Choosing the right bed for you

12 secrets to choosing the right bed for you:

 

  1. Firmer mattresses encourage movement and prevent the spine from hammocking. The mattress needs to have enough ‘give’ to fill the hollows of your body.
  2. If buying a new bed is too expensive, place a body length piece of ply board under the mattress and use a good pillow to provide the support.
  3. Test before you buy! Lie on the bed in the shop and toss and turn – the word orthopaedic just means ‘firm’. Choose what is comfortable.
  4. If you share your bed with someone whose body size is significantly different from yours, purchase a bed made up of two singles zipped up in the middle (zip and link bed).
  5. Turn your mattress every six weeks-3months. If the mattress is heavy, ask for help. If you live on your own, you may prefer to purchase a foam/latex mattress. Foam/latex mattresses have the advantage of not needing regular turning, however, they are not suitable for those who get hot at night.
  6. Beds generally need replacing once every 8-10 years.
  7. Hygiene and ventilation of the bed and covers are important in controlling allergic conditions such as asthma and eczema.
  8. We lose between one – two pints of perspiration per night and if there isn’t space under the mattress for the perspiration to evaporate, the dampness within the mattress will shorten the life of the mattress. Slatted beds are a better choice.
  9. Consider purchasing the mattress and base together, so that the strength of the base matches the weight of the mattress.
  10. No matter how good your bed is; if you sleep on your stomach – you are sleeping your way into trouble. Break this habit by taping a milk bottle top to your chest – you may not get much sleep for the first few nights – but you will soon be sleeping comfortably on your back or side.
  11. Don’t forget about the pillow – we spend hundreds of pounds on mattresses but forget the pillows. This is particularly important if you suffer from back or neck pain.
  12. If sleeping on your side, place two pillows underneath your neck to allow your neck is held at 90 degrees to your shoulder, and a pillow between your knees to prevent your lower back twisting.
  13. When sleeping on your back, place a pillow under both knees.