Platform Bed Shopping Guide

Choosing The Right Bed For Healthier Living by Sarika Kabra

Have you ever wondered why your back has been hurting? If you work long hours in an office, you may want to try changing your work station and even your office chair. You can also try exercising and stretching more frequently. If these suggestions aren’t helping your back, then you may want to consult a family doctor. A friend of mine recently went through the same problem with their back. It was sore because of working too many hours and having the same bed for 10 years. After consulting a doctor, my friend was told to look into getting a comfortable but firm bed. My friend has been looking around for a bed that is stylish and can support a new mattress. Since my friend doesn’t know much about choosing the right bed, I’ve been giving my friend some advice.

Slats on the Retro platform bed. The slats provide additional support for your bed when used with a quality mattress.

Now I'm neither a doctor nor a health specialist, but I know a thing or two about chronic back pain from a similar experience with my own back and bed, and without further hesitation I told him to get a platform bed. Why a platform bed? In the first place, I've used such a bed for years having had a bad back, and it has been perfect for me. Second, such beds are generally closer to the ground and have a hard solid frame, which tends to remove the 'sag' which other beds have. This means that your spine won't have a deep incline at night while lying down for 8 hours, which is terrible for anyone. The third point is that the mattresses, like the bed itself are usually extremely comfortable and yet very sturdy.

The thing is, most people think that a bed should be as soft as possible, which brings to mind the earlier 80's and the disastrous waterbed, an utter calamity for any back. The fact is that contemporary bedroom furniture, as opposed to older varieties, takes into mind more than just the appearance of comfort, taking into consideration the fact that your body needs both comfort and strong support for all the tussle and tumble it goes through in life. Ironically, a more sturdy bed is actually much more comfortable than the softer varieties, since your body gets a feel for where it lies, as opposed to the sensation of just hanging in the softer beds. The muscles are then allowed to rest more easily.

Modern Platform Bed

Another thing that makes platform beds an excellent choice is the fact that there are many colors, designs, and types of material that you can choose from, making such a bed a great addition to your bedroom set.

The point is, if you find yourself with a chronically bad back as my friend has (and as I've had), then my advice to you would be first to consult a doctor. If he urges you to get a new bed, consider one of the more modern platform beds designed specifically both for comfort and for your health. The choice made thus will make sleeping at night a pleasant experience, and the next waking day an even more pleasant one.

Kabra, Sarika. "Choosing The Right Bed For Healthier Living.." 2007.