What is a waterbed? A waterbed is a mattress that is filled with water. Because most mattresses are filled with a foam core or an innerspring system, a waterbed offers a unique sleeping experience.

Waterbeds became commercially available in the 1970s and became immensely popular in the 1980s. Over time, the popularity of waterbeds waned because people viewed them as difficult to maintain and move. However, today's waterbeds are easier to maintain and still offer many of the traditional benefits of a waterbed.

What Are the Benefits of a Waterbed?

Waterbeds offer a number of health benefits. For example, people who have back pain often feel relief after lying on a waterbed, because it conforms to the shape of your body, minimizes pressure points and will let your muscles relax. For people who must be confined to a bed, a waterbed lowers the chance of bedsores.

Because waterbeds support your back and spine, reducing pressure on joints and muscles, they result in a longer and more restful night of sleep for many people.

Another benefit of a waterbed is the ability to control the temperature of the water. You can heat the water to your specific preference to enjoy a relaxing night of sleep. The warmth can help soothe sore muscles, relieve tension and make it easier to fall asleep.

What Are the Types of Waterbeds?

There are two main types of waterbeds, hard side and soft side. The type you choose will dictate the bedroom furniture you can use in the room.

Hard Side: A hard side waterbed is a waterbed mattress that is surrounded by a wood frame. With the hard sided frame, the mattress is completely filled with water, which allows you to get closer to the water. The wood frame for a hard side waterbed is the bed frame, so this type of waterbed cannot be used with other types of beds.

Soft Side: Soft side waterbeds look and feel more like traditional mattresses. They include internal water chambers surrounded by layers of support material made from latex, memory foam or other materials. The water underneath offers the unique support of a waterbed, but the traditional mattress size and feel means that a soft side waterbed can be used with most types of bed frames.

Which Waterbed Mattress Flow Should I Choose?

There are three main subtypes of waterbed mattresses to choose from: free flow, waveless, and semi-waveless. The mattress you select will depend on whether you want a hard side waterbed or a soft side waterbed.

Free Flow: A free flow mattress is designed to be used with a hard side waterbed. It does not contain any material to reduce waves and allows you to experience the feeling of truly sleeping on water.

Waveless:A waveless mattress is more sturdy than a free flow mattress because it includes additional layers that lessen the water motion.

Semi-Waveless:A semi-waveless mattress includes some extra layers but allows for more water flow than a waveless mattress.

Which Waterbed Fill Should I Choose?

Different waterbeds have different levels of fill, which is the amount of water they hold. The one you should choose depends on the feel you're trying to achieve.

Shallow: Shallow fill waterbeds hold about four inches of water and include an additional foam pad to achieve a firmer feel.

Mid: Mid fill waterbeds are the happy medium, including six inches of water for a more balanced feel.

Deep: A deep fill waterbed includes eight inches of water and has a more plush feel.

What Are the Waterbed Bladder Types?

The water chambers inside a waterbed mattress are known as bladders. Each bladder is made of flexible but durable vinyl, and you can choose a waterbed that has a single or dual bladder. With a single bladder, the temperature of the water will be the same throughout the mattress. With a dual bladder, each side of the bed has its own temperature control so that each partner can adjust the temperature on their side of the bed.

Still wondering what is a waterbed? Not only is it a mattress that holds water, but with so many different types of waterbeds available, there's sure to be one that is a perfect fit for your needs.

Written by Nancy Mann Jackson

Ready to Shop? Check These Out!