A Quick Guide To Air Beds

An air bed is an inflatable mattress which can be easily filled with air, usually by an electric pump. Specially designed air chambers provide a gentle cushion of support which can be adjusted according to preference to different levels of firmness or softness. Although there are many cheap air beds on the market, which are intended mostly for camping use, there are also much more well designed models which can provide ideal comfort in the bedroom.

When we lie down to sleep, the body needs a sleep surface which will allow all the muscles and joints to relax. In the typical spring mattress used by most people, the coils push up against the body to support it. This design creates pressure points in various places, such as the back, neck, shoulders, and hips. These pressure points over time can lead to a lack of proper alignment of the spine and reduce circulation, helping to cause the typical sleeper to toss and turn an average of 50 to 70 times per night. As the springs deteriorate over time, this situation tends to get worse. Air beds were designed to remedy this problem.

An air mattress allows us to literally sleep on air. It consists of a durable air chamber attached to a powerful air pump, which is operated by a hand held control. Press the inflate button to add support and give the feeling of floating on air. Press the deflate button and the air chamber gently conforms to the curves and contours of our anatomy, exerting an even pressure over the whole body. There are no pressure points, no constriction of circulation, and the spine can align itself more naturally.

Airbed owners report that they fall asleep faster, toss and turn much less, and wake up feeling refreshed. Sleeping on a quality air mattress helps create the right environment for the relief of backache, neck pain, and sore muscles.

An air bed has several good uses in addition to use in the bedroom. Since it can be deflated and then easily moved around and stored, it makes a good guest bed. Owners of RVs find that an RV airbed mattress is ideal in their motor homes, because it is lightweight, portable, and comfortable. It also can be built to a custom size to make sure it fits easily into the available space in the RV.

The construction of the bed can be either with a single air chamber or dual air chambers. Dual chambers are a very practical choice when there are two people in the bed, as each partner is able to adjust their own side of the bed without disturbing the other. Each side has its own independent air pump and individual control. Dual air chamber construction is usually available in both queen and king size.

For extra comfort there is a removable pillowtop on top of the bed, easy to clean or air out. Virgin wool is an excellent choice of material, as it can absorb 30 percent of its weight in moisture, able to act as a natural insulator in winter and natural air conditioner in summer. For additional support and comfort, most airbeds have a comfort pad under the pillowtop. A special topper such as a memory foam topper can be added also.

The air mattress is usually 7 or 8 inches high and is used on top of a foundation for normal bed height. Foam side rails completely surround the chambers, providing structure and support to the air bed and comfortable seating on the edge of the bed. The air pumps are concealed within the foam perimeter inside the bed and are directly connected to the air chambers, eliminating the need to find a place for the pumps elsewhere. In good quality air beds the pumps are UL listed for electrical safety.

William Tucker has 7 years experience with the air bed and other bed products helping people find remedy for sleep problems and back and joint pain. Go here for more info on the RV airbed and other mattress products.