Shopping Guides Beds

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1. Naomi Cleaver's Guide (Image 1 of 16)

Buyer's Guide

You spend a third of your life in bed, so pick one that you love and, most importantly, that loves you. Here are some of the best around.

If you don't take time to choose the right bed, you'll have a lot more to worry about than bed hair in the morning - back pain is no joke!

As a general rule, the firmer the mattress is, the better it will be for your back, so when testing one out you should always consider the amount of support it gives you.

A well-constructed bed base (most commonly solid wood slats or sprung slats) will provide good support, but only if teamed with a decent mattress, of which there are various types: pocket sprung, open sprung, orthopaedic and foam.

Bed sizes vary. Some doubles are bigger than others, but the typical bed sizes, as specified by The Sleep Council, are: small single: L190xW75cm; single: L190xW90cm; small double: L190xW120cm; double: L190xW135cm; king: L200xW150cm; super king: L200xW180cm.

Test the bed out with your partner to check it's big enough/small enough - bouncy enough. Don't be embarrassed; the sales assistants have seen it all before!

Divans are still the most popular bed type, but bedsteads come top in the style stakes and there's no need for an ugly valance either! Four posters scream extravagance, but if you can afford one, and you have the room, I would say go for it!

*All products and prices correct at time of publishing - 12/2006.