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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
When most people think of waterbeds, they think back to the late 70s and early 80s, when waterbeds were first big. They think of water sloshing inside the bed and constant rolling during the night. But thanks to today’s technology and advancements, waterbed mattresses are different. They’re better. We are going to discuss 5 interesting waterbed facts. They help distribute your weight evenly, reduce pressure points, and support your spine for a comfortable, peaceful night of sleep.
Table of Contents
Comfort: Hardside vs. Softside Mattresses
Which is it? Hardside Vs. Softside mattresses. Waterbeds, in general, will feel less firm than traditional mattresses simply by their nature. However, they are available in a variety of firmness levels, and may take some time to grow accustomed to the different feel of a water mattress. Waterbeds are available in 2 different varieties, the terms used to separate them is either called a hard-side or soft-side waterbed.
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If you are transitioning from an innerspring mattress to a waterbed, the difference is feel which might surprise you at first. People think that making the change to this type of mattress is going to mean a lot of wavy motion and the bed is going to be too soft and not supportive enough; however, this simply isn’t true. Check out the modern day waterbed solutions.
Waterbeds Come In Two General Categories:
- Hard Side: Traditional design of a water-filled vinyl chamber that sits inside a wooden frame.
- Soft Side: Newer design that and visually looks just like a mattress and boxspring made with high-density foam walls that support the water bladder.
Softside Mattresses Ease Pain Is A Interesting Waterbed Fact
Today’s waterbed mattresses include zero motion options and a soft side mattress, which looks just like a normal mattress but with better support. The softside mattress utilizes your current box spring, frame, headboard, and footboard so that your move from a spring bed to a waterbed is visually similar.
Additionally, softside mattresses are great for people with arthritis, rheumatism, and fibromyalgia. The most efficient models have almost no padding between the water-filled bladder and your body, making it possible to optimize displacement support. In addition, you can control the temperature so that the sleep surface varies between cool and therapeutically warm.
The warmth of a waterbed can also relieve muscle tension through the controlled heat against sore or tight muscles. The water temperature can be closely monitored with either a mechanical or digital thermostat. With 2 thermostats and even digital readouts, dual mattresses allow even greater control through individual temperature level adjustments.
Compared with a soft, shapeless mattress, a waterbed can provide support and relief for aching backs. The other end of the spectrum is to have a conventional mattress that is too hard, creating unwanted pressure points which restrict blood circulation in surface skin cells. These pressure points reduce one’s ability to sleep comfortably, causing tossing and turning, which in turn reduces the amount of quality sleep achieved each night.
Waterbed Mattresses Last Longer
Where traditional mattresses need to be replaced every 6-8 years and tend to develop body impressions and must be completely replaced, waterbed mattresses will never degrade in this manner. You can just buy the part that needs replacing like the bladder itself should it need replacing. These are expected to last between five and fifteen years and the temperature control unit could also need replacing. However, overall, waterbeds don’t just wear down and they are the most hypoallergenic mattress on the market.
Adjustable Firmness
In the past, a waterbed had little support for the body or insulation for efficiency, but changes in technology have made it so that the firmness you achieve in your waterbed is based on the amount of stabilization constructed within the bladder and the level at that you fill the water.
If there are a greater number of fibers within the water bladder, then the motion of the water will be reduced, creating a natural firmness. The more stabilized the mattress, the less motion and greater support you can achieve on it.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, a mattress should support a person’s entire body evenly without gaps between the body and the mattress. No traditional mattress, even a sleep number mattress, meets these criteria as closely as waterbeds do. If your body feels pressure on particular spots – such as the shoulders, hips, and lower back – it could be a sign that your mattress is just too firm. Slight adjustments can also be made in the water level to help dial in your preferred firmness.
Reducing Spinal Stress
Many people who sleep on a traditional coil spring mattress awaken to back pain. Sleeping on a mattress that causes back pain will only lead to more pain; however, there is a way to reduce the stress placed on your spine.
While a spring mattress eventually “imprints” with your body’s shape, a waterbed does not. Instead, the heavier torso achieves a depth on a waterbed that matches a good standing posture when lying on your back. While on your side, the water will displace naturally, allowing your spinal column to remain horizontal, rather than the downward slant that is a result of sleeping on a traditional mattress and box springs.
What’s A Hardside Waterbed?
Hardside waterbeds are the earliest form of flotation system. The framework is made up of 2 x 10 wooden boards fastened together in the corners with wood screws. The framework is called a sandbox and includes a wooden floor constructed of plywood to support the water bag. Installation of the heater and liner are similar to softsides and the safety liner is even more crucial because it not only can catch possible leaks, but also protects the bladder from the hardware and wood. Beds of this design today are not as popular and tend to have a dated look of the seventies. Hardside Waterbeds are getting harder to find but are still available for waterbed purist. People choose them for their rock solid durability, not so much for convivence. The general consensus is that they are harder to move, get in and out of and not mention make each morning. Softside waterbeds have really solved the old time waterbed drawbacks.
In Summary
Better sleep can be reached when utilizing a waterbed. There are a variety of systems from which you can choose that both conform to and support the shape of your body to allow for a complete and uniquely restful sleep. For an optimum night’s sleep and a pain-free tomorrow, a waterbed may just be your answer. We hope you enjoyed these interesting waterbed facts.
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