A queen-size mattress technically has the dimensions of a queen-size mattress, but actually feels much smaller. My 5’1″ ankle sticks out of the end when the head is lifted a bit. I recommend going up a size, but that means spending more money. The two different hardnesses also create this awkward no man’s land in the middle. Ever try snuggling with half of the people leaning against a very hard surface and the other half sinking into a very soft surface? It’s embarrassing and painful.
Also, the mattress edges are soft and sloped. Feel like you might fall out in your sleep. After many close calls, my partner and I got into the habit of reaching out when I needed to catch a dropped remote and he would grab it as an anchor. Otherwise, I might just do a somersault and fall into the abyss.
But more than anything, the clunky software (and apps and presence) is my biggest problem. The Sleep IQ companion app is the default method of controlling your smart bed, but it’s buggy. Many times, when I’m trying to adjust the temperature of my bed, the app doesn’t pass on the requests. The same thing happened to me the first time I tried switching from zero g to flat. The app freezes completely and won’t reopen after force closing. I had to restart my phone and wait for it to reconnect; it took almost half an hour each time just trying to sleep.
There is a button on each side of the mattress base that can be configured to a “favorite” setting. I ended up making my Flat so I have a way to physically cover the app when it starts running. During my testing, Sleep Number sent me an optional $49 bed remote. I strongly, strongly recommend that you purchase the remote. It solved my control problem and should be included automatically.
I also had some problems with the analysis of the Sleep IQ application. The Insights program is supposed to track your sleep data and share tips on how to sleep better. But these insights are… a little… bad, especially if you work from home. The bed couldn’t differentiate between, say, half an hour of work on the phone, an afternoon tryst, or trying to get a good night’s sleep. You have to manually edit all automatically recorded erroneous sleep sessions, and the process of doing so is clumsy. I don’t want to have to open an app every time I sit in bed for half an hour! Even if the app defaults to asking “Hey, did you just sleep for half an hour?” that would be even better. Right now, SleepIQ just thinks my circadian rhythm doesn’t exist. According to my Apple Health data, my sleep schedule is doing just fine.
The app is invasive; it collects biometric data like heart rate variability and breathing rate. It does have a privacy mode if you want to turn off data logging. But you can’t apply Privacy Mode to just half of the bed, and the app openly recommends that you turn it off. Total. Do you know of an easier and more accurate way to track sleep data? Any fitness tracker or smartwatch. It probably won’t cost $10,000 either.
Which leads me to my last point. All the evidence points to the fact that for optimal sleep hygiene, we need to put our phones down and put their stress, blue light and constant distractions behind us. It’s the exact opposite of battling a malfunctioning blue light app. Plus, the Smart Dock is loud during sex, and that’s about it.
I don’t hatred The bed; I’m just disappointed. I was promised a revolutionary sleep experience that was just so-so. Sleep Number says the app will be updated later this month. But I’m really skeptical that the so-called intelligence in this smart bed is really smart — or even necessary. It’s 2023, and if I want to spend $10,000, I’ll get better rest on a beach vacation. At this point, I might just buy a foot warmer.
