How you make a bed, so you lie: The advantages of water beds

Good sleep is important – both for your health and for general well-being. Only those who sleep really well and relaxed can start the new day full of energy and fit. The type of bed plays an important role, because the wrong sleeping surface can have many negative consequences and significantly worsen the quality of sleep. Therefore, many people dream of a waterbed, because it represents the epitome of luxury and a relaxed sleep feeling.

These are the advantages of waterbeds

The popularity of waterbeds has increased steadily since the 1970s – and this triumphant advance has continued to this day. Today around 100 million people trust in the good night’s sleep that a waterbed makes possible. It is hardly surprising that the waterbed concept has been successful for so long. A good waterbed to buy after all, offers numerous advantages.

The body is fully supported by the water mattress during sleep. Disturbing pressure points do not arise due to the high level of comfort that the waterbeds offer. As modern water beds can usually be heated, sleepers benefit from relaxing warmth. In addition, the surface of the vinyl water mattress is very durable and particularly recommended for hygiene.

The different types of waterbeds

There are basically three different types of waterbeds. There are both soft-side and hard-side water beds as well as so-called hose water mattresses.

However, the hose water mattress has little in common with a traditional water bed – apart from the use of water. This bed is made up of several adjacent, narrow hoses that are filled with water. Two layers of foam are embedded between the individual tubes.

The waves in the water sacs are calmed by the insert made of polyurethane foam. Only a very small amount of water is required for this sleep system, which is why it can be combined with a conventional slatted frame without any problems. Due to the special structure, however, the typical advantages of a waterbed are hardly noticeable.

There it looks at the Hardside water beds, which were the first versions of the well-known waterbeds, look different. With these, the mattress, which is filled with water, is embedded in a stable frame made of wood, which ensures lateral support. There is a base plate under the wooden frame, which receives additional support from weight distributors. A safety film is stretched between the base plate, the wooden frame and the mattress so that the water is caught in the event that the mattress is damaged.

The modern water beds usually correspond to the Softside variant. The side supports of the bed consist mainly of foam components. The foam frame is often divided into two parts, with the lower area attached to the base plate. The upper area of ​​the foam frame can move freely with the water mattress.

Despite its nature, the substructure is very stable. An additional wooden frame, as with the hard-side beds, is therefore not necessary. If desired, however, it is possible to incorporate the construction into an existing frame. The latest versions of the softside waterbeds use a dimensionally stable profile made of plastic instead of the lower part of the foam frame, which further optimizes durability and strength.

The water mattresses

There are also differences in the design of the water mattresses. In earlier times the water mattresses were made of a smooth vinyl sheet, there was no stabilization of the mattress.

With modern water mattresses, different measures are taken to dampen the movement of water in the mattress. This can be achieved by using fleece mats inside the mattress, chambers or PVC cylinders. Different levels of stabilization, such as light, strong, or completely stabilized, can be achieved. Here, personal preferences and needs decide which type of stabilization is most pleasant. Mattresses that are stabilized with fleece often do particularly well in tests and evaluations.

The surfaces of modern water mattresses are often flexible, which considerably increases their adaptability and sleeping comfort.

Healthy support for the back

The back is optimally supported by sleeping on a water bed. The fact that the water is displaced during sleep in such a way that it optimally adapts to the individual body shape results in relaxing relief. The physique or the weight of the sleeper play no role. The back benefits to a great extent from the high level of adaptability, as well as from the pleasant warmth and the low pressure.

From a medical point of view, too, sleep on a water bed is recommended. Long before the waterbed found its way into private bedrooms, it was used in many medical facilities. Even then it was assumed that the weightless feeling on a water mattress had a positive effect on the healing process of sick people.

For example, the warmth and pressureless support of the waterbeds help people who suffer from arthritis or rheumatism to a great extent. Pregnant women or people with back problems also benefit greatly from the advantages of a waterbed.

Since the cleaning of the water mattress is very easy and uncomplicated and hardly any bacteria and dirt can accumulate on it, asthmatics and allergy sufferers also prefer this type of bed. Studies have also shown that it takes less time to fall asleep on a water bed and that sleep is deeper and more restful. At night, the cells of the organism perform important functions in terms of regeneration, which are supported by uninterrupted and deeper sleep.

Overall, waterbeds are much more comfortable than conventional beds. Due to the pleasant warmth and the support of the entire body, the night’s rest is always perceived as pleasant and beneficial. The body can relax during sleep and the mind also finds the necessary rest. The usual recovery time after a sports injury or surgery can be reduced by almost half the time.

It always has to be a hard mattress?

For a good night’s sleep, a mattress that is too soft and sagging is the most unsuitable means. That is why it has long been preached that the mattress should be as hard as possible in order to sleep well.

However, the back is forced into an unnatural shape on a hard surface, which creates uncomfortable pressure points. A water mattress therefore offers the perfect solution – there is no sagging of the mattress and still no hard surface that would strain the back. The water mattress cannot be compared with an above-average soft mattress, as it offers perfect support and adaptability.