Water Beds 101

Back in the 80’s my son was given a water bed. It was one of the old styles, with the wood frame, which made it a little challenging to get into the bed, and only one chamber to hold the water. When you lay down on the bed, you felt like you were riding on a wave for a few seconds until the water stopped sloshing around and your body molded to the mattress. But it felt wonderful! It was warm and relaxing and felt like being wrapped in a cocoon. I occasionally slept in the bed when my son was gone and the only problem was that every time I changed position I went through the wave motion again. I would imagine that if you were sleeping with a partner, you would wake up every time he/she changed positions.

Today modern technology has alleviated both of those problems while maintaining the original benefits of water beds. Originally water beds were created for use in hospitals so body weight could be distributed evenly and during the 60’s, as people discovered how relaxing they were, they became a popular choice for the bedroom. Today water beds have several chambers that hold the water instead of just one, which caused the wave motion. Also the hard wood rails have been replaced with soft foam rails so getting into bed feels like getting into a traditional bed.

People who have water beds are sold on the health benefits they receive. Water distributes the weight of the body so pressure is taken off the spine. People with back problems report that they get much relief when sleeping on a water bed. Also, the beds are heated so muscles are relaxed and doctors believe that the warmth helps lower blood pressure. People with arthritis especially enjoy the controlled heat all around the body, which improves blood circulation and helps joints and muscles relax.

Dust mites can be controlled much easier on a water bed than on a traditional mattress since the plastic mattress can be easily wiped down when the bedding is removed. If the bedding is also washed regularly, people with allergies or asthma can find some relief from symptoms.

Many people with insomnia find that they sleep better on a water bed than other kinds of mattresses. Because of the warmth of the heated mattress and the way the water supports the body, the relaxation provided aids in sleep. Also if pain from aching muscles is relieved, better sleep will result.

People, who are ill or forced to stay in bed for long periods of time for one reason or another, do not develop bedsores as easily in a water bed. Again this is attributed to the way the body is supported to eliminate pressure points. This allows good blood circulation, which reduces the formation of bedsores.

Water Beds

One worry people have is the damage that could occur if the plastic mattress gets punctured and water floods the room. For one thing there are now many chambers that contain the water and it is unlikely that they would all get punctured at once. Beds are now manufactured with a vinyl safety liner which will catch water should a leak occur. If a leak does occur, it can be repaired with a kit that waterbed retailers stock.

The weight of a water bed is another thing to consider. This will not usually be a problem as the weight of the water is distributed over a fairly large space. In some homes built recently, the second floor may not be constructed to support the weight of a water bed, so it would be wise to check with the builder or a professional about the weight your structure can safely hold. It is rare that this could be a problem.

Filling the mattress with water may take some problem solving if the bedroom is not close to a water source, but usually a hose connection can solve that. Maintaining the water is easy as you just add a water conditioner made for water beds about every 6 months.

If you thought water beds were things of the past, you should check out the present day models. The health benefits are tremendous and with the foam rails that have replaced the wood frames, the beds are easy to get into and look like a bed with a traditional mattress.