How to lie well for a long time: tips for buying a bed

You test drive a car, here you test sleep. And that's not all: buying a bed needs to be well prepared so that you can sleep well and restfully in it for years to come.

People spend a large part of their lives in bed. For healthy sleep, it is important that it suits you - today and, if possible, in the future, because the bed will often be used for decades.

"You don't buy beds in passing or on the internet," says Marc Böhle from the Association of Specialist Bed Shops in Cologne. "This purchase needs to be well prepared."

There is a large selection to choose from: single beds, double beds, family beds, box spring beds, sofa beds, solid wood beds, upholstered beds, futon beds, senior beds, pull-out beds and much more. "Which model is suitable depends primarily on the size and stature of the user," says Böhle. "But the available space and personal preferences also play a role."

Make a list: What is important to you?

He therefore recommends "making a list of the things that are particularly important to you before visiting a specialist store". How wide and high should the bed be? How tall and heavy are the people who will be sleeping in the bed? Does everyone in the double bed need a single mattress? Are different degrees of firmness required for the bases? Do the sleepers tend to sweat a lot?

Before making a final decision, it is essential to test the bed. Customers should try out all their main sleeping positions at their leisure and pay particular attention to how their shoulders, waist and lumbar spine are supported. "You can take your time and ask the salesperson to look at the sleeping positions. He knows from experience where problems could occur later," says Böhle. The test bed can take half an hour.

Another factor: the lying surface. "Beds are often bought too narrow or too short," says Böhle. As a rule of thumb, the bed should be at least 20 centimetres longer than the sleeper's height. A single bed should be 1.40 to 1.60 meters wide, a double bed ideally 1.80 by 2 meters.

Pull-out couch not a permanent solution

If you want to save space, you can also find solutions, but experts advise against permanently sleeping on a folding sofa or pull-out couch. "At best, this can be a temporary emergency solution," says Detlef Detjen, publisher of the AGR seal of approval for back-friendly products and managing director of Aktion Gesunder Rücken in Bremervörde.

"The lying comfort on such sofas quickly diminishes due to their flat base," says Marc Böhle. However, they are well suited for occasional overnight stays in guest rooms.

Only if the bed is large and wide enough does it allow the sleeper to move around at night, which is necessary for healthy sleep. "At night, people turn around 60 times if the mattress allows it," says Detlef Detjen and adds: "This is important so that the body and mind can regenerate during sleep."

These movements are also restricted if the bed is too soft, as the body sinks so deeply into the mattress that it is difficult to get out.

Adapted to the sleeper

"A good bed must fit the body and adapt to support and support in every position," says Detjen. Modern bed systems achieve this. They consist of a precisely coordinated, flexible slat base and a matching mattress.

"Comfortable slatted frames have one or more adjustment options," explains Marc Böhle. In the most sophisticated version, the frame can be bent at head, hip, thigh and knee height. This is comfortable and can provide relief for the joints.

Frame and mattress must harmonize

Important to know: Not every slatted frame and slat base can be combined with every mattress. If the mattress and frame do not match, the fine balance of support and protection is reduced. It therefore makes sense to buy both together.

"However, if you absolutely want to keep your old slatted frame, you should take a photo of it when buying a mattress. This will ensure that the right mattress is selected for it," advises Petra Kerner from the Fachverband Matratzen-Industrie in Essen. An unsuitable mattress on a slatted frame is not only uncomfortable, but can also cause damage, especially on adjustable and motorized slat bases.

It is important for all sleepers that the mattress is firm enough to support their body. On the other hand, the mattress must not be too hard, as this would not only be uncomfortable, but would also make blood circulation more difficult.

The individual requirements that people place on their mattress are subjectively different: Do I freeze or sweat quickly? Do I want to snuggle up a little? Or should the mattress be a little firmer? "The general rule is: not too hard, but not too soft either. The mattress should support and hold. But I should neither sink in nor float", says Petra Kerner. Above all, the sleeper must feel comfortable on the new mattress.

Getting used to a new model

Anyone who has slept on the same mattress at home for years will often initially find a new mattress a little harder than it actually is. This is a normal process. This is because you have become accustomed to the worn mattress over the years. When a new one arrives, it always seems a little firmer. Detlef Detjen advises giving yourself a few days to get used to your new bed.

It is also advisable to buy a bed system that allows you to make various adjustments. This allows you to adjust the bed after a few days or weeks once your body has adapted to the new sleeping conditions.