A Cot's Better Than Sleeping on the Floor, Right? Right?

You'd think sleeping on a cot would be better than sleeping on the floor, right? Especially when the floor is concrete underneath budget carpet and pad?

Let me explode that myth right now.

If you'll recall, my comfortable airbed, which was in my bedroom, deflated and never got back up. I do have two very comfortable second-hand hospital beds, one in the den, and one in the living room (serving as a couch/guest bed).

My mother always told me, "never give up your own bed to guests," and I took that rule to heart except for the one time when my brother and sister-in-law stayed over night and my sister-in-law was way pregnant.

With three visitors this past week - my daughter and her two young'ns - we had between us two comfy hospital beds and two cots. The original plan was for us to try and move one of the beds into my bedroom, and I would sleep in comfortable splendor in my own room, but with a very narrow hallway and an unusual foyer situation on the bedroom side of the bedroom door, it was impossible. Oh sure, we could have dismantled the bed, but I only have the one Phillips screwdriver, so ...

Thus I ceded the two beds to my daughter and her son. Her daughter took one of the cots, and I took the second cot into my bedroom, my desire for privacy having trumped bed possession.

I had no idea cots were so hard. And because there's just air underneath the cot, it's cold. The second night was better - I encased myself in a sleeping bag, added a neck pillow, and then a pillow for under my knees. The third night I had the bright idea to switch cots because the other one looked "softer." It was the worst night of all.

On the final night, I slept on the floor, which was more comfortable than either of the cots.

I'm glad to learn all of this, so I won't ever be tempted to buy a cot for camping in the belief I'll "be more comfortable." Those cots that have the cushion on them might be better; I don't know.

Haven't decided yet if I'll get another airbed just so's I can have a quasi-real bed in my actual bedroom. The $35 price tag for an airbed isn't much, but I've got options that don't cost anything - like sleep in my den or just toss the two hospital-bed mattresses on my bedroom floor.