Say goodbye to bed buying blues with a little help from Britain’s biggest bed specialist, Bensons for Beds.

Divans or bed frames? With or without storage? Fold away? Sprung or memory foam mattress? It’s enough to give you nightmares and with all the different options bed buying can seem a daunting experience.

“There’s nothing really difficult about buying a bed, but like anything else, it helps to know a few tips,” says Simon Williams of Bensons for Beds. “Having a comfortable, properly supportive bed is the cornerstone for good sleep and because there are many different types and styles to choose from, we recommend that you always ‘try before you buy’.”

According to a survey by The Sleep Council, the average bed buyer spends less than two minutes trying out a new bed – on which they are going to spend a third of their lives. “British people are notoriously self conscious when it comes to trying out a new bed, but you actually need to spend a good five or ten minutes on a bed to even begin to get a feel for how it will perform for seven or eight hours a night,” says Simon.

Investing in a good quality bed will pay dividends: standing the test of time and giving you a good night’s sleep.

So sleep soundly at night with Bensons indispensable beginners course to being a Bed Buying Boffin:

• Think about replacing your bed if it is eight to 10 years old, looks worn or feels lumpy.
• Don’t just pick the first bed you see. Try out a selection of beds to compare comfort and support. And if you have a partner, make sure you are both involved in the bed buying process.
• Divans sets (traditional mattress on top of an upholstered divan base) are still the most popular choice and can be bought with underbed storage – ideal if space is at a premium. A divan base can either have springs, which work in combination with the mattress to adapt to the body's contours, or a solid top which provides much firmer support.
• Bedsteads have grown in popularity in recent years and there are many styles to choose from – leather, wood, metal, fabric upholstered or a combination of any of these. With a bedstead, bowed, sprung slats will provide a more cushioned support than a solid timber slat. Also, be aware that some contemporary bed frames can be quite low to the floor, making getting out of bed a little bit more difficult.
• There are generally two main categories of mattress interior: sprung (open coil, continuous spring and pocket spring) and non sprung (memory foam, latex foam and polyurethane foam). Mattresses can be available in different degrees of firmness.
• Make sure the bedstead or divan base you choose is suitable with your preferred choice of mattress. An unsuitable one could invalidate the guarantee on your mattress.
• Always go to a good retailer – advisors should be on hand to offer guidance.
• Consider buying a bigger bed so there is more room to relax and stretch out.
• Partner disturbance is one of the top reasons for a bad night’s sleep.
• Cheap isn’t always cheerful but the best bed for you isn’t necessarily the most expensive. However, for a product that you’re going to use more than any other in your house, it is worth spending as much as you can afford. Even a mid-price bed costing £700 works out at less than 20 pence per night over an average 10 year life span.
  
  

“We realise that bed buying can seem confusing,” says Simon. “That’s why at Bensons we try to demystify the process. All our stores have been revamped to offer a much easier bed buying experience and customers entering the store are offered a ‘Destination Sleep’ guide to the different types of bed on offer.”

What’s more, many of Bensons for Beds stores now have the very latest computerised body profiling system from Sleep To Live. Exclusive to Bensons in the UK, this state of the art technology offers a body diagnostic test: you lie on one of their special beds which is linked to a computer and it will map the contours of your body. The results will then point you in the direction of the bed that’s best for you depending upon the natural contours of your body, your weight, height etc… taking all the guesswork out of which bed is right for you.

Says Simon: “At the end of the day, we want our customers to feel 100 per cent satisfied they have chosen the right bed. We can offer advice and guide them in the right direction, but nothing beats lying down on the bed and road testing it!”

You can see the full range of beds, mattresses, bedroom furniture and accessories on the website www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk or a selection at any of the 200 stores around the country.

Article by: Bensons for Beds, 4 Taurus Park, Europa Boulevard, Westbrook, Warrington, WA5 7NT