Grandparents David and Caren Pettyjohn may not always agree on everything but there is no compromise when it comes to quality sleep. They both want what they want. But they can agree that quality time with the grandkids is a must as their family continues to grow.

It began with an argument, or so David Pettyjohn says with a laugh. His wife, Caren, quickly chimes in: “No, it was a discussion. That’s all—a discussion.” 

The Fort Worth couple laughs together as they trade comments while describing the dilemma that led them to a Sleep Number^® bed: he wanted a softer mattress, she preferred something more firm. 

“It’s an interesting story,” says David, who works in the structural steel industry. “We had sold our house, and we lived for two-and-a-half years in our little camper. I’d been looking at Sleep Number^® for a while, and shortly after we moved into the camper, we went to the store and bought the first one, a queen size. It offered the best of both worlds for us.”  

That was in 2014 or 2015—again, the answer depends on who you ask, and sparks a genial debate. This past autumn, they got a new bed, a king size Sleep Number 360^® iLE smart bed.

Do You Really Need An Adjustable Bed?

When we caught up with them for a recent phone call, Caren was recovering from knee surgery. “Right away, being able to adjust [the firmness] made a huge difference for my comfort level, trying to go to sleep,” she says, adding that her firmness preference has changed over time. “I always thought that I wanted the hardest bed ever. But especially now, after my surgery, I drive the Sleep Number^® setting down to 25. It allows my body to get in a good position that is comfortable, so that I can actually relax and go to sleep.” 

David adds: “When we started out with the queen bed, she had a Sleep Number^® setting of 70 or 75, and I was 35. Now she’s 25 and I’m 30.”

Prioritizing the Grandkids

Caren works as an independent insurance agent, specializing in weather catastrophes. When a hurricane hits, for example, she’ll get deployed, and, she explains, “We go in and literally work ourselves out of a job. We work 10-hour days, seven days a week.”

But lately, she and David have made some adjustments to their lives and schedules, as they’ve welcomed five grandchildren, with a pair of twins coming soon. “In my job, you do travel a lot, and I’m done with traveling. So my goal is to find something around home that keeps me busy, so I’m available to stay home and sleep in my house and in my bed every night,” Caren says. 

“We love to travel and explore new places,” says David, “but we also love hanging out with our grandkids.” Caren adds, with a chuckle: “In fact, our grandson just slept on a Sleep Number^® bed!” 

If You Could Sleep Anywhere in the World

A question about sleeping anywhere in the world once again ignited a loving debate. Caren says she’d like to go back to Maui. “We went there and it was so cool—you open the windows and get the breeze.” David, meanwhile, would like to go to France. (We suggested French Polynesia as a compromise!)

What is Your Sleep Number Setting?

Currently, David’s Sleep Number^® setting is 30 and Caren’s is 25.

Want even better sleep? Sleepers who routinely use their Sleep Number 360^® smart bed features and SleepIQ^® technology get almost 100 hours more proven quality sleep per year.*

  
Like diet and exercise, quality sleep has a profound impact on our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. Because no two people sleep the same, Sleep Number 360^® smart beds, with SleepIQ^® technology, sense your movements and automatically adjust firmness, comfort and support to keep you both sleeping comfortably and provide proven quality sleep. Find your Sleep Number^® setting for your best possible night's sleep, and if you own a Sleep Number^® bed, log in to your InnerCircle℠ Rewards account to see your exclusive offers, refer friends and more.

 
*Based on internal analysis of sleep sessions assessing sleepers who use multiple features of Sleep Number^® products. Claim based on sleepers achieving over 15 more minutes of restful sleep per sleep sessions.