Bed Basics

Anatomy of a Bed

Beds are typically made of several layers, each performing a different role, all assisting in providing the sleeper with the two critical elements of needed for a good night's sleep.

Comfort: Comfort layers are made of varying types of foam, fibre and material. Using different combinations of different materials yields different feel profiles and comfort levels.

Support: Support is provided by the bottom layers of a bed. Usually constructed of springs or foam the support layers help keep the sleepers back aligned, preventing them from sagging into the mattress.

Support: Springs vs Foam

Spring and foam-based support systems have different strengths and weaknesses. Foam performs well when it comes to reducing partner disturbance, while springs have traditionally been used for their durability.

Modern, high-quality foams are much more durable than they used to be, while pocket springs have helped to significantly reduce the partner disturbance of a traditional inner sprung mattress.

Today the call is largely one of feel preference or what feels good to you. Beds with a foam support core will often feel slightly more neutral, while those using springs will feel slightly more bouncy.

Comfort: Know Your Foam

Polyurethane (PU) Foam: PU foam is generally used to create structure in a bed. While cheap foam is an easy place to cut costs, it can often sag and not perform as intended. As there is no widely used standard for foam quality, look to New Zealand made foam to minimise the risk of buying a bed made with cheap foam.

Memory Foam: Memory Foam was originally developed for NASA to help cradle Astronauts subjected to extreme G-Forces during take-off and re-entry. Body heat helps memory foam conform to the body and because of this, the performance of memory foam will vary depending on the size and shape of the sleeper and the temperature of the bedroom. New Zealand made memory foam is specifically formulated for our climate and our different sizes and shapes.

Reducing Partner Disturbance

“Partner disturbance” is the phrase used to describe the transfer of movement through the bed when one person moves which can disturb the sleep of the other sleeper.

Traditional mattresses were made from springs that were interconnected, meaning the movement in one part of the bed affected other parts of the bed.

Modern foam-based beds don’t transfer movement in the same way as traditional spring mattresses, greatly reducing “partner disturbance” and allowing people to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep.