European Waterbed Association, Information about waterbeds in the UK and Europe

Why Select A Waterbed?

One all-important reason – Better Sleep – and the better the quality of sleep, the better the quality of our daily lives. Flotation support is unique; it’s unique to you. Your waterbed conforms exactly to your body’s shape – no pressure points. Your body is gently massaged by the comfort and the muscles relaxing warmth of your waterbed, day after day, night after night – giving years of hygienic, enduring comfort.

Waterbeds Are Good For Your Health

At some time or other, all of us have shuddered at the thought of those little dust mites feeding off our skin. Yet today, millions of people still share their bed with them. No matter how much we wash and shower, we all shed dead skin. In a conventional sprung mattress, those tiny particles filter down through our sheets and into the inner layers of fibre. They are totally inaccessible to any cleaning procedures, although thorough vacuuming may remove some, but certainly not all.

The plentiful food supply and the humid environment provide the ideal breeding ground for these microscopic parasites. Over time, these organisms and perspiration salts build up within the mattress fibres, so it isn’t really surprising that so many people suffer allergic reactions and asthma attacks in their own beds.

A waterbed helps to prevent these problems. It is impossible for dirt and dead skin particles to penetrate the water mattress, which can then be wiped periodically with a cloth and vinyl cleaner. The cover over the mattress can be regularly washed – thus virtually eliminating the incidence of the House Dust Mite in your bed…

A water mattress can have a profound effect in inducing a good nights sleep. The soothing warmth and even support of tired muscles is definitely therapeutic. With our body temperatures reducing during sleep, using a sprung mattress without heat can further reduce body temperature and heated blankets are insufficient as, unlike heated water mattresses, they can only provide heat to the top of the body. Flotation support further enhanced with a constant, controllable temperature results in a deeper rejuvenating nights sleep!

Benefits sufferers of the following:

Backache
Arthritis
Asthma/Allergies
Bed Pressure Sores
Insomnia

Backache

A waterbed can aid in the treatment of backache by enabling the backache sufferer to sleep in a more comfortable and beneficial position. A unique distribution of support for the body assures that all parts of the body are evenly supported and that body weight is evenly distributed. Floatation systems remove pressure from the spine allowing the spinal muscles to fully relax. Doctors have also found that the addition of heat speeds up the relaxation process and increases circulation to rejuvenate problem areas.

Arthritis

Waterbeds are thermostatically heated. The warmth of the water helps your muscles to relax resulting in improved blood circulation while alleviating sore of stiff muscles and joints. A benefit enjoyed buy many people who suffer from arthritis. Better circulation means you toss and turn less and get a better nights sleep as your sub-consciousness is allowed to unwind. The even support and adjustable warmth makes a waterbed an excellent choice.

Asthma & Allergies

Waterbeds offer superior hygiene and are an excellent choice for people who suffer with asthma, eczema or allergies. The house dust mite has been identified as one of the trigger factors for people with these conditions. The distressing symptoms are know to be aggravated by an allergy to a substance in the droppings of the house dust mite. For people with allergies, reducing the number of mites droppings and dust in their surroundings, can help reduce their symptoms. Dust mites collect most significantly in mattresses. Everybody loses moisture and dead skin at night while sleeping. Absorbed into an ordinary mattress it is the perfect breeding ground for dust mites to multiply, building up year on year. This cannot happen in a water mattress The water mattress covers can be removed and washed at 60 degrees C at which temperature mites are killed. Easy access to the mattress enables regular cleaning. A water mattress is non-porous. Simply washing the mattress down eliminates the house dust mites and skin debris from the waterbed.

Bedsores

Any person immobilised and confined to bed for a prolonged period is susceptible to bedsores (decubitus ulcers). The tissue being pinned between hard underlying bone and the surface of the bed for a long period of time causes these. The blood tissues are squeezed, making circulation to the tissues difficult. If cells are deprived of blood for a long period of time they eventually die, causing bedsores. Therefore, treatment relies on reducing these pressure points. A water mattress spreads the body weight evenly, so blood can circulate freely right through the body. The constant warmth of a waterbed further enhances this circulation.

Insomnia

This common (non!) sleep problem is caused by stress, discomfort, pain, light, noise etc. It is the inability to fall asleep quickly due to mental of physical problems. So how can a waterbed help? The short answer is:- relaxation. A waterbed is not a cure but it can provide an environment that helps the problem cure itself. Waterbeds conform perfectly to our bodies which are themselves 75% water. We literally 'float' on it so are effectively semi-weightless: So we relax! Our body's temperature is regulated by the bed's heater so it remains constant. You choose the temperature to suit you: So you relax! We also need a comfortable, secure place to help us shed the rigours of the day. As a waterbed 'wraps' around you, cossetts you and gives a tremendous feeling of security; you relax! With this improved sleeping conditions, the chances of overcoming insomnia are far greater, thus giving a much improved quality of life.