Although most discussions about beds tend to focus on the mattress and the material that it is made from, i.e. memory foam, springs etc, the primary buying concern for many people is the type of bed.
In the same way that there are many different types of mattress construction, there is an equally, if not greater, number of bed frames.
These frames range from divan style beds to temporary futons and everything in between. What you want will depend on the use that you have for it.
If you want a bed for a main bedroom you may want a divan that offers extra storage, or you may opt for some kind of bed frame where you buy the mattress separately. When this is the case there is a pretty wide choice of alternatives.
Frames can be made from wood, metal or some of the polyurethane/plastic hybrid materials that are strong and easy to clean. Equally, they can be cheap and cheerful or expensive and of a high build quality.
A simple frame may be tubular and largely covered by bedding. More expensive frames can be based around different styles like the four poster, the French or the Sleigh style. In these cases the frame become a design feature of the bed and the room in which it is located.
The other bed type is the futon or sofa bed. In reality these should be two distinctly different bed constructions, however the names are often (and incorrectly) interchanged.
Both these beds types are intended for use during the night and storing or converting during the day. The original futon was just a mattress that folded up, but modern version (and sofa beds) have a metamorphosis that sees them become a chair or sofa during the day.
To find out more us e the link included earlier.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Health beds
Very few people give a whole lot of thought to their mattress or bed, but in actual fact these items of furniture are amongst the most important products that we will ever buy.
A good bed can last for between 10 and 15 years and during that period most people will average spending about 8 hours per day lying on it. This means that a mattress is pretty important to our health and well being.
There are many different types of mattress filling and they vary from coiled springs, which have been around for many years, to slow recovery foams. You can discover more about these fillers and how they work else where, but for now here is a summary that gives a basic explanation.
Most mattresses that have been based on springs provide a bouncy springy support that can be very hard, very soft, or anywhere in between. Many thought that the firmer mattress was better for the body and that it helped the back, but ideas change.
These days some new mattress fillers in the form of special foams have become the norm. These foams and mainly one called visco elastic memory foam have revolutionised the bedding industry.
Memory foam is what is frequently described as “a slow recovery” foam. This means that, rather than springing back to its original flat profile when someone gets off a bed, the foam slowly (almost in slow motion) springs back up to its original flat outline.
This may seem odd, but it means that a mattress made from this material wraps around anyone on it and does not spring, oscillate or bounce when they move their sleeping position.
This means that a second person sleeping in the bed will not be disturbed and it also means that the upwards pressure to spring back to its original shape is less than a mattress made from regular springs. All told this makes for a very different sleeping experience and one that many sleep experts consider superior to other forms of bed.
Which type of bed or mattress will suit you is of course down to your preferences. Some people like hard beds, some like soft beds and in the same way some people will be partial to a memory foam bed and other will not. To find out more you can go to a local bed store and try out some of their widely varying beds.
A good bed can last for between 10 and 15 years and during that period most people will average spending about 8 hours per day lying on it. This means that a mattress is pretty important to our health and well being.
There are many different types of mattress filling and they vary from coiled springs, which have been around for many years, to slow recovery foams. You can discover more about these fillers and how they work else where, but for now here is a summary that gives a basic explanation.
Most mattresses that have been based on springs provide a bouncy springy support that can be very hard, very soft, or anywhere in between. Many thought that the firmer mattress was better for the body and that it helped the back, but ideas change.
These days some new mattress fillers in the form of special foams have become the norm. These foams and mainly one called visco elastic memory foam have revolutionised the bedding industry.
Memory foam is what is frequently described as “a slow recovery” foam. This means that, rather than springing back to its original flat profile when someone gets off a bed, the foam slowly (almost in slow motion) springs back up to its original flat outline.
This may seem odd, but it means that a mattress made from this material wraps around anyone on it and does not spring, oscillate or bounce when they move their sleeping position.
This means that a second person sleeping in the bed will not be disturbed and it also means that the upwards pressure to spring back to its original shape is less than a mattress made from regular springs. All told this makes for a very different sleeping experience and one that many sleep experts consider superior to other forms of bed.
Which type of bed or mattress will suit you is of course down to your preferences. Some people like hard beds, some like soft beds and in the same way some people will be partial to a memory foam bed and other will not. To find out more you can go to a local bed store and try out some of their widely varying beds.
Monday, 5 July 2010
Healthy lifestyle – taking a sauna
There are many different ways of enjoying a healthy lifestyle and one of them is to do something that detoxifies the skin and gives the body an opportunity to sweat profusely.
When it comes to doing these things, taking a sauna is as good a way as any and it is one of the few environments where sweating is seen as desirable and healthy rather than something less pleasant.
Most saunas use a dry heat that means that the sauna room has low humidity which makes sweating easy. It if of course possible to have a damp sauna room by throwing water on the sauna’s hot rocks (that sit on the stove or heater) for those who want high humidity. This however is not the norm when it comes to relaxing in a sauna room.
The ideal way to take a sauna is to do it in a number of short 15 to 30 minute sessions, each followed by a period of cooling off. Some people like to dip in a cold pool or bath between sessions and the Fins will happily roll around and immerse themselves in snow if the weather allows.
You can discover all that there is to know about saunas and how to get the best from them by taking a look at sauna-kits.net and you can easily build a small compact home sauna from one of the many DIY based kits that are readily available.
Alternatively, many health centres and health clubs are equipped with sauna rooms and, although they do not offer too much privacy, they are more than adequate.
Steam showers can be an alternative to saunas, however they rely on high humidity and a wet environment to do the detoxifying job.
When it comes to doing these things, taking a sauna is as good a way as any and it is one of the few environments where sweating is seen as desirable and healthy rather than something less pleasant.
Most saunas use a dry heat that means that the sauna room has low humidity which makes sweating easy. It if of course possible to have a damp sauna room by throwing water on the sauna’s hot rocks (that sit on the stove or heater) for those who want high humidity. This however is not the norm when it comes to relaxing in a sauna room.
The ideal way to take a sauna is to do it in a number of short 15 to 30 minute sessions, each followed by a period of cooling off. Some people like to dip in a cold pool or bath between sessions and the Fins will happily roll around and immerse themselves in snow if the weather allows.
You can discover all that there is to know about saunas and how to get the best from them by taking a look at sauna-kits.net and you can easily build a small compact home sauna from one of the many DIY based kits that are readily available.
Alternatively, many health centres and health clubs are equipped with sauna rooms and, although they do not offer too much privacy, they are more than adequate.
Steam showers can be an alternative to saunas, however they rely on high humidity and a wet environment to do the detoxifying job.
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