Although we spend on average a third of our lives in bed we don't usually give much thought to sleep unless for some reason we stop sleeping well. Sleeping poorly can be caused by a number of different things from sleeping with a noisy or restless partner to issues related to light. By far the greatest thing
keeping us awake at night however is bodily discomfort. Research involving back pain sufferers by the British Chiropractic Association in 2011 revealed that 41% of women and 36% of men felt that sleep and bed issues may be a factor in their pain. Following a
poor night's sleep we are more likely to feel stressed, make mistakes and find it difficult to concentrate.
A key factor in sleeping better and alleviating back pain is to have a suitable bed that provides the correct support. Depending on quality, mattresses will often need replacing every 5-10 years. As we all come in different shapes and sizes there is no 'one size fits all' answer to the question of 'Which bed is the best?' The best mattress is a supportive one. A 15 stone person may not be comfortable sleeping on a bed that a 9 stone person finds to be perfect. If you are thinking of getting a new bed it is always advisable to go shopping with the person with whom you will be sharing the bed. Try lots of beds. When you find one that you think you like, spend as much time as possible lying on it before making the decision to buy. You and your new bed will spend a lot of time together over the next few years; make sure it will be a great friend and not your worst enemy.
I am a great fan and advocate of water beds, having used one myself for many years. Water beds have several key advantages over conventional beds. They are super supportive as they are able to mould perfectly to your individual posture. This can remove pressure from the spine during sleep and thereby facilitate excellent muscle relaxation. Many modern double or king size water beds have two mattresses side by side allowing different firmnesses to be created by just adding or removing a little water from one side or the other. The bed temperature is thermostatically controllable allowing you to have a warm bed in the winter and a cool bed in the summer. Water beds may be more suitable for allergy sufferers as no skin, dirt or dust mites can penetrate the mattress. They can also last much longer than convention beds as there are no springs or foam to degrade. As you can see, I'm a big fan of water beds. As a chiropractor I regularly recommend that my patients check out a water bed when considering a new bed. They normally come back and tell me how much they love them too!
Dream Merchants is a great local water bed shop for people living in the Liverpool area.
