FAQs - Page 1

1. What are the benefits of sleeping afloat?

The phenomenal growth of the waterbed market is mainly due to 5 explicit benefits that sleeping on water offers: complete body support, pleasant confort with no pressure points, relaxing warmth, a hygienic sleeping surface and long life. All these points are discussed in the questions below. The fact that in the last 20 years, more than 60 million waterbeds have been sold and that now more than 100 million people are sleeping on a waterbed proves that more and more consumers are convinced of the benefits.

2. Who invented the waterbed?

The oldest report of the use of waterbeds dates from more than 3000 years ago. In those days, the Persians slept on goatskin waterbags heated by the sun. The next development came in 1851 when the British doctor Dr. William Hooper recognised the benefits of a pressure-free waterbed surface and introduced them for the treatment of certain medical disorders. He designed and patented a simple rubber watermattress. Towards the end of the 1960s, the American, Charles Hall, refined this concept and by using modern materials and production techniques created the PVC mattress that we are now familiar with.

Charles Hall, Dr. Cooper and all their predecessors used only water, the most natural substance, as support for the body. The water acts as an anti-gravity device. In that state of reduced pressure and apparent weightlessness, our body can relax more deeply. So, by sleeping more deeply, we can increase the rejuvenating action of our sleep. That, in a nutshell, is what sleeping afloat on a waterbed is all about.

3. What are the different types of waterbed?

In essence, there are 3 types of waterbed. Hard-side waterbeds, Soft-side waterbeds and tube watermattresses.
The hard-side waterbed is the original type. In this now somewhat outdated design, the watermattress sits directly in a strong wooden surround that provides side support. The whole thing rests on a base plate, which is supported by a plinth and weight distributors. Between the mattress and the surround, there is a safety lining that can catch any water in the event of a leak.
The modern variant of the waterbed is called the Soft-side. With this type, the watermattress is supported at the side by a foam edging. In the most modern waterbeds, this foam edge is divided into a lower fixed foam edge, and an upper hinged foam rail. The support from this foam edge ensures that a Soft-side waterbed can stand alone or can be fitted into an existing bedframe. The latter is particularly suited to Soft-side waterbeds with a divided foam edge.
The tube watermattress is not actually a waterbed, but a thin layer of water that is laid on top of a foam mattress. Because this thin water layer weighs much less, it can usually be laid on an ordinary bed, without any extra support. However, many of the benefits of a waterbed are lost.

4. Are there different types of watermattress?

Yes, there are. The difference lies in the surface and the filling of the watermattress. The first waterbeds were made of a smooth PVC film that contained only water. These mattresses are called unstabilised or free-flow mattresses. Various methods are used nowadays to dampen the after movement of the watermattress. The use of cylinders, compartments or fibre mats allow watermattresses of different stability grades to be made. Which stability grade to use is a matter of personal choice. It is important to make sure that the level of stability does not affect the pure sense of sleeping on water.

There is also a distinction between one-piece (uno) and two-piece (dual) watermattresses. Your dealer will be able to explain which type is best for you.