Adjustable firmness beds let you change how soft or firm a mattress feels after purchase, usually through air chambers, layered inserts, or a reversible build.
A bed that feels perfect in the showroom can feel wrong by night three — which is why adjustable firmness exists. Sleep Number’s Sleep Number setting runs from 0 to 100, with 100 the firmest, and every Sleep Number bed carries DualAir adjustability so each side holds its own number. That per-side split is the feature couples notice first, and no standard mattress can copy it.
How Does Adjustable Firmness Work?
Air-chamber beds inflate or deflate internal chambers, so the surface responds instantly to a new number. Layered-insert beds swap or rearrange foam and support layers; reversible mattresses flip to a different feel. Only air chambers adjust at the push of a button.
Sleep Number documents the direction plainly: raising the setting firms the bed, lowering it softens it. Adjustments land within seconds. If your shoulders ache at a 40 but your hips feel unsupported at a 30, you test both in the same week instead of guessing at a store.
DualAir takes that further: one sleeper can sit at 35 while the other holds 65, with no shared compromise.
How To Find Your Sleep Number Setting
Sleep Number’s guidance is to start with the app, which works with every current bed. The path is Smart Bed > Sleep Number setting > Find New Sleep Number setting. Answer the questions, sleep on the result for two to five nights, then adjust by 5 or 10 if the feel is off.
A remote works too, but only for Sleep Number 360 smart beds and traditional beds — newer families route through the app alone. Check this before buying if a physical remote matters.
On pricing: the current ComfortMode line starts at $1,599 for a queen, includes a remote and a 100-night trial, and the matching adjustable base starts at $1,399. Prices move, so verify the live figure before ordering. To compare specific models, our roundup of beds with adjustable firmness breaks down tested options side by side.
| Adjustment Type | How It Changes Feel | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Air chambers (Sleep Number) | Setting 0–100, per side, instant change | Couples who disagree on firmness |
| Layered inserts | Swap or reorder foam and support layers | Buyers who want to tune once, then stop |
| Reversible mattress | Flip to a second, different feel | Budget shoppers testing two options |
| Sleep Number setting 0–30 | Softest range, more sink | Side sleepers and lighter frames |
| Sleep Number setting 31–60 | Middle range, balanced support | Combination sleepers |
| Sleep Number setting 61–100 | Firmest range, minimal sink | Back and stomach sleepers |
| DualAir split | Two settings in one bed | Partners with opposite preferences |
Mistakes That Cost Buyers Money
First: assuming “adjustable firmness” always means app-controlled air chambers. It doesn’t. Some mattresses sell firmness as fixed model options — soft, medium, firm — and the label gets stretched to sound adjustable. Confirm what physically changes before you pay.
Second: treating every Sleep Number bed as identical. Support documentation separates 360 smart beds, traditional beds, and newer product families, and features like remote-based setting changes don’t carry across all of them. Check which family a model belongs to.
Third: changing the setting every night. Sleep Number recommends two to five nights at one setting before judging, because your body adapts slower than the air chambers do.
What To Check Before Buying
Four checks: whether firmness is app-controlled or a fixed model choice, whether both sides adjust independently, which product family the model belongs to, and the trial period. The 100-night trial on ComfortMode matters most — the only real way to test a setting over weeks. Skip the pillow-top upsell on an air bed; extra padding masks the firmness range you paid for.
FAQs
Can two people set different firmness levels in one bed?
Yes, on any dual-adjustable model. Sleep Number’s DualAir construction gives each side its own 0–100 setting, so one sleeper can run soft while the other sleeps firm. This applies across the lineup, not just premium models.
How often should I change my firmness setting?
Sleep Number recommends one setting for two to five nights before deciding, then adjusting by 5 or 10 points if it still feels wrong. Changing nightly defeats the purpose, since your body needs several nights to register whether the support helps.
Does a higher number mean a firmer bed?
Yes. On the Sleep Number scale, 100 is firmest and 0 is softest. Increasing the number firms the bed; decreasing softens it. Sleep Number’s support documentation states this explicitly.
References & Sources
- Sleep Number. “Sleep Number Official Site” Source for ComfortMode pricing, the 100-night trial, and 2026 availability.
- Sleep Number. “Bed Buying Guide” Defines the 0–100 Sleep Number setting and DualAir adjustability.
- Sleep Number. “How to Find a New Sleep Number Setting” Supports the app path, remote limits, and the two-to-five-night recommendation.