It may feel like it wasn’t long ago when they slept in a crib, but time moves on, and babies become young adults. Most teens love their beds, and sometimes it may seem almost impossible to wake them up and get them off to school on time. But what size bed does a teenager need to be comfortable?
Teenagers can sleep comfortably in a regular Twin sized bed. If the teenager is taller than average, choose a Twin XL 5″ longer than a regular Twin bed. This size will take up less space in the bedroom, so other essentials like a study desk and dresser can also easily fit.
If your teen has hit a growth spurt, you may wonder if they need a bigger bed. After all, they must get a good night’s sleep, but you also don’t want to fill up the bedroom. Let’s go through all the practical and comfort implications of choosing the right size bed for your teen.
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What Size Bed Does A Teenager Need?
If your teen has hit a growth spurt and suddenly seems to tower over the rest of the family, you may wonder if their bed still feels comfortable. After all, these are the years packed with tests and important decisions, so sleeping well is essential.
Fortunately, beds come in a few standard sizes, but it may be hard to decide if your teen should have more space to sprawl out at night or if it is better to have more floor space. There is no reason your teenager shouldn’t have a bigger bed, but in terms of need, most regular-sized adults can enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep in a regular Twin bed.
Twin beds are 38″ x 75″ and are usually best suited to people 5’5 and below. Anyone taller than that may be more comfortable on a slightly longer bed. The Twin XL is 5″ longer, so keep this in mind when purchasing beds if you have a naturally tall family. The width of the bed will still be the same, so it is a good space saver in a small room.
Another benefit of using a Twin XL is that when they are joined to form a King size bed, the length will be the standard size of a regular King. Two Twin beds can easily be combined to make a King, but the resulting King size bed will be slightly shorter than usual unless you use the Twin XL length.
Twin beds are often a practical choice as well. If your teen would like a bigger bed in their room, and space allows, it may be a good idea to use two joined Twin beds. This will allow for many more options when rearranging the decor in the future.
What Size Bed Should I Get For A Teenager?
If your child is growing before your eyes, you may be uncertain whether or not you need to get them a larger bed. They have probably been using the same-sized Twin bed since they first moved from their crib to a regular bed, so it may seem natural that they need a bigger bed.
Twin beds are known by that name because they were intended to be a matching pair in a room, and they are an ideal size for any single person, even an adult. Some teens reach full adult size earlier than others, but even a big adult can fit comfortably in a Twin bed. So, while the size of their shoes and sports equipment might have changed, there is no need to upsize the bed in your teen’s room unless you want to.
However, deciding what size bed to use for your teenager should depend on several factors.
- How big is your teen? If your teenager has grown quickly, especially self-conscious, they may feel more comfortable in a slightly larger bed, like a Full. If space and budget allow, it is important that their bed is a safe and private haven to get away from any insecurities or pressures.
- How big is the room? The room size is one of the most important factors when deciding what size bed your teenager should have. Kid’s rooms are not usually as large as the main bedroom, and the space may be needed for other furniture, making a Twin the practical choice.
A Twin bed may make the room look unbalanced if the bedroom is large. A practical solution to this challenge is connecting two Twins to make a King bed. The other option is to get two Twin beds and make one up as a sleeping space and the other as a daybed for reading and relaxing.
- What is your budget? The bigger the bed, the more linen is going to cost. It is much easier to use whatever linen is available on smaller beds if you do not want to invest in larger bedding. Large duvets can be folded or hung over the sides of smaller beds. The reverse is not possible. Large beds need the correct-sized linen.
- How often do they have friends over? Teens are often highly sociable, and friends and sleepovers are part of the experience. Loud giggles and late-night chill sessions are a part of growing up. Practically having two Twin beds may be a good option for the bedroom. Of course, friends can use a mattress on the floor for the occasional visit, but having a comfortable setup can make your home a favorite hub.
- Will you need to use the bedroom for other visitors? If you occasionally need to use your teen’s bedroom for visiting family, having a larger bed in the room may be helpful. When grandparents or extended family visit over Thanksgiving or Christmas, kids often need to make space for visitors by sharing one room or floor camping in the lounge for a few days.
If you have friends or relations who live far away and you occasionally need to transform your teen’s room into a temporary guestroom, it helps a lot if the bed is a suitable size. It is possible to join two Twin beds together, but if this is a regular occurrence, investing in a Full or even a Queen size bed may be more comfortable because you will need the bed even when your teenager has flown out of your nest.
- Are they restless sleepers? Some people toss and turn a lot more than others at night. If your teen is a restless sleeper, they will appreciate a little extra width to stay comfortable. A Full-size bed is 54″ wide and will work well for teens who need a wider bed without going too big.
The Benefits Of Using A Twin Bed For A Teenager
Twin-size beds are a good choice for most kids’ rooms because they can be used when transitioning from a crib to adulthood. Of course, a mattress usually lasts only 7 to 10 years before it should be replaced, but that holds true of all sized mattresses, so replacing a Twin size will be much less costly than replacing a larger bed.
Ideally, bedroom décor should grow with the child and be able to change along with their interests and express their personality. The teenage years are often awkward between carefree childhood and adult responsibilities. Keeping up with your teen’s changing tastes can get expensive, so choose classic furniture for their bedroom, which can be easily transformed to reflect their developmental phase.
Therefore, it is a good idea to use a Twin bed for a teenager because changing the top covering of the bed can completely change the look and feel of their bedroom. As you may expect, the duvet cover of a 13-year-old girl will be pretty different from what the same young lady will love when she is 17. So, in all likelihood, you may need to invest in new covers more frequently during the teenage years as fads come and go – a smaller bed will make this a less costly exercise.
If the room is spacious, invest in two Twin beds. Teenagers are still kids at heart, and a large Queen- or King-sized bed can look too formal in a bedroom for a young person. Teens are also not often neat freaks, and larger beds are more difficult to keep neat. Changing the linen on a Twin is much less a chore than on a larger bed.
Another big plus for using a Twin bed for teenagers is that they are easier to move around. Dragging the bed’s mattress to another room for a night of gaming can be done effortlessly by one person. The bed will also be much easier to transport if your teen needs to take it to a college dorm or small apartment someday.
Having the ability to join and separate twin beds can be a win-win situation. If your teen has a friend over, the beds can be separated and made up as singles, but once the teen has left the nest, you may like to make the space into a guest room, and one large bed would be more suitable.
How To Join Two Twin Beds Together
One of the benefits of investing in Twin beds is that you can join them to create a King-Sized bed. Take note that regular Twin beds are 5″ shorter than King size length, which is 80″, but it will still work perfectly for average-sized adults. Using two Twin beds that are joined together is an excellent option for couples needing different mattresses.
Putting the beds together so they don’t feel uncomfortable or slip apart during the night is simple. All you will need is a Twin to King conversion kit like the one from Irestful. These kits consist of a soft and comfortable bridge to seamlessly fill the gap between the two mattresses and a connector strap that fits firmly around the mattresses to hold them together securely.
You may not want to purchase a specific kit if you only need to create a King-Sized bed for a few nights. You can strap the two beds’ legs together for temporary transformations using cable ties, rope, or even a few strong belts. Use a long strap, like a ratchet strap, to fit around the beds to hold the mattresses in place.
If you don’t have a foam conversion bed bridge connector to join the beds, don’t worry. You can plug the gap using rolled-up soft towels or something similar. So long as there is no uncomfortable gap between the two mattresses. Then cover the top of the bed with a thick, fluffy blanket or a pillow top mattress pad to smooth out any unevenness before adding the bottom sheet. This solution may only be temporary, but it will work perfectly in the short term.
Related Article: Joining Two King Single Beds
Conclusion
There is no set size for a teenager’s bed. Most teenagers can sleep comfortably in a regular Twin Sized bed. If they are tall, they may prefer a Twin XL, which is the same width but slightly longer. When deciding what to get, one needs to consider several factors, like space, comfort, practicality, and personal requirements.
Using a Twin size bed means that there will be more floor space available, and the room won’t feel too overwhelmed by the size of the bed. Having friends over for sleepovers is also easier if two Twin beds are available. In the end, no matter what size bed your teen sleeps in, they can rest comfortably in their little cocoon away from the world and wake up fresh and ready to take on life at full teen speed.