Waterbed

Waterbeds have been around for a long time, but for some reason they have never taken off in the way that one might have expected. This is surprising because as an orthopedic bed they are unsurpassed. The water filled mattress section (bladder) offers totally adaptable support and they do not suffer from gradual deterioration over time like other bed types, e.g. sagging, broken springs, hard areas etc.

Waterbeds come in two forms, the original hardside waterbed and the more recent softside waterbed. Both do the same thing, but they have different constructions and very different looks.

The modern waterbeds have baffle systems that work to prevent the rippling or wave like motions from which early water beds suffered. This means that a modern waterbed will move very little and what movement there is is generally experienced as pleasant by most people.

How do they work and how are they put together

The fact that water is completely viscous means that it instantaneously shapes and adapts around all of the curves and outlines of the human body. The result is no localised pressure points, no areas of varying resistance and what many claim is the best sleeping experience possible.

Most waterbeds have a heating system and this means that the temperature of the water can be maintained at a level that suits the person (or people) sleeping on it. This feature is completely safe. A thermostatic control allows the accurate temperature setting and temperature maintaining.

There are different ways of constructing a waterbed and, from a practical perspective, the thing worth knowing is that these variations result in different levels of water movement.

for a more detailed description of the components and construction of a water bed go to this waterbeds - how do they work page.

• Waterbeds that are described as free-flow will have a high degree of water movement, i.e. a rippling effect when getting into the bed or moving whilst on it. Some people like this, but it is very different to a normal spring or foam bed.


• At the other end of the scale there is the fully stabilized waterbed – this is typical of most waterbeds sold today. This is a bed that has virtually no detectable water movement at all. It perform like any other waterbed in terms of support and comfort, but it is, as its name suggests, completely stable.


• Between the too options described above you have various degrees of stabilisation for those who either, like the sensation of some movement, or who do not want to pay for a fully stabilised water mattress.

Another option, often offered on stabilised beds is that of having twin mattresses on a double or king size bed. This completely isolates any movement between two sleepers on either side of a bed.

If you want to see answers to some of the most popular questions asked about waterbeds, e.g. how they work and how safe they are in the home, take a look at this waterbed - common questions page.

Here is another strange, but actually quite poignant, reason why waterbeds are good for our bodies. We are made up of around 80 percent water and therefore sleeping on a water bed means that water is adapting to and shaping to what are in simple terms water filled body sacks (i.e. human beings). It is the perfect combination.