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Anyone sleep on a Japanese sleeping mat on a regular basis?


DawnM
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My oldest would like to move rooms to one further away from the family (he has AS and the new 2 year old is just too loud!  He needs some distance).  

However, the room is not technically a bedroom, it was listed as an office in the listing.  It is fairly small, and the windows don't open.

But, he would like to use it anyway.  He has asked me for a roll up mat to sleep on so he can have more space in the daytime.  

I have looked at Amazon in the $150-$200 range, but not sure those are quality?

I have also looked at this website, where they start at around $400.

https://jlifeinternational.com/collections/shikifutons/w-futon

Thoughts?   

While I don't mind comments, I really would love to hear from someone who knows these and can give me guidance from experience.

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Thanks to Quill, I can now add pictures:

This is the cubby area in the back.  It actually is long enough in the back to put the twin lengthwise.

 

IMG_3466.thumb.jpg.92f127487930d1dd2f3ad956f3c00712.jpgIMG_0681.thumb.jpeg.3c9e5133bf10e9defb661d224b6214d6.jpeg

The above is when you walk into the room.  Then it has an area to the left after you walk in.  

Below are the measurements.  You can see it was designated as an office.

 

 

Screen Shot 2020-06-27 at 10.47.56 AM.png

Edited by DawnM
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Not in recent years (futon mattress on bed, yes currently, but not floor fold away type, so I cannot advise on particulars) but yes for awhile in the long past. 

 I loved it at the time.   It was actually in a Tipi and I had a sleeping bag so that rolled away too.    It was heavier weight than I would have liked, but was very comfortable to sleep on.  

 

Another thing to consider if he did not specify Japanese style would be a Thermorest type air mattress which can have an outer cover with snap locks that allow it to become a daytime floor chair.  They especially to thickest ones and full length, not the thin, short backpack suitable type, are also very comfortable. Available through REI in my experience 

 

without a window to open, a high quality air filter and some way to do air exchange would be good

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2 minutes ago, OKBud said:

I've slept on a 2" bed topper for years and years! I heard about it from Katy Bowman 🙂 It's really good for you to get off conventional furniture! What I have done is fold it in half in the daytime sometimes, and use it as a make-shift couch on the floor. It's a cali king, so a twin would be like a makeshift chair. 

My kids have regular beds, but they'd just as soon have a floor mat, and they've been fine on these. 

We've also used Thai mattresses, and while not as comfortable as a foam mat at first, you get accustomed to them just as quickly and they just become "bed" in your mind... cozy 🙂 

 

You mean, just a 2" topper directly on the floor?

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I have for years.  But I've modified it a bit for my old bones.  I put two comforters down on the floor first.  (This is partly because they are easier to wash than the futon.  Then a two inch memory foam topper which is encased in a cover for easy cleaning goes next.  Then my futon (covered with a bottom sheet for easy cleaning).  The futon is not the heavy kinds sold in the US to go on a couch like frame but the kind that is picked up and put away every day.  I have a routine morning and night where I put it away (on top of someone else's bed during the day because that works best for us space wise and they don't use their bed during the day) in the morning and then spread it out at night.

Edited by Jean in Newcastle
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Just now, Jean in Newcastle said:

I have for years.  But I've modified it a bit for my old bones.  I put two comforters down on the floor first.  (This is partly because they are easier to wash then the futon.  Then a two inch memory foam topper which is encased in a cover for easy cleaning goes next.  Then my futon (covered with a bottom sheet for easy cleaning).  The futon is not the heavy kinds sold in the US to go on a couch like frame but the kind that is picked up and put away every day.  I have a routine morning and night where I put it away (on top of someone else's bed during the day because that works best for us space wise and they don't use their bed during the day) in the morning and then spread it out at night.

 

Ok, so how do I get one of those?  Did you look at the link I sent?  Is that what you have, or similar to what you have?

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Coming back with a couple of alternatives. 

Can y'all keep the bed in his current bedroom and just switch out everything else? It sounds like his bedroom is considerably larger, so could probably be turned into an office with a bed in it. He uses it only for sleeping and has all his stuff in the other room. 

If nighttime is when the toddler is making noise, can oldest simply sleep in the living room? A mat would work there just as well. So oldest would be sleeping in the living room with his bedroom remaining the same. Daytime switch of toddler leaving the bedroom area and staying in the main parts of the house. If toddler needs a nap, this can either be done in a different room, or oldest makes a habit of doing a room switch at that time. 

Both of those would be safer, and honestly a lot less work than switching rooms entirely. 

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 I know nothing about japanese matresses, but I just starting to look for a replacement for the 15 y.o's twin bed.  I am seriously considering  a sideway Murphy bed,  because a full or queen would gobble his small bedroom The sideways dont' take up a whole wall.  More like a vanity.  A  litttle pricey.  well reviewed ones start around $1200.  But, I might just get a hardware kit (all mechanical parts included)  for around $250.  A simple cabinet seems easy enough to modify or build. here is link to samples. https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=side+murphy+bed&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNpLPy9J_qAhU5IDQIHdRQB_cQsAR6BAgBEAE&biw=1745&bih=852

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3 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

 

For those of you using a 2” foam topper, do you have trouble with it retaining body heat? OP’s son surely won’t see that as an issue, but it’s a problem for me as a >50F! If yours stays cool, please share a brand name. I about to start using a super firm futon but need a transitional layer for my non-teenager joints!

This is why my topper goes under the actual futon.  I like the extra layer for my joints but couldn't handle the heat.  I also couldn't move comfortably on the memory foam even with a cover. 

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37 minutes ago, katilac said:

Coming back with a couple of alternatives. 

Can y'all keep the bed in his current bedroom and just switch out everything else? It sounds like his bedroom is considerably larger, so could probably be turned into an office with a bed in it. He uses it only for sleeping and has all his stuff in the other room. 

If nighttime is when the toddler is making noise, can oldest simply sleep in the living room? A mat would work there just as well. So oldest would be sleeping in the living room with his bedroom remaining the same. Daytime switch of toddler leaving the bedroom area and staying in the main parts of the house. If toddler needs a nap, this can either be done in a different room, or oldest makes a habit of doing a room switch at that time. 

Both of those would be safer, and honestly a lot less work than switching rooms entirely. 

 

no, it is the morning that the toddler makes noise, so he wants to be as far away as possible to SLEEP.

He has had his office in his bedroom and the upstairs "office" as his sleeping only, but he says he can't think well with all the barking of the puppy and the loud toddler, so he wants ALL of it moved up to the other room.

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8 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

IME to be a qualifying bedroom, a window that can be opened for escape is required, as well as reasonable access to a bathroom and closet. The last real estate agent to evaluate our property said he’d require a window and closet actually in the bedroom plus a bathroom on the same level as the bedroom to classify it as a bedroom in the listing. Otherwise it would be listed as a study/office/bonus room. 

Of course that will vary by area. Just saying that simply changing the window might not meet requirements. But, if it were to become a permanent sleeping area, as a parent I’d consider replacing the window. 

Sorry that’s so OT, Dawn! 😂

For those of you using a 2” foam topper, do you have trouble with it retaining body heat? OP’s son surely won’t see that as an issue, but it’s a problem for me as a >50F! If yours stays cool, please share a brand name. I about to start using a super firm futon but need a transitional layer for my non-teenager joints!

 

There is a full bathroom up there as well as my 20 year old's bedroom, which is quite large.  And a bonus/media room up there.

It is not considered a bedroom because of the windows.  I am trying to post a pic so you can see.  It would be difficult to add a window that opens due to the shape, but we will look into it.  It can certainly be broken if necessary.  

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30 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

IME to be a qualifying bedroom 

Yeah, the window to escape isn't the only requirement but it's the lifesaving one, lol. 

20 minutes ago, DawnM said:

It can certainly be broken if necessary.  

That's good to know. I would put a sledgehammer or whatever right by it (that stays there permanently, no borrowing for projects). I would probably even hang it on the wall right next to the window. It may sound like overkill, but people are not doing their best thinking whilst trying to escape a fire, and it can be difficult or impossible to see. You don't want him hunting around for something to break the window with. 

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2 hours ago, Seasider too said:

Oh it sounds fine! With nearby accessible windows I wouldn’t worry. If it were just a lofty nook up there in a somewhat isolated area, it would be different. 

 

I have tried reducing the size of the pic to post here but I can't get it to work.

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6 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

Those camping things?  No, we have those, I don't think they pad well at all!

 

It may depend on the exact model 😉

I have had a silver type that doesn’t pad all that well, but is better for backpacking.

I have friends who are  adult husband and wife couple, full size people, who use the luxury Thermarest double sized with the combination of air and foam as their regular mattress on top of a pedestal based bed. 

Edited by Pen
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When we lived in Hawaii it was common to see folding foam mattresses.  Used for lounging while watching tv and for sleeping.  We had one that was soooo comfortable - it was maybe 3 inches thick, the length of a regular twin mattress, but about 3/4 of the width of a twin.  It folded into thirds and had a nice cover that could be removed for cleaning. We used a regular twin sheet on it when camping and it could fold up with the sheet and a thin blanket.  It could sit nicely against the wall or in a corner, or could even become a low seat when folded.  Something similar to this: folding mattress.

Anyway, they were super common in HI and could be purchased nearly everywhere. If I had space, I'd have a couple here for when our college kids come home because I think they are more comfortable than an air mattress...

I know this thread changed to talking about the window, but if you are still looking for a way to have a low bed that folds away, look into one of these!  My daughter once took over a small mud room as her bedroom - moving out all the odds and ends and painting the walls yellow - so she could have a little room to breath away from her younger brother and older (grouchy) sisters.  She did use a twin bed in there, but set it up kind of like a couch... it was tiny and without a closet, but it was hers and she loved it!!  I hope your son can create his own little nest!!

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If he can break the window ....and fit through it ....for an emergency then I would go with it.   I am sure fire safety concious and would also make sure there is a fire detector in the room, in the hall, everywhere 😀.   My ex was a firefighter and my FIL was fire chief.  They never had a fatal house fire where there were working smoke detectors.

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We had 2 full sized futon mattresses on the floor covered with bottom sheets for 8 years in our son’s bedroom because he would never stay in a crib and this gave him room to play around and sleep without harming himself.we had the entire floor area covered. The mattresses were 10 inches thick. Around year 8, the mattress started losing its shape but they were good while they lasted. If I were to do it again, I would choose a mattress topper instead because of the ease of moving it for cleaning underneath.

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I slept on one every night for the year and a half I spent in Japan, I found them very comfortable and always slept well.

Unfortunately I really don't know much about buying them and finding good quality. Ours did not roll up, we folded them in thirds to store in a closet during the day.

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3 hours ago, Ottakee said:

If he can break the window ....and fit through it ....for an emergency then I would go with it.   I am sure fire safety concious and would also make sure there is a fire detector in the room, in the hall, everywhere 😀.   My ex was a firefighter and my FIL was fire chief.  They never had a fatal house fire where there were working smoke detectors.

 

We just got foster care licensed, I can assure you all of our smoke detectors work!

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4 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

We just got foster care licensed, I can assure you all of our smoke detectors work!

I forgot about that part.  We have so many that the issue is, when one starts chirping low battery (we have hard wired AND battery.....see note above about being super over the top on this) it takes us forever to figure out which one it is.   I try to change the batteries every 6 months but we still miss one once in a while.

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2 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I forgot about that part.  We have so many that the issue is, when one starts chirping low battery (we have hard wired AND battery.....see note above about being super over the top on this) it takes us forever to figure out which one it is.   I try to change the batteries every 6 months but we still miss one once in a while.

 

That is us too.  It drives us crazy.

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15 hours ago, DawnM said:

 

I have tried reducing the size of the pic to post here but I can't get it to work.

Here’s something I discovered when I was posting pictures of Europe. You can go in your profile to “attachments” and delete a bunch of the photos and things you have attached previously. Once you have done that, you may find you can post your pictures. 

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When ds15 started sleeping in our laundry room due to a noise little brother three years ago, we had him take his mattress (lightweight IKEA foam, about $75) and just lean it up against he wall during the day. We figured it was a good way to test things out without having to pay $$$ for something that he might abandon in the near future. That worked for a year and then the noise issue in his own room stopped and he put his mattress back.

Now, he has a camping cot that he uses when he wants to sleep somewhere funny, usually due to his room being too hot. He is a big camper and he liked that he could use it occasionally at home and also camping.

Edited by EmilyGF
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2 hours ago, Quill said:

Here’s something I discovered when I was posting pictures of Europe. You can go in your profile to “attachments” and delete a bunch of the photos and things you have attached previously. Once you have done that, you may find you can post your pictures. 

 

Oh my goodness, I had no idea!

I can't seem to figure out how to delete though, do I have to go into each post and delete each one individually?

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1 hour ago, EmilyGF said:

When ds15 started sleeping in our laundry room due to a noise little brother three years ago, we had him take his mattress (lightweight IKEA foam, about $75) and just lean it up against he wall during the day. We figured it was a good way to test things out without having to pay $$$ for something that he might abandon in the near future. That worked for a year and then the noise issue in his own room stopped and he put his mattress back.

Now, he has a camping cot that he uses when he wants to sleep somewhere funny, usually due to his room being too hot. He is a big camper and he liked that he could use it occasionally at home and also camping.

 

This is what I told him to do for now too.  We do have a couple of extra twin mattresses.  He may find that that is all he needs.  I think he likes the idea of a futon roll up mattress, but we will see.  We also have a fold up bed for guests.  I told him he might want to try that as well.  

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1 hour ago, DawnM said:

 

Oh my goodness, I had no idea!

I can't seem to figure out how to delete though, do I have to go into each post and delete each one individually?

No. There is a little box on the left you can checkmark and then push Delete on the lower right. It will ask you if you are sure, say yes. Voila! 

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The windows don't open?  That is something I believe should be corrected, before he thinks about sleeping there. On days when the weather is nice (not when central a/c or heat is mandatory) to be able to open the windows and get fresh air into a room is a blessing. Also, in case of an emergency, having windows that one can open might permit one to escape.

 

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