Honest Sleep Number i8 360 Review

Ready to purchase your next bed and not sure of which one to buy? It’s now been three years since we got our Sleep Number i8 360 bed and the things I enjoy have only increased! This Sleep Number i8 review will help you figure out whether or not this smart mattress is the right fit for you.

Prefer to sleep in the cold or for it to be super toasty? This Sleep Number i8 is perfect for both the hot and cold sleepers.

The Sleep Number i8 360 is designed with the sleeper in mind. It offers pressure relief for your hips, lower back, and knees, and also features responsive air technology. The adjustable base allows you to find your ideal sleeping position, and the SleepIQ technology tracks your sleep quality by providing insights to help you sleep better.

If you are new to the Sleep Number products, the bed is a combination of a foam mattress overtop of an air bladder- this is what allows you to make personalized adjustments.

Plus, the 360 base allows you to have total control of your side of the bed simply by using the app on your phone or the remote to adjust to your favorite sleep setting.

However, it comes at a high price tag which makes many people wonder if it’s the right smart mattress for them. After using it for the past three years, I can confidently say that it is. But don’t just take my word for it – read this entire review to learn about all the pros and cons as well as features of the Sleep Number i8 360.

Prefer watching a video review instead? Check out my review below:

What is the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed?

The Sleep Number i8 is a smart bed that combines innovation and comfort to help you sleep better. This bed is part of Sleep Number’s popular 360 series, which features adjustable firmness levels, responsive air technology, and the SleepIQ app to help you track and improve your sleep quality.

A key feature of the Sleep Number i8 is its adjustable base, known as FlexFit. This base allows you to make adjustments to your sleeping position for optimal comfort. This means it can adapt to your needs regardless of whether you’re a side sleeper or prefer sleeping on your back – which is seriously huge!

The i8 smart bed also provides pressure relief for your lower back, hips, knees, and lower legs, thanks to its foam comfort layer. And for those who prefer a softer touch, the bed has thicker comfort layers that offer enhanced cushion.

Plus, the bed is equipped with air chambers that adjust to your preferred firmness levels. You can control these adjustments using the SleepIQ app on your iOS or Android smartphone. The app also provides insights into your sleep score, heart rate, and more.

Who Should Consider Buying a Sleep Number i8?

The Sleep Number i8 smart bed is a great purchase for a wide range of sleepers since it has so many innovative features and adjustments. Here’s who it’s best for:

If you have lower back pain: The bed’s FlexFit adjustable base is really good for those with lower back pain. It allows you to elevate your knees, lower legs, or hips for pressure relief. The bed also features air chambers that provide good edge support so that you can sleep comfortably, no matter your sleeping position.
If you love stats and insights: The Sleep Number i8 also features the SleepIQ technology, which tracks your heart rate, breathing, and movement to give you insights into your sleep quality. Plus, the SleepIQ app offers a sleep score to help you gauge how well you (and your partner) are sleeping.
If you’re a hot sleeper: If you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll seriously appreciate the i8’s foam comfort layer that helps dissipate heat. And if you’re worried about odors, don’t worry at all because the mattress top features thicker comfort layers that resist odor build-up. Love that!

Who Shouldn’t Consider Buying A Sleep Number i8?

While the Sleep Number i8 incredible in many ways, it might not be the best fit for everyone. Let’s look at who might not want to buy this smart mattress:

If you’re not tech-savvy: If you’re not tech-savvy, you might find the SleepIQ app a bit challenging to navigate. The app, available for both iOS and Android, is used to make adjustments to the bed and monitor your sleep quality. However, it can be a bit complex for those not familiar with using smartphone apps. However, the staff is extremely helpful and do guide you through everything during the setup process.
If you’re on a budget: It’s no surprise that the Sleep Number mattress comes with a higher price tag compared to other mattresses. If you’re on a tight budget, this might not be the best mattress for you. Although it offers a trial period and a limited warranty, the initial purchase cost can still be a barrier for some people.

Quick Overview of the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed

Adjustable Bases: The Sleep Number i8 comes with an adjustable base, known as FlexFit. This feature allows you to make adjustments to the bed’s firmness levels to help you get the optimum pressure relief. This adjustable base comes with different features, including a foot warmer.
Air Chambers: The bed also features air chambers on each side of the bed. These chambers help in motion isolation, meaning you won’t be disturbed if your partner tosses and turns during the night. Plus, you can adjust the firmness levels independently on each side of the bed. This is honestly a feature that’s perfect for couples with different sleeping preferences. The best also uses this feature subtly to help if your partner is snoring (without waking them up of course!).
SleepIQ Technology: A key feature is definitely their proprietary SleepIQ technology. It tracks your sleep quality by monitoring your heart rate, breathing, and movement. The data is then used to generate a sleep score to give you insights into your sleep patterns. You can access this information via the SleepIQ app.
Automatic Adjustments; The Sleep Number 360 smart beds use Responsive Air technology to automatically adjust firmness, comfort, and support based on your movements. It does this with the help of the air chambers. The air chambers contain pressure sensors that can sense where your body is and adjust accordingly. The air chambers also detect vibrations, which indicate snoring and general movement. There is also a sensor at the foot of the bed that collects all data and sends it to the Sleep Number app.
Edge Support: It also offers good edge support, thanks to its thicker comfort layers. Plus, this smart mattress caters to hot sleepers incredibly well with its cooling mattress top, so you can get a comfortable and sweat-free sleep.
Responsive Air Technology: Another feature worth mentioning is the responsive air technology. This feature automatically adjusts the bed’s firmness according to your sleeping position, providing pressure relief to your lower back, hips, knees, and lower legs.

Sleep Number i8 360 Review: What Features Make It Worth the Price?

Finding Your Sleep Number

One of the best features is definitely being able to control and adjust the bed’s firmness levels thanks to the adjustable base and responsive air technology.

The thing I love the most is that the mattress comes equipped with separate air chambers on each side of the bed.

This allows you to make adjustments to your side of the bed without disturbing your partner. You can increase the firmness by inflating the air chambers (a higher number means more firmness) or decrease it by deflating them (a lower number means less firmness).

It was definitely fun trying to figure out what my ideal sleep number setting was and mine and my husband’s is so different! Being able to independently adjust it is incredible.

Not Overly Hot

The smart bed is equipped with a layer of temperature balancing foam comfort layer that absorbs excess heat and releases it as you cool. This helps keep your body at a comfortable temperature throughout the night.

The mattress top also features a breathable fabric that enhances air circulation. This means that for those who are hot sleepers, the mattress topper forms around you, transferring the heat away from your body.

I have tried other mattresses or toppers that resulted in my sweating all night long because they actually trap your body heat, so this is a feature I was very nervous to test and very happy with the results.

Foot Warmer

On the flip side, if you prefer it to be cozy there is a foot warmer at the bottom of the mattress that can be adjusted to either heat up for a certain time period or be on while you sleep.

The warmth at your feet can help you to sleep better, but if you’re a hot sleeper it’s an added bonus in the wintertime to warm your feet up as you get into bed and set it to turn off after a selected period of time so that you do not wake up during the night feeling overheated.

This has become a new favorite feature. The bed is warm the second you get in, but cools down before I drift off so I don’t wake up hot.

Sleep IQ

Another unique feature about the mattress is that it records your sleep data. It looks at your heart rate (HR), HR variability, and your breath rate.

It then uses this data to provide a sleep score. This score is a gauge of how well you slept to help you understand if you’re getting the rest you need or if you need to adjust your sleep number setting. For instance, you may need to change your sleeping position or adjust the firmness levels of your Sleep Number’s bed.

For runners, the HR variability is really important because it measures how your body is recovering from the demands of training. Sure, there is fancy gear out there to help with this, but nothing beats getting quality sleep!

Sleep Number Smartphone App

The SleepIQ app makes the Sleep Number i8 smart bed even smarter. Available This app allows you to make adjustments to your bed, track your sleep quality, and even get insights on how to sleep better.

Once you have made your purchase and set up your new bed, you can connect it to the SleepIQ app via your smartphone. The app communicates with the adjustable base of your bed and allows you to control the firmness levels of the air chambers on each side of the bed.

The SleepIQ app also tracks your sleep score, which is a gauge of your sleep quality. In the morning, you can check the app to see your sleep score and get insights on how to improve it.

Plus, it also alerts you if there are any complaints about your bed, such as a hose needing repairs or an odor from the foam comfort layer.

Delivery and Setup Process

When it comes to the purchase of a new bed, especially an inexpensive smart bed like the Sleep Number i8, you have to take the buying and delivery process into consideration.

Fortunately, delivery and setup were seamless with the help of the Sleep Number team. They set up the new mattress, walked us through all of the features, and made sure we understood how to use them before leaving.

This means they will help you understand the various features of the i8, such as the adjustable base, sleeping position, firmness levels, and how to use the app.

What’s best is that the delivery and setup are part of the package when you purchase a Sleep Number i8, so you don’t have to pay separately for professional delivery service.

After the setup, you’ll have a trial period to test the bed and ensure it meets your needs. If there are any complaints or repairs needed, the Sleep Number’s beds come with a limited warranty.

One of the only downsides for many will be that you need to have specific Sleep Number sheets to deal with the split bed that raises and lowers. I opted again for sheets that help with transferring heat away from the body and we both find them comfortable.

But if you love variety or specific sheets, too bad so sad.

Is the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed Worth It?

In my opinion, yes it’s definitely worth the price. Since I’ve purchase it, I’ve been sleeping better and have been able to make minor adjustments to customize the bed according to my own preferences. Plus, my husband can do the same even though we both have very different preferences. I seriously love this feature the most.

If you love reading before sleeping, you’ll love timer feature that automatically changes the position of the bed to your sleeping position after a set amount of time. It comes in so handy to make sure you don’t accidentally fall asleep in the wrong position.

The customer service is also excellent. I love how they explained everything during the setup and have been great if we ever needed to figure out anything else.

But if you want to learn even more of my thoughts on this bed, I highly recommend checking out my YouTube video on my review of the Sleep Number i8 360 with FlexFit 3:

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