Why A Good Bed Does You Good

Sleep

Beds – most of us spend up to a third of our lives in them so it should be incredibly important that we choose the right one. Should, but – and it’s a big rounded full bodied but – we probably don’t.

We typically spend a few hours a day watching TV on our huge plasma screen which cost considerably more than your bed and doesn’t relax you as completely as a good bed.

We probably spend even less time driving our very expensive cars which cost maybe 100 times more than your bed and could not possibly improve your health, as a good bed can.

In truth, many of us treat a bed as basic utility item, yet wonder why we wake grumpy, still tired with a stiff back after a fitful night’s sleep in an old uncomfortable bed. A comfortable bed really can change your life for the better for such a small cost.

Sleep is a vital physical requirement for all mammals. Just as you need to eat well, you have to sleep well to maintain your physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation has been used as an effective torture method throughout history, yet many of us seemingly choose to torture ourselves!

So what should you look for when choosing a bed? If style is also important to you, and want to make a real style statement, then a bed frame could be for you. Frames are constructed in many different materials including metals – from traditional iron to modern chrome, wood – from traditional mahogany to contemporary light oak, and leather – including the new improved ‘faux’ leathers. The downside of frames is that they rarely include any storage (drawers) and are more limited in terms of providing any additional springing as in a sprung base divan. Some frame do come with a ‘slatted’ sprung base which is far better than a solid base.

The core component of any bed however, is the mattress. This is where the major cost and working internals of the bed lie, and provides the all important sleeping surface. The most popular options are spring interior and foam mattresses. One of the most important developments in mattress design in recent years has been the in the use of ‘Memory Foam’ – a visco-elastic foam that ‘remembers’ and recovers it’s original shape slowly.

Memory Foam moulds itself to your body shape and is deliciously comfortable but does have some drawbacks. The foam is sensitive to and retains heat, so if you get hot under the covers you may find yourself overheating. If that is the case, rather than choosing an all-foam construction, consider a spring interior mattress with a memory or latex foam top layer. Look for a layer depth of at least 2” for maximum comfort.

Spring Interior mattresses feature two main spring formations – pocket springs and open coil springs. The big advantage of pocket springs is that the individual coil springs are contained within separate fabric pockets which mean that any one spring can be compressed without affecting the others, thereby minimising any ‘roll-together’.

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Slumberz Choosing The Right Bed Guide

Slumberz Dog

There are some basic essentials without which mammals cannot survive. Perhaps the most underrated of these is sleep. Sleep is not optional – our bodies cannot function without it and will eventually shut down with potentially fatal results. Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on many mental and physical functions and has been extensively used as an effective method of torture.
Like other essential functions such as eating and drinking, sleep can be a pleasurable experience, but one that we need to spend more time on – at least if we want to stay healthy. However, the real benefit of sleep is felt after the event when we should feel refreshed and reinvigorated.
Sleep comes in many forms or ‘depths’ ranging from a light snooze to a deep sleep, and we cycle through various levels in a typical period of sleep. More deep sleep is highly beneficial but many people get insufficient depth of sleep due to various problems – one of the most common being an uncomfortable sleeping surface.
Given that we spend a substantial proportion of our lives asleep, it is false economy to put up with an uncomfortable bed. So why do it? There are inexpensive options if your budget is tight, but today beds can bring real style and that WOW! factor to your bedroom. Slumberz.co.uk carry a range of designer bed frames that will make you feel great before you even climb in. Frames have become the most popular choice for those wanting to make a style statement, but it’s only half the story as it needs to be paired to a good mattress. Although a good frame should provide some flex via a slatted or sprung base, it is the mattress that is the most important with regard to the comfort of the sleeping surface. The comfort of mattresses has improved dramatically with the introduction of memory foam, a visco-elastic foam layer that moulds itself to your body. The foam recovers its shape slowly and feels wonderfully comfortable – if you haven’t tried it you are in for a treat! It does however retain heat and this can be a problem if you like to keep cool as well as comfortable. Rather than an all foam construction, I recommend a memory foam layer of 2”-4” over a traditional spring mattress, which allows air to circulate more freely. There are many types of spring constructions available but pocket springs are considered to be the best. This where a collection of separate coil springs are nested in individual fabric pockets within a wire frame. Like independent suspension, each coil can be compressed without affecting the surrounding springs thus preventing ‘roll together’ which can be a problem with linked spring constructions like the more common ‘open coil’ design.
The mattress component will for the major cost in any bed, but will ultimately determine the level of comfort and longevity so it is worth investing some time and money for the sake of your wellbeing.

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