Sleep Number C2 Review

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Remember the days when finding a good mattress to sleep on was a nightmare? You barely had any products to choose from, as they were mostly springy, firm beds that gave you more back pains than the ones you already went to bed with. As improving people’s sleep quality became a priority for bedding manufacturers, Sleep Number has designed a series of highly comfortable and configurable mattresses that understand the way you sleep and provide the support your body needs to recharge its batteries for the next day.

The Sleep Number 360 C2 smart bed is one of those mattresses. Even if it is the cheapest Sleep Number product, it is still a much better investment for your body compared to a springy old mattress that ends up stabbing your ribs during the night. So, let’s have a closer look at our Sleep Number C2 bed review.

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A Guide to Mattress Firmness

Even if we often buy a mattress just because lying on it feels right, there are actually some guidelines to help you with the whole firmness choosing process. Depending on how much you weigh and the type of sleeper you are, there is a firmness level suitable for you. The firmness level of a mattress is highly dependable on the comfort layers that are added within the product itself. That’s why all respectable manufacturers will always inform potential buyers about how many layers are inside the mattress, the thickness, and composition of each. The layers inside a mattress each have their own important roles. Some are added for greater support, while others allow air to pass through.

The weight of 130 lbs. or less

It’s obvious that weight can put more or less pressure on the mattress. Light sleepers should be comfortable with a softer mattress, as their bodies won’t sink into the mattress itself. Soft mattresses are often made of materials such as memory foam, which adds a little bit of temperature to your sleep. Always take that into consideration when you’re purchasing a mattress, as airflow and level of breathability are super-important in such a case.

Weight Between 130 and 200 lbs.

If you are an average-sized person, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration for picking the appropriate firmness. You should take into account your sleeping position, if you’re experiencing any back or limb pains when you’re sleeping, or if you sleep with a partner. For example, if you feel any pain when you wake up and suspect that the mattress is the one responsible, you may want to opt for a firmer model.

The weight of 200+ lbs.

People that have a higher than average body weight rely heavily on the core of their mattress. They may find themselves sinking too deeply into the bed and thus lacking proper body support. In their case, a mattress needs to be as firm as possible. The number and composition of the comfort layers are also important, as density is one of the factors that help this person find the best lying position.

Side Sleepers

If you often enjoy sleeping on the side, your shoulders and your hips are the parts that need the most mattress support. The softer the mattress is, the more support it can provide for the body parts that sink into it. As a consequence, if you are a side sleeper resting on a very firm mattress, your shoulders and hips will create pressure points that lead to pain and discomfort.

Stomach Sleepers

Resting on your stomach will put a lot of pressure on your pelvis and your hips. The pressure points created will leave the body sinking into the mattress up to a point where your spine is curved inwards. On the long run, this leads to improper spinal alignment, and that’s why stomach sleepers need a firmer mattress.

Back Sleepers

If you’re lucky enough to be a back sleeper, you can choose a mattress with almost any firmness levels. That’s because your body is spreading out its weight and it’s not creating any upsetting pressure points.

Sleep Number C2 Mattress

As a general rule of thumb, it’s important to have a mattress that allows your back to rest in a natural position while alleviating any pressure points that will eventually cause limb pains. Thankfully, the C2 mattress solves both of these problems, because there are 100 different firmness levels to choose from for each side of the bed. When it comes to the overall firmness of the product, Sleep Number has ranked their mattresses by adding a digit into their names. The C2 mattress is the firmest one of all, followed by the c4 and so on. However, there is always the option to purchase a mattress pad if you feel the need for some additional cushioning.

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Features & Benefits

Even if it is one of the most basic mattresses currently sold by Sleep Number, it’s still a premium quality product and goes way above the average bed. Being a bit more basic than its siblings, the C2 is also more affordable, which might be a good thing for people who’ve always wanted to own a Sleep Number mattress but were scared away by the threatening price tag. Even if the C2 is a pretty firm mattress, it is not recommended for overweight people. Some customers that weight in over 300 pounds have suggested that they’re not comfortable sleeping on the C2, due to the lack of cushioning.

Even if it is one of the most basic mattresses currently sold by Sleep Number, it’s still a premium quality product and goes way above the average bed. Being a bit more basic than its siblings, the C2 is also more affordable, which might be a good thing for people who’ve always wanted to own a Sleep Number mattress but were scared away by the threatening price tag. Even if the C2 is a pretty firm mattress, it is not recommended for overweight people. Some customers that weight in over 300 pounds have suggested that they’re not comfortable sleeping on the C2, due to the lack of cushioning.

Available Sizes

The C2 mattress is currently available in 6 different sizes, as follows:

• Twin – 38 x 75 inches
• Twin Extra-Long – 38 x 80 inches
• Full – 54 x 75 inches
• Queen – 60 x 80 inches
• King – 76 x 80 inches
• Cal King – 72 x 84 inches

Please note that depending on the mattress size of your choice, the product will either feature a singular or a dual air chamber. Mattresses that are full sized and above come with 2 air chambers.

Construction

Measuring 8 inches in thickness, the C2 is made with a polypropylene fabric blend. It is the only mattress sold by Sleep Number that lacks a comfort foam layer. Instead, you will find a fiberfill layer that’s located right above the air chambers. The top layer of the mattress is a removable zippered cover. However, the manufacturer highly advises not to remove and wash the cover. Instead, you can spot clean and unzip it to air the insides of the mattress every once in a while.

DualAir Technology

The C2, as well as other models from the Sleep Number family of mattresses, has integrated DualAir technology in their products. Depending on the size of the mattress chosen, it can host either one or two air chambers that can be customized to the firmness level preferred by the sleeper. Upon ordering your C2 mattress, you will also receive an air pump and an optional remote control that work together to help you set your ideal sleep number.

Measuring 4 feet in length, the hose that’s attached to the air pump is cleverly hidden inside the mattress. In order to access it, you will simply have to unzip the cover to expose it. 24-gauge vulcanized rubber is combined with cotton fabric to create the air chambers, which can lead to a rubbery smell, especially when you first pump air into the mattress. This should fade away after a few nights of sleeping on the C2. You can also air it out by unzipping the mattress cover.

Sleep Number

One of the many qualities of Sleep Number’s mattress is the technology that bears the same name. Thanks to this technology, you are able to configure the firmness desired that supports your body to the fullest. A person’s sleep number is a mark of the firmness level customized for each of the air chambers located inside the mattress. When you purchase a C2 mattress that features dual air chambers, each side of the bed can have a different firmness setting, which means that you no longer have to sleep on a mattress that’s as firm or as soft as your partner wants it to be. In fact, many customers have praised the utility of this technology, as people with a sleep number of 30 no longer experience sleep discomfort when lying beside someone who sleeps on a firmness of 80. The dual air chambers allow for more motion absorption as well.

However, finding your ideal sleep number is a process that takes time. That’s because you need to sleep about 3 to 5 night on a configuration that you find comfortable to see how well the body adjusts and how rested you feel the next day. The manufacturer recommends that in the process of finding your ideal sleep number, you adjust the mattress to a firmness level of 100 and go down from there. On average, the sleep number for a person who isn’t overweight and doesn’t experience any back problems is somewhere between 40 and 60.

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FlexFit Bases

If you are the least bit familiar with the range of mattresses sold by Sleep Number, then you already know the basic package won’t include a bed base. While the C2 is compatible with most platform bases, Sleep Number has created their own series, named FlexFit. What sets apart the FlexFit bases from a regular bed base is the fact that they enhance some of the features of the original mattress. Depending on the FlexFit base you purchase (1, 2 and 3 are the currently available options), you will have added benefits, just as head or feet elevation, under the bed lighting or feet warmth.

Back Pain Problems

The C2, just like any other Sleep Number mattress, is one of the best options for alleviating back pains and pressure points that cause people to wake up feeling sore and tired in the morning. It is not uncommon for people who are actually super healthy to wake up with back pains simply because they are resting on the wrong type of mattress. The firmness level of your mattress needs to take into account your sleeping position, your current health status, and your total weight.

One of the greatest things about the C2 is that even if you suffer an unfortunate accident or end up with body pains for other several reasons, you can change your mattresses’ firmness WITHOUT buying a new mattress. Even more, people happen to change their sleeping habits and positions quite a lot throughout their lifetime. You may enjoy sleeping on your stomach in your 20s but end up feeling more comfortable sleeping on your sides in your mid-40s. That automatically implies that you should choose a different mattress firmness which, unless you own a Sleep Number bed, means a new investment.

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Remote Control

The remote control is sold separately and will cost an additional $40 to get it. Since you can control the air pump using the Sleep Number phone app, a remote isn’t really mandatory, but if you’re looking for simplicity in operating the bed, it really isn’t that big of an investment. The reason why so many people opt for purchasing the remote control is the fact that its interface is made from a simple display and 4 very intuitive buttons. With the “left” and “right” buttons, you can select one of the 2-bedsides that you wish to configure. The “up” and “down” arrow allow smooth navigation between the 100 different sleep numbers, to allow exact firmness adjustment.

Missing Features

Since this the most basic Sleep Number mattress, the C2 lacks some of the add-ons that are available with more expensive bed models. SleepIQ is not available with the C2, which means that you won’t benefit from the technology that helps monitors and measure your sleeping habits, a feature which is available on other Sleep Number mattresses. You won’t have access to statistics and information about your sleeping habits.

As mentioned before, the C2 also lacks an integrated layer of memory foam. For those of you who want the memory foam but have your heart set on purchasing the C2 mattress, you can always opt for an additional memory foam topper, just to get that extra bit of comfort juice that we all crave for when our body feels sore and tired after a long day.

Customer Opinions

Sleep Number

This is, by far, the most appreciated feature of the C2. Customers that have opted for a mattress with dual air chambers are satisfied with being able to sleep on a mattress as firm as THEY want it to be. Since each partner sleeps on a different configuration, one of them will no longer be disturbed by the other’s sleeping movement, as the mattress absorbs motion.

Durability

There is no doubt that Sleep Number makes high-quality products, and this is reflected in the overall durability of the C2 as well. There are customers that have used the C2 for more than 5 years and are still very happy with how the mattress is holding on.

Price

Due to the fact that the C2 is at the base of the Sleep Number mattress pyramid, its cost is also way lower compared to the other mattresses that fall under this brand. In other words, it’s a great option if you really want a Sleep Number mattress but can’t afford the more expensive models.

Back Pains

Customers who’ve already spent a considerable number of nights testing the C2 are happy to report they are no longer waking up with back pains or sore limbs.

Conclusion

The need to save money is perfectly understandable. But there some things that should never be sacrificed, like to quality of your sleep. It’s true that there are a lot of mattresses that are way more affordable than the C2, but do they meet all the standards required to help your body rest as it should? Even if we’re not particularly happy with the lack of a memory foam layer, this is the only real downside we’ve found for the C2. The rest is just water under the bridge. With the C2, you still get some of the best features commonly found on Sleep Number products, like the dual air technology that allows you to adjust the mattresses’ sleep number to your desired firmness. This is great on so many levels, especially when it helps you get rid of back pains.

However, even if the C2 allows you to configure the firmness of the mattress, the fact that it provides very little additional support aside from the air chambers still makes it a firm mattress overall. Because of that, it is more suitable for back and stomach sleepers, as side sleepers may still experience the shoulder and hips pressure points that we spoke about at the beginning of this article.