Bed According to the Sleep Council, most of us don’t sleep quite so deeply in later life, and tend to get more niggling aches and pains making the comfort factor of our beds increasingly important. So ask yourself the following 10 questions to find out how your bed stands up when you are lying down.
1. Is your bed more than 10 years old?
2. Do you ever wake up with neck or backache?
3. When lying down can you feel any springs or ridges?
4. Is your mattress cover torn or stained?
5. When you turn over in bed does it creak or crunch?
6. Do you and your partner ever roll towards each other unintentionally?
7. Is the bed too small to give an undisturbed night’s sleep?
8. Is the base uneven or sagging?
9. Are the legs or castors worn out?
10. Would you be embarrassed if your neighbours saw your bed without its covers?
If you answered yes to five or more questions the advice from the Sleep Council is "Get a new bed fast". They recommend a new one every eight to ten years. Read on to what to look out for when buying beds.
Beds on trial
- Go to a good bed shop and lie on a selection of beds to compare comfort and support
- Look out for a bed with a firm core support to keep your spine correctly aligned plus plenty of top layers to give you a soft, comfortable sleeping surface
- Don’t be tempted by an orthopaedic mattress it may be too hard for you. Older people may have more back problems, but they also have more sensitive joints
- Ideally the mattress should mould to the shape of your body and feel supportive. When you lie on your side your spine should remain horizontal. Turning over should be easy too
- Choose a bed with high lines. It will be easier to get in and out of
- Beds with adjustable neck, foot, head and leg rests are a good choice if you have to spend a lot of time in bed, suffer from high blood pressure or rheumatism
- Go for as big a bed as you can. It will stop you and your partner disturbing each other. With a double, choose at least a 150cm (5ft) bed; single beds should be at least 90cm (3ft) but the larger 105cm (3ft 6ins) would be even better
- Zipped and linked beds - two separate mattresses and bases - mean you and your partner can have the bed best suited to your own individual needs. It also means you can separate the beds if one of you becomes ill
Back to basic
If you find you are waking up with niggling aches and pains six days out of seven, the following self-help tactics may help to keep them at bay.
- A hard mattress may not be the best choice as it can cause pain at pressure points such as hips and shoulders, says the charity BackCare. Too soft is not much better either - it can limit movement which can exacerbate back pain
- To check for optimum back support, BackCare recommends you lie on your back and slide your hand between the mattress and the small of your back: it should slide in easily but still maintain contact with your back and the mattress. A large gap means the mattress is too hard, a small one that it’s probably too soft and you should consider investing in a new one
- Sleep on your side or back if possible. Avoid sleeping on your front as twisting your head to one side can lead to neck problems
- Don’t go overboard on pillows - too many can trigger neck pain. You want your neck shape to remain in its natural position while sleeping
Head off pain
Back and neck pain are well known migraine and headache triggers so if you regularly wake up with a fuzzy head your bed could be the culprit.
- Make sure your mattress and the way you are sleeping are not putting any strain on your neck
- Experiment with pillows - using orthopaedic pillows may help to reduce attacks
Allergy attacks
House dust mites thrive in the warm humid atmosphere of bedding but their droppings can trigger allergic reactions in people with asthma or eczema. Try these tips to help reduce symptoms.
- Wash bedclothes and pillows regularly at a high temperature; this kills mites and removes faeces
- Vacuum your bed regularly and consider anti-mite covers for your mattress, pillows and duvet
- Think about your pillows. The usual advice is to avoid feathers, but man-made fibres can irritate some people. See what suits you and replace them every three to five years
- Air your mattress at least once a month
- Damp dust your bedroom including your mattress regularly with a damp cloth
- Go for pure cotton sheets; polyester can aggravate eczema
- Keep flowers out of bedrooms as they increase humidity levels