How to find a comfortable mattress and bed

[bizzylizzy]

I hate our bed. The mattress is as hard as a rock. We bought it for support at the time. Wish we hadn't. Can anyone recommend a shop that sells stylish beds (not hideously expensive), on the high street or on the internet and does anyone sleep on a mattress that they reckon is really comfy. I know you're all going to say it's a matter of personal choice. But we didn't do a very good job last time and if someone thinks their mattress is comfy, we can at least seek it out and try it. Same goes for pillows, why can't you find a decent pillow. Thank you. bizzylizzy

[boognish76]

The most important piece of advice is to try a mattress before buying. Don't listen to recommendations from friends or trust hard/soft descriptions on internet sites - everyone's idea of comfort is different, you have to go and lie on the thing yourself. Shops are perfectly happy to let you do this and I'm sure your friends won't mind you wanting to road test their recommendations! Take your shoes off, make yourself comfortable (if you are going to a shop it's often better to avoid the weekends as this can be difficult in a shop full of people!) and take your partner with you - you don't want to buy a mattress YOU like and then find it dips in the middle when you're both on it! Once you've picked a mattress then you can look for it cheaper on the internet.

[boognish76]

Oh yeah - pillows! Just make sure you get feather or down ones as hollowfibre are useless IMO!

[bizzylizzy]

Thanks boognish. You're right of course, just casting around really hoping someone would say .... "the comfydown mattress is absolutely fantastic, all my friends have bought one and they all sleep soundly every night". Then I would have rushed out to try the comfydown. Ahh well, serves me right for being lazy. Thanks again. bizzylizzy

[robber1]

I am afraid that you get vwhat you pay for. I can recommend a Kaymed bed. (Do a google search....type in Kaymed beds). They are firm yet soft and give total support with no effect on the person beside you. The space shuttle used Kaymed foam on the astronauts seats. This layer of foam forms itself to the posture of the person. The foam underneath this is firmer, which gives support. When in bed, it follows the contours of your body. Kaymed pillows are also available. The matress never needs turning. Best bed I have ever had and worth every penny.

[KARL]

I agree that personal choice/taste has to be the criterion - as astonished as I was when a work collegue arrived in a shared house with brand new beds, and he proceeded to prop up both ends of the mattress by stuffing suitcases under them to create a gravyboat/wheelbarrow shape, it was his version of heaven and he was welcome to it. I have tried the Keymed (at least I think that was it - stand up and you see your impression in the foam which slowly disappears) and disliked it intensely because it takes a couple of minutes for the shape to change so when you turn you are at first lying on a past impression. But then my wife and I prefer flat and quite firm beds and are blissfully happy with ours (and so are many visitors who have used it). Remember that it takes weeks to get truly used to a bed so you need to know what your posture is and match it or else consciously aim to improve it (with a flat bed). Happy hunting.

[Hellion]

We just bought a Silent Night mattress with 'Miracoils' for our 6 year old son, every time my husband or I get in it to read him a bedtime story we fall asleep if that's any reccommendation! Seriously it is SO comfy and it supports a 6 year olds weight and an adults weight with out a 'dip' They do it in different 'firmnesses'. Good Luck!

[bizzylizzy]

Thanks everyone, that's give me food for thought. At least I can try the recommended brands to start. Sweet dreams to you all. bizzylizzy

[BenDToy]

Consider a water bed. The best investment we ever made, and cost no more than a decent "standard" bed. The soft sided variety look exactly the same as a normal divan, and we have 2 mattresses side by side, one which is set to a lower temperature than the other. Practically motionless (you can specify this) and you can vary the amount of water to make the bed firmer or softer to suit. No worries about leaks or falling through the floor (strictly sitcom material only). Never had trouble falling asleep since we got it, and my bad back is a thing of the past.

[bizzylizzy]

Funny you should recemmend a water bed BenDToy. Someone else suggested that to me the other day. But you're right, they do have this sort of 'carry on' reputation don't they. We'll definitely have a look though. Thanks. bizzylizzy

[Janetex]

I adore my water bed, but my daughter loves a plank type mattress. Try going to a mattress manufacturer, you'll get great advice on traditional ones.

[Dave Potts]

I echo the recommendation by robber1 - the Kaymed mattress is *amazingly* comfortable - such great support and *so* comfortable! It does feel a bit strange when you first lie on one and because it adjusts to the contours of your body they can feel difficult to get off to begin with. As has been said already, largely a matter of preference as to whether you prefer hard or soft mattresses et cetera, but try and find one just to try it out (both of you!)

I should mention that they're not cheap (expect to pay �800-�1000 for a double) but IMHO they're well worth it, and it should last as long as you do :o)

[KARL]

I just had a thought: the self-moulding foam must be absolutely brilliant as a packaging material - nearest thing to injection moulding expanded polystyrene. Presumably NASA developed it for zero gravity use in which conditions it would be more or less meaningless as a bed. Try everything that you are given access to, the problem being however that it takes a while to find out what you think of it and by that time you have probably already bought it. Personally, I did not like the shrink wrapped feel the NASA foam gave me on that side of the body.

[robber1]

NASA used the Kaymed foam because the astronauts were sat in one position for very long periods of time and pressure sores could be a problem. The special foam allowed the body weight to be disributed over a larger constant area. This layer is only about 8cm deep and the under layer gives the support. It only takes seconds for it to revert back to its original shape. In the beds, no springs are used so when turning over it does not disturb your partner.

[henrietta]

You don't say where you live but if it's in or near London then try Warren Evans in Camden. It's a chilled showroom in a pretty mews full of beds/mattresses and friendly people - no one hassles you and you can lie about on different mattresses. They make to measure and they deliver and put the thing together for you. I have had one for 5 years and it's fab - so much so that I hate going away! And John Lewis is great for pillows. As other people have said you get what you spend when it comes to bedding so look at spending �1000 in all (pillows, mattress and base) but when you divide that by the number of hours you spend in bed over the years ...it's really worth it.

[KARL]

I am puzzled - how can astronauts get pressure sores by sitting in zero gravity. If they sit for days waiting for blast-off Ok, but surely there is no pressure from body weight in space.