Choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia

Choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia.

This week I helped my friend Dave drag a double mattress up two flights of stairs. It nearly killed me! We had to bend it round corners and use brute force to drag it up the last few steps.

He certainly owe’s me a few beers!

Dave and his wife Lauren had finally decided to get a new bed as Laurens back had been getting increasingly worse and had been really affecting her sleep. The idea was that by treating the cause, that Lauren would start to get a good night’s sleep again.

Let’s hope it works

It got me thinking…

As I’ve made it my mission to help other people get over their sleep problems and insomnia – the fact Dave & Lauren were getting a new bed made me think. And before you say well that’s a first! – I thought I’d spend a bit of time researching the subjects of BEDS.

You might not be thinking of changing your bed, or be able to afford to do it, but the information below may be useful when you do and for the sake of 5 minutes you might find it interesting.

To tell you the truth – I didn’t realise there was so much to the subject!

We spend a third of our lives in bed!

This fact seems obvious, but when you start to think about it, it is a huge proportion. Even though this is the case – few of us pay any attention as to whether they are comfortable, supportive or most importantly – sleep enhancing.

When is it time to get a change a bed?

The Sleep Council suggests it’s probably time to change your bed when:

1. You wake up with aches and pains (which disappear during the day)

2. Your mattress shows signs of wear and tear

3. You are not sleeping as well as you previously did

4. Dips appear where you lie, as you roll into a partners space

The Sleep Council recommend that to help with sleep related problems and as a treatment to avoid insomnia- that generally people should replace their beds every 8 years.

Isn’t a bed just a bed?

There are lots of different types of beds. I’ll try and give you a bit of an outline – on what everything means when choosing the right bed to help cure insomnia:

There are 2 types of bed base –

Bedsteads and Divans

Traditionally divans have been the most popular – but bedsteads have recently enjoyed a bit of a revival over the last 5 years according The Sleep Council.

There are 4 types of divan

1. Spring edged divans – having an open coil or pocket spring base on a frame. They provide even support and shock absorbtion. They are probably the most luxurious and often last the longest. They do give a comfortable night’s sleep and if insomnia is brought about by being uncomfortable instead of a psychological factor they do help with insomnia relief.

2. Solid or platform top divans have a non sprung top panel, usually made from
hardboard. They are firmer and cheaper than a sprung base bed –but are often preferred as an insomnia treatment due to the extra support.

3. Firm edge divans – these have fewer, bigger heavy duty springs with a solid wooden side frame. Again as a firmer bed they often help back related problems and act as an insomnia cure if back problems are the route cause of the problem.

4. Flexible slatted divans – these have flexible soft wood slats that make them slightly springy. These are sometimes preferred by people with anxiety related insomnia as they help people to relax and de-stress with their added softness and flexibility.

Now as well as the divans – the other type of bed I mentioned earlier was the
Bedstead.

Bedsteads are an alternate bedbase and basically have either flexible or rigid wooden slats or rigid wire mesh to support the mattress. They are more often found in rented accommodation and do tend to be slightly less comfortable. They do actually have some advantages over divans which I’ll detail later.

Many insomnia specialist recommend if you are changing your bed to help alleviate insomnia problems and try and gain some extra relief – that divans are the preferred option.

Hopefully you’re still with me and I haven’t sent you to sleep! I’ll wake you up now with a gross fact!

Night sweating
It’s thought that we lose at least half a pint of moisture each night through perspiration (or sweating). Gross thought isn’t it!

Some people, especially if they are overweight or it is particularly hot can lose up to 1 and a half pints of moisture a night! Just picture how wet your bed would be if you tipped a pint of water on your bed?

Temperature change
This sweating can cause a change in temperature which can disturb sleep and cause insomnia. There is a school of thought that wooden slatted bedsteads can help aid sleep and relive insomnia by allowing air to circulate beneath the mattress, helping to disperse body heat and reduce sweating.

Another plus point for bedsteads is they are more hard wearing so that after 8 years you may be able to just change your mattress and not the whole bed.

Does size matter!
A basic rule of thumb is to buy the biggest bed you can afford. If you sleep with a partner – make sure there is enough space so that the other person can sleep if one of you has a fitful nights sleep.

A few bed related top tips…
The Sleep Council offers lots of advice on everything sleep related. Here are a few top tips you might find of interest especially if you have insomnia problems…

Back Pain
To prevent back pain related insomnia – choose a supportive bed. A medium bed with proper cushioning is sometimes better than an orthopaedic or hard base.

Snoring
Sleep with your head raised – to help cure snoring related insomnia. Adjustable base beds are often the best way of achieving this.

Mobility
Raising the head of the bed can often help getting in and out of bed easier for people with mobility problems caused by accident, illness or age.

Circulation
People with poor circulation, who are often woken in the night by pins and needles or cold feet, can often treat their insomnia by sleeping with raised feet. This can be done with an adjustable bed as well – or the cheaper alternative of just positioning an extra pillow beneath your feet!

Well, all this bed talk is making me tired, so I hope the information ultimately helps you in some way.

A new bed may not be the miracle cure for insomnia – as insomnia cures often involve addressing the route cause. But as we spend a third of or life in bed, the more comfortable the environment – the better!

Dan Kennedy has written a free ebook on how to Cure Your Insomnia. To download it visit www.cure-your-insomnia.com