It's the one piece of furniture we all take for granted,
but choosing a bed that's good for your health is as important as
choosing one for comfort. Use our essential guide as your first
step to a perfect night's sleep...
1. Size Matters
Your bed should be the biggest your room can allow. Having a
large bed means you are less likely to disturb your partner. The
common size of a British double bed isn't really big enough for two
people to sleep in comfortably, which explains why people have more
restless nights when with someone then when alone. Did you know
that a standard 4ft 6" bed allows each adult the same equivalent of
space a baby has in a bed? Ideally you should opt for a king-size
bed which measures 5ft x 6ft 6". That way you can rest assured you
will get a good night's sleep.
2. Mattresses
Most modern mattresses fall into four varieties. The first is
open sprung, where the coil springs are wired together to form a
single unit. These mattresses are ideal if there isn't a big weight
difference between you and your partner. Pocket sprung mattresses
on the other hand are where every spring has its own pocket, making
the mattress better for restless sleepers or a couple where the
weight difference is significant. Both Visco-elastic and Talalay
latex mattresses respond to your body's temperature to get more
comfort and are better for people with allergies as they do not
harbour dust mites. If you and your partner have great differences
in what you need from a mattress, a zip mattress (in which two
different single mattresses can be attached to form a superking)
may be the answer.
3. Choosing A Frame
Divans:
While bedsteads have an aesthetic purpose and help to give your
room a definite style, a divan bed base is usually stronger and
more supportive but plainer, style-wise. Divans also have the added
option of storage drawers, which can be incorporated into the base.
The main benefit of divan beds is that they take up less room. If
you're worried about size, it's worth remembering that a king-size
divan will often fit into the space of a double bedstead. Divans
are also more versatile, if you're likely to change the style of
your bedroom regularly, as many don't have the striking appearance
of bedsteads.
Bedsteads:
Bedsteads are available in almost limitless styles and colours -
metal and leather are particularly popular at the moment. Many are
supplied flat-packed, and so can help with any of the problems
associated with getting divans up stairs or through tricky
doorways. Remember, if you're buying a bedstead, it's even more
important to get the mattress right. The slatted base can reduce
the life expectancy of a sprung mattress, so foam mattresses are
ideal with this kind of bed. A sprung-slatted base will have a
softer feel, and will prolong the life of your mattress.
4. Is The Price Right?
When it comes to cost you should spend as much as you can afford
on a bed, including the base and mattress. When you consider that
the average bed lasts 10 years, the cost (however much you spend)
won't seem at all bad when you work it our per sleep. A £500
($1000) bed used for over 10 years will cost you just 14p (28
cents) a night.
Good luck with your purchase! Sweet dreams from
VideoJug...
