed to modify the bed height, backrest level, footrest support, and tilting direction to suit their preferences. Consequently, the "optimal sleeping position" is not a one-time fix but a science-justified shift taking the state of the patient, type of illness, disease progression, and caring requirements into account.
With global population aging and the rise in individuals with chronic conditions, the usage of adjustable hospital beds in both home care and professional medical situations has risen over the years. By WHO data, it is estimated that the number of people over 60 years old across the world is going to surpass one-fifth of the population by 2050.
The reason is that people who remain in bed all day due to health conditions can get lung infection, deep vein thrombosis, and pressure sores as they hardly ever move. Thus, one key to helping patients preserve the optimal sleeping and body posture is to employ an adjustable bed that is the concern in both medicine and nursing fields.
Still, quite a few individuals who own a home with adjustable hospital beds are under a misconception even after their purchase. They think that just raising a bed to make the patient cozy is a good enough strategy. What adjustable hospital beds are all about, however, is much more than simply altering the bed height it is about the proper alignment and positioning adjustment of the body to relieve pressure distribution, besides enhancing breathing, blood circulation, and care efficiency at the same time.
That is just another reason why each patient should be given a different sleeping position based on their individual needs and condition.
For example, the people with weak lung and heart functions would probably sleep best in the sitting position.
Conversely, persons with an injured spine will likely derive greatest benefit from a flat on-the-back position.
So, in order to get the most out of adjustable hospital beds and have the best possible treatment and care, selecting and using the correct sleeping posture and adjustment method are both very necessary.
What is an adjustable medical bed anyway but a device designed specifically for the 'best sleeping posture?
Ordinary medical beds provide almost no other sleeping position option apart from just lying on the back face up. In case a person wants to change their position, for example - to have better sleep or comfort, then usually, the task is entrusted not to the individual themselves, but to the staff. Besides, the caregiver is the one doing the heavy lifting as the patient's body parts are being adjusted at random angles without a clear way to do it correctly and the risk of developing pressure sores goes up with it.
Adjustable beds are basically a combination of several parts of a patient's body - the back section, the middle section, thighs and legs - which can be tilted at different levels. Motor-controlled modern electric adjustable beds usually cover an elevation range of approximately 0° to 70° in the case of the backrest height, and about 0° to 40° in the case of the leg height. On the other hand, premium models have options beyond height adjustment e.g. Trendelenburg (head-down, feet-up) and reverse Trendelenburg (feet-down, head-up). All these functions can be found in adjustable beds.
All the different postures that the body goes through will bring about various changes in the pressure on the spine, muscles, and even the internal organs. When a human being lies entirely on their bed, their weight distribution mostly gets shifted to the upper back, sacral region and the heels. For someone who is not moving for a long time, such an individual would be likely to experience pain or discomfort in one or more of all these places due to excessive pressure.
Getting the patient into the correct posture using the bed allows a better distribution of the pressure and therefore minimizes the chances of the patient developing sores, pressure ulcers or other complications, and, at the same time, a better positioning in terms of post-surgery, recovery stage or any kind of rehabilitation.
Changing the patient's sleeping position in accordance with the doctor or nurse's instructions will also allow the family caregiver to do fewer turnings of the patient's body and thus saving them time and getting the care work done efficiently. According to some research, for patients who are at high risk of getting a pressure ulcer, the regular changing of a patient's position and the use of appropriate supports, are the best ways to minimize the risk.
To sum up, these adjustable hospital beds serve many different purposes such as aiding with medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Common most sleeping positions at Adjustable Hospital Beds analyzed
There is no single sleeping pose that can fit all patients since the selection of the appropriate sleeping pose depends mainly upon the patients` age factor, patient diseases condition, patient physical activities level and guidance by healthcare providers or caregivers. Nevertheless, the following list gives us the most common sleeping positions on an adjustable hospital bed used in real-time medical practice.
I. Supine Position: One of the most Fundamental and Commonly Utilized Positions For Sleep
This sleeping attitude known as “supine” is the favorite among hospitalpatients who can move, or who are bedridden due to serious illness. It means that the patient is on his back with the back and spine touching the medical bed. It is mainly used by patients who undergo surgery for daily rest and patients suffering from a variety of chronic diseases.
If the patient's physical condition is stable, for example, the absence of majorrespiratory problems or severe lower back pain, the supine position will adequately support the body. With the help of adjustable medical beds, a patient can be reclined at an angle of15°-30° approximately.
Flat lying for extended periods can lead to problems such as:
Firstly, the lumbar spine might be subjected to intense pressure. The spine of the lumbar is naturally curved in a physiological manner. If the bed is too hard or lacks adequate support, the lumbar can end up unsupported and therefore, lead to constant muscle tension.
Secondly, for elderly patients or the ones with decreasedlung capacity, lying flat can increase the chest cavity pressure, and hence make it harder to breathe.
A small back lift can provide greater comfort to the supine position in severalcases than the traditional absolutely flat one. Through backrest adjustment function, patients using adjustable hospital beds can achieve a more ergonomically favorable body position.
Regarding supine lying patients, it is also important to look at the pressure on the feet heels. It is possible that during prolonged bed rest, heels are continuously pressed without relief; in some nursing care plans, a heel-suspended position is used, i.e., a soft padding under the lower legs is added to limit the time when the heels are in contact with the bed surface.
II. Semi-Fowler Position: An Ideal position for Breathing Problem Patients
Semi-Fowler`s posture is one of the vital positions at an adjustable medical bed. This posture typically allows the patient's upper body to be raised at about 30°-45°, and on a few occasions, it can even go up to 60°.
Roughly, COPD, heart failure, chronic respiratory disease patients, or any other patient at higher risk of experiencing a sudden shortness of breath get more comfortable with the semi-Fowler position than flat lying.
Besides these, it could also enhance the patient`s physical conditions, e.g., with raising up the patient`s head and chest, diaphragm mobility increases, thus more air can come into the lungs and chances of Gastroesophageal reflux disease could be minimized.
Many people using home services experience these when they sleep flat at night:
• Difficulty in breathing;
• A tight sensation in the chest;
• A lot of coughing;
• A discomfort from being in lying position.
It is one of the solutions to adjust the adjustable hospital bed to a 30°-45° angle in the back area in such cases. Then a combined posture of sitting and lying would be achieved.
Yet, a high angle is not necessary and may be counterproductive at the same time in a semi-Fowler position. A body position of60° or higher for a long period may result in a slide, i.e., the body would tend to slip down and a resultant pressure of a shearing nature on the sacrum and coxae, leading to skin ulcers or wounds. Hence, the nursing care plan has to include consideration of anti-skid mat, mattress type, and position of the patient.
III. Side Position: An Alternative that lessens pressure concentration and increases comfort
Along with the back-lying position, the sides-lying position is an important way of a complete positional change. Besides that, the side-lying position is a common means of changing position of bed-rested long-patients. In addition, beds that come with a turning assist feature can guide the patient from the supine to a left or right side lying position.
If it is a long-term patient it is highly recommended that he or she do not stick to one position for too long but instead switch positions regularly, i.e., based on the patients' physical status. A perfect illustration is professional nursing where changing positions is considered one of the ways to minimize long-time pressure at a certain body part.
Furthermore, if side-lying is selected, a preferred way is a 30° sideways rather than a 90° lateral position. Compared to other poses, the 30° side-lying pose causes lesser pressure on the shoulder blade of the back and the hip area. The latter also provides greater body alignment.
Side-lying is beneficial for some patients because:
• It helps distribute the back pressure;
• It decreases the pressure on the lower end of the back (sacrum and coccyx);
• It facilitates the removal of mucus (expectoration);
• It can bring sleeping more comfortable,
However, if lying on your side, you should take care of the position of shoulder, hip, and knee joint, too. Generally, a soft pillow is placed between the knees plus adding a support pillow on the back keeps you from rolling over to the supine position, which might be very tempting to do.
IV. Sitting/Resting Position: It’s an ideal posture when Eating, Communication and Performing Rehabilitation Training
This is indeed another major advantage of an adjustable hospital bed because it makes it possible for the patient to shift from a purely “resting down” posture to an almost sitting posture!
A number of the electrical hospital beds, for example, are able to lift the backrest up to around the patient's 70-degree angle simultaneously with the adjustment of theleg section so that a resting/sitting posture is attained for the patient.
In general, the sitting/lying position is very suitable for:
• Eating;
• Reading;
• Chatting;
• Doing a little rehabilitation exercise.
For patients who are at the higher risk of aspiration such as the elderly with dysphagia, eating while completely lying down might pose an aspiration risk.
Nursing care generally recommends that while eating a meal, one should have a higher angle between45°-60°, and then continue to be in this position for some time after the meal to avoid reflux.
Who are the various types of patients that should choose a specific sleeping position on an adjustable hospital bed?
It is the patient's physical condition that determines the most comfortable sleeping position and not the feature of the bed. An adjustable bed gives the patient more options to use and really, it depends on the skill of the patient in using them properly.
I. Long-Term Elderly Confine-Dwelling Patients: Primary Emphasis - Pressure Management"
A combination of skin elasticity deterioration, loss of muscle tissue, and circulation deterioration is common amongst elder people. These changes leave the skin vulnerable to pressure points injury.
The following measures can be taken by these patients:
• A patient lying down completely flat should be discouraged;
• There should be a regular changing of position;
• A patient with a pressure redistributing mattress should be given a chance by using one;
• The position of the back and legs should be properly changed.
It is possible to add an extra layer of protection from bodyweight pressure if adjustable medical beds are used together with air mattresses, memory foam mattresses, or pressure-relief medical mattresses.
II. Patients of Respiratory Diseases: The Position that Offers Most Comfort will be Semi-Recumbent
A patient who suffers from a respiratory disease, a major aspect of the sleeping position choice is making sure the patient will be able to breathe more comfortably.
The following is the generally recommended:
• The back should be elevated by 30° to 45°;
• The head and neck should be aligned in a natural manner;
• A lower back is not supposed to be bent very much.
A doctor's advice should be followed for the bed angle adjustment if a patient breathes a lot through mouth especially at night instead of just raising the pillow height.
III. Patients in Postoperative Recovery: Position Determined by the Surgical Site
The surgical operations vary, therefore, the types of sleeping position differ too.
For example: After surgery on the abdominal area a patient usually needs to slightly lift their upper part, so that abdominal pressure is minimized; patients who have had orthopedic surgery have to make sure that the joint remains stable and incorrect angles that cause pain are avoided; surgery relating to the hip area is going to require the patient not to overadduct or rotate.
By using the different angles adjustment feature of a hospital bed that can be adjusted, a patient will be able to find a sleeping position that is more safe.
Right ways to adjust an adjustable medical bed and prevent wrong sleep posture?
A great number of people, after buying an adjustable hospital bed, they just get fascinated with the quantity of the motors, remote control functions, and design. At this moment they just neglect, how the bed should be properly used.
1. Constantly make sudden, large, quick changes of the bed's settings is discouraged. The bed's angle should only make slight changes, guided by the patient's comfort level.
2. Be careful to your body posture. When the back is upright, the patient tends to slide down. When the hip area is not in contact with the part of the bed that has been folded up, it will cause a heavier load over the back and sacrum.
3. Take into consideration mattress choice. Normal home mattresses are not necessarily suitable for electrically adjustable beds, since adjustable medical beds are more likely to work with very flexible mattresses. Recently the specialty health care mats are widely in health care areas to give support even the mat is curved.
Add on, height of the bedrail is another safety matter to think of. Some people may have disturbed mental awareness or reduced motor activity at night, and unproperly fixed up bedrail may lead the patient to fall.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Adjustable Hospital Beds
Q1: What angle should an adjustable hospital bed be adjusted for at night?
Generally, if the patient has no specific medical needs, they can maintain a near-flat position, or slightly elevate their back by 15°-30° for increased comfort. If there are symptoms such as difficulty breathing or acid reflux, the position can be adjusted to a semi-recumbent position of 30°-45°, as advised by a doctor.
Q2: Will long-term use of an adjustable hospital bed affect normal sleep?
Proper use will not affect sleep; in fact, it may improve comfort. The key is to choose the right mattress, adjust the angle appropriately, and avoid maintaining the same posture for extended periods.
Q3: Are adjustable medical beds suitable for the average elderly person?
Yes. Many elderly people, even without serious illnesses, can improve their mobility and ease of movement due to joint degeneration, back pain, and limited mobility by using adjustable medical beds.
Q4: Does an adjustable medical bed require daily positional adjustments?
For long-term bedridden patients, it is generally recommended to change positions according to nursing needs. The specific frequency needs to be determined based on the patient's skin condition, mobility, and doctor's advice.
Q5: What is the difference between an adjustable hospital bed and a regular electric bed?
Adjustable hospital beds are typically designed according to medical care needs, focusing more on safety, weight-bearing capacity, long-term stability, and nursing functions, such as guardrail design, bed height adjustment, and pressure ulcer prevention aids. Regular electric beds, on the other hand, focus more on home comfort.
Q6: What are the most important parameters when purchasing an adjustable hospital bed?
Besides price, key factors to consider include bed weight-bearing capacity, motor quality, adjustment angle range, bed frame material, safety certifications, mattress compatibility, and after-sales maintenance capabilities. For long-term care purposes, stability and reliability are usually more important than simply having a variety of functions.
