Best Waterbed Mattress – A Complete Guide For Shopping

Health Benefits of Waterbeds

Backache Relief

Backaches have always been a prominent health issue for almost every person at one point in their lives. Whether you’re working at a desk, or you’re doing manual labor, there is a good chance that you’ve experienced a sore or hurt back. Are waterbeds good for you and your back pain? Let’s find out.

Sleeping on a waterbed is a well-known treatment for many who suffer from backaches. These beds provide an equal distribution of weight across the whole body, taking pressure off the back and evenly supporting all joints, which allows the spine to relax and leads to less pain and discomfort.

Most notably, these waterbed mattresses are known to be used as a very effective treatment for issues related to the lumbar, or lower back. Lumbar support is a current hot topic among chiropractors and other doctors, alike, as it is common that many adults today have difficulty finding adequate support in the work setting and at home in their beds.

But are waterbeds comfortable for those not suffering from back pain? Adults are not the only members of the population who can benefit from the use of waterbeds as an additive to their lumbar support. Much like many proactive and preventative health care practices, choosing the proper bedding with lower back wellness in mind leads to overall health in later years.

Arthritis Relief

Waterbeds are also known to be helpful for those with Arthritis. The equal distribution of weight across the entire body is comforting for the joints afflicted by pain and stiffness. When pressure is applied to sore and tender joints and muscles, it is near impossible to fall asleep.

If you’re looking for a specific mattress to help, check out our Best Mattresses for Arthritis.
Sleeping on a waterbed will help you to find a sleep position that is comfortable, and you are more likely to sleep soundly and uninterrupted through the night. Besides, the regulated heating option offered by most waterbeds can create a soothing experience for those with arthritis. This notion is much akin to the idea of soaking in a hot bath when sore or applying a heating pad to sore muscles.

Assistance for Sleep Disorder Sufferers

Insomnia, a terrible sleeping disorder affecting many people, can also be treated by sleeping on a waterbed. It is thought that the use of these waterbed mattresses provides an ease of the shifting of weight, and can serve to lessen the time it takes for many to fall asleep. Often, it’s found that those who fall asleep on a waterbed experience deep sleep that is less easy to interrupt.

Other Benefits of Waterbeds

Individuals who suffer from bed sores may benefit from owning a waterbed as well. These mattresses minimize the amount of pressure on all parts of the skin which promote smooth blood flow and reduced risk of clotting.  Also, for those who’ve already succumbed to bedsores or ulcers, you may expect to heal faster when sleeping on a waterbed.

Learn More: Best Mattress for Bed Sores

Those with allergies often experience relief when they decide to go with this type of bed because it employs a more clean surface. The bag won’t absorb allergens, pet dander or dust mites. If it’s regularly cleaned and cared for, a reduction in allergy symptoms is expected. Read more on how to prevent dust mites in your bed.

The underlying ideologies of floatation as a healing tool have been applied to many other ailments. Newborns, people with cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, multiple Sclerosis, and other such diseases are shown to improve in their quality of life once they begin implementing the use of a waterbed.

Specifically, for infants and newborns suffering from sleep apnea, waterbeds have shown to significantly decrease the symptoms, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. If you are interested in learning more about the seriousness of sleep apnea, this guide provides more information on the condition and other potential solutions aside from sleeping on a waterbed.

Now that you understand the benefits of wellbeing related to sleeping on a waterbed mattress, it’s helpful to know how they’ve been constructed in the past, concerning the innovations being made today. Waterbed mattresses are continually being re-engineered to harness the health benefits of weightless sleeping while ridding them of design flaws such as rolling, leaking, or breaking.

Types of Waterbed Mattresses

The two most commonly referenced sub-categories of waterbeds are the “soft sided” and the “hard sided.” Each of these waterbeds utilize the weightlessness and weight distribution advantage as their selling points, even though each are diverse in terms of their structure.

Hardside

The Hard-sided version of the waterbed mattress is the most classically referenced invention. Typically, this bed is a relatively unstructured mattress that is simply a vinyl casing that is filled with water, and perceivably, there is no design consideration in terms of consistent and prolonged comfortability.

Hardside waterbeds often come with many problems. The first issue is that they are difficult to get in and out of due to their unregulated perimeter. Also, hardside waterbeds not frequently temperature regulated because they lack adequate upholstery or a means of attaching a heater.

However, many long-time waterbed devotees attest that this form of waterbed mattress is satisfactory and provides a good night sleep, in addition to several health benefits commonly found with the more modern models (see our hardside waterbed reviews below).

Softside

Soft-sided waterbeds are the newer and more popular solution to many of the traditional woes. Rather than consisting of water and a thin exterior, the softside waterbed is made with a smaller water-filled chamber, commonly referred to as the bed’s “bladder.” This chamber is encapsulated by a layer or layers of foam and upholstery, which contribute to the waveless feel of this bed.

An added benefit to this innovative water chamber design is increased durability and flexibility. In the past, waterbeds have been known by their ability to be easily damaged by sharp objects and friction. Placing the bladder in between the layers of foam and upholstery protects softside waterbed from being compromised.

Additionally, the soft-sided option encapsulates the water-filled chamber in such a way that it is no longer difficult to get in and out of bed. With this model, there is an even distribution of weight, regardless of your shift or moving about.

Lastly, the soft-sided bed can easily fit within most wooden frames once occupied by older beds. This is a notable cost-saver and an added convenience when you’re looking to replace a current mattress.

Now you have a firm grasp on both the health benefits of water mattresses and their construction.  It’s important now, to look at some of the best waveless waterbed mattresses on the market and their specific features before choosing the perfect fit for you. We address this further in our soft-side waterbed mattress reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions about Waterbeds

Do they still make waterbeds?

Waterbeds were the rage in the 1980s, but that attention petered out in the 1990s. They certainly are not as popular as they once were, and for that reason, many stores have discontinued the models they display on their floors.

There are still folks who swear by the experience of sleeping suspended above a mattress made from water, and there are still manufacturers who continue to release new choices into this market with some updated features. For instance, your mother’s waterbed never had a digital heat system or a wave reduction system.

For those committed to these unique beds, the internet may be your best bet. You may have to install the bed and fill it yourself, but the collapsible nature of many of these choices ensure they are lightweight and easy to ship, which helps to keep the prices fairly low compared to foam or spring models.