Having guests stay overnight after a dinner party or after a special occasion if they have far to travel can seem like a great gesture of good will and the solution to travel logistics.  However, unlike Brad and Angelina, not all of us have 12 spare guest rooms and chamber maids to make up the beds in preparation for your guests staying.

That’s why the Bed Doctor has outlined his top tips for preparing your house for having guests stay for the night.

First of all – you need to ensure that you have the space to sleep your guests.  If you don’t have a spare bedroom, or you do but it is filled to the ceiling with winter coats, boxes, old recipe books and that collection of Arnold Schwarzenegger videos that you aren’t quite ready to dispose of – then your living room space is a great place to start.

Now, although you have the space in your living room, you don’t think it is really appropriate to ask your Aunty and Uncle to sleep on the sofa with an old blanket that you’ve managed to dig out of your ‘spare room’.  A great solution to this problem is buying a foldaway bed which will provide great comfort for an overnight stay and then can be tucked away after the guests have left.

Bishops Beds have a fantastic Budget foldaway bed for this very occasion.

Budget Foldaway Bed

This budget metal fold up bed is simple but sturdy and is ideal for a guest bed.  The metal bed is compact enough to store away in a cupboard and comes with a full foam mattress. When opened, the bed is 186cm long, 69cm wide and 27cm high and when closed, the bed is 69cm wide, 10cm deep and 92cm high.

Next on your to do list should be ensuring you have enough blankets, duvets, sheets and pillows.  On some occasions, using a sleeping bag will be sufficient for your guests to sleep in on the guest bed, but some guests may need a little extra comfort for a great night sleep.

A good pillow can prevent your guests tossing and turning in discomfort all night.  To ensure maximum comfort for your guests, The Bed Doctor recommends the Memflake memory foam pillow by Concept.

Memflake Memory Foam pillow

This memory foam pillow from Concept has many benefits to ensure a great night sleep.  It responds to and supports the neck, relieves pressure and promotes good body circulation.

If you do have the space in a spare room, but do not want to commit to turning it into a full time spare bedroom, the Bed Doctor recommends Bishops Beds bestselling Guest bed – the Versailles Daybed.

Versailles Daybed with Underbed

The new Versailles Daybed from Julian Bowen comes with a handy underbed which is easily stored until needed. The Daybed is finished in a stone white and has a detailed surround. The Versailles Daybed looks stunning as a lounger or as a bed.

Now that you have the sleeping arrangements sorted, it’s time to add the finishing touches so that your guests feel comfortable and at ease in your home.

Alarm clocks and reading lamps are great extras to add a little something for your guests.  Putting yourself in their position often helps you decide on how much or how little effort you need to go to for their overnight stay.

Finally, lay out some clean, dry towels where your guests will be staying and why not leave out some reading material to help your guests completely relax and unwind, ensuring a comfortable time for everyone.

Tossing and turning to get comfortable? Our adjustable electric beds change position so you don’t have to. All our electric beds have a five-fold action, giving your whole body complete support. Using simple controls you can elevate your feet to reduce swelling, or your upper body to help you out of bed. Some of our adjustable beds also have the option of massage units to ease away aches and pains or with a gentle, soothing massage, or stimulate your muscles for passive exercise.

For maximum comfort, The Apollomatic Electric Bed from Apollo Beds is a 5 position electric bed frame. The electric bed has a hardwire remote which is easily located on the side of the frame. The headend and footend can be operated separately giving maximum support and comfort to suit the individual.The frame comes with a memory foam pocket sprung mattress adding to the comfort of the frame.

For those who like to be in control The Buckingham from Restus is a 3FT Adjustable Bed and electrically adjustable for ultimate control. This expert crafted divan set has a five action motor which controls sprung beech wood slats to provide a choice of positions for people up to a weight of approximately 120 kilos, luxury pocket sprung mattress included for maximum comfort, mahogany screw in legs and a deep base with castors or plastic glides.  The Restus, Buckingham, 3FT Adjustable Bed is a truly exceptional adjustable bed.

The Buckingham

Silent Night offer a versatile adjustable electric bed.  As well as offering added comfort and control, The Memory Foam 500 Adjustable bed features a layer of memory foam and a removable, washable cover. The adjustable bed also has hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant and is made for an adjustable bed.

Memory 500

The Restus, Rest ‘o’ Matic, 3FT Adjustable Bed is electrically adjustable for ultimate control. Ease away the aches and pains of the day with a gentle, soothing massage, or stimulate your muscles for passive exercise. This bed has a built-in adjustable electric massager. Additional features are:

• Five action motor which controls sprung beech wood slats to provide a choice of positions for people up to a weight of approximately 120 kilos.
• Luxury reflex foam mattress included for maximum comfort. The mattress houses the massage unit.
• Deep base with castors.

The Restus, Rest ‘o’ Matic, 3FT Adjustable Bed is a truly exceptional adjustable bed.

Rest 'o' Matic

These are just a few of the Adjustable Electric Beds that Bishops Beds offer, so take a look and see how we can help you choose your perfect bed.

Buying a mattress can be very expensive! Bishops Beds have a great range of mattresses for shoppers looking for quality products on a budget.

Budget Mattress generally come with a flat panel which basically means that the stitching goes around the border. The fabric is a stitchbond which is 80%Polyester and 20% Viscose. These mattresses are ideal if you are on a budget. A great seller is the Oriel Mattress this is still classed as a budget but has a lot more filling inside making it more comfortable, the Oriel is deep quilted and finished in a stitchbond fabric. We also have some great low end mattresses on next day delivery if you are need of a mattress in a hurry the likes of the Belle Mattress from La Romantica is a popular choice again a deep quilted with a stitchbond fabric.

Belle Mattress from La Romantica

If you have slightly more money to spend then the Onyx Mattress is great value for money this is a traditional sprung, deep quilted mattress with a lot of fillings making the mattress more luxurious, finished in a quality damask fabric.  This is a really popular choice with our customers.

Onyx Mattress

A fantastic buy for all those people who love a firmer sleep is the Roslin Mattress from La Romantica Beds this is an orthopedic mattress made with a thicker spring so there is less movement in the mattress making it a firmer sleep. The Roslin mattress is 10’’ deep and is hand tufted making the mattress a firmer sleep finished in a quality damask.

The Monet Mattress is not to be missed, with individual pocket springs all wrapped in their own fabric, this is a fantastic buy. The Monet starts from £135 which is an amazing price for a pocket mattress. The Monet is hand tufted with a lovely soft knitted fabric. The support of the Monet is a soft to medium. The pockets offer superb support as the springs contour your body.

Bishops Beds have a great range of mattresses to suite all budgets why not browse our range online or pop into the shop to discuss your mattress choice further.

Buying a mattress is possibly one of the most confusing experiences in the bed world.  I mean is anyone really sure what the difference is between a deep quilted, micro quilted, non turn or pillow top … didn’t think so. Well never fear the bed doctor is here to clear up any confusion and recommend the right mattress for you.

Deep Quilted, this mattress is pure luxury. The quilt pattern runs through deep levels of upholstery on the mattress, this helps to keep all the fillings in place and gives the mattress a more luxurious feel. The Onyx from Highgrove Beds is a lovely example of a deep quilted mattress.

Tufted, this is another luxury mattress where all the fillings in the mattress are secured with tufts these go through the top to the bottom of the mattress. One of our top sellers the Pashmina Mattress from Dura Beds is a great hand tufted mattress. The Pashmina is also finished with fabric containing cashmere making it super soft.

Pashmina Mattress

Pillow Top, has a deep layer of upholstery made from foam, memory foam, or fillings. This is attached to the mattress creating an additional layer hence the name Pillow Top. We have a great range of pillow top mattresses including the New Signature Pillow Top Mattress. The New Signature mattress is the ultimate for comfort and support. Bedmaster has designed this mattress to encourage a perfect nights sleep.

Signature Pillow Top Mattress

Non Turn, A non turn mattress means exactly that, it is manufactured for added convenience. It also contains some sort of filling such as memory foam or latex so it doesn’t need to be turned over, we do however recommend that the mattress is turned 180 degrees from end to end. The Pocket 2000 from Bedmasters is a great non turn mattress. The mattress offers superb support and comfort and is made with quality fillings to ensure you have the best nights sleep.

Micro Quilted, Is a popular method used of securing all the fillings the stitching is done from end to end resulting in a smoother sleeping surface. We highly recommend the Imagine Mattress from Joseph, this micro quilted mattress comes with a winning combination of a pocket sprung system with a generous layer of supportive memory foam.

Dual Purpose, A dual sleeping surface offers two different finishes, the most popular is the dual season with one side memory foam to keep you warm in the winter and on the other a polyester to keep you cooler. You can also get a dual sided memory foam for those people who like to turn their mattresses. We recommend the Apollo Calypso pocket sprung mattress; this is a hand tufted luxurious mattress is also great for allergy suffers as it is hypo-allergenic.

Calypso Mattress

Well hopefully we have cleared up a few of the confusing terms you might come across find when shopping for a new mattress. If you have any further questions on mattresses please don’t hesitate to get in touch and our bed specialists will be able to help you further. To get in touch just ring 0191 586 0010 or email retail@bishopsbeds.co.uk

Ever since the first emperor draped himself moodily over a bed and demanded to be hand-fed grapes, bedrooms, and beds themselves, have been viewed as the haven of the household, the room where luxury should be encouraged and comfort should be king. This is how it should be – after all, we spend a large part of our time in bed, recovering from the day past, and recharging for the day ahead.

Coco Chanel once said “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury” and at Bishops Beds we have a wide range of mattresses that look, and more importantly, feel, divine. Why not take a peek at The Pashmina from Dura Beds, a hand-tufted mattress covered in a cashmere mix fabric to give it a sumptuous feel, with 1000 individually pocketed springs to ensure your comfort, or The Cashmere mattress by Restus with a 1200 pocket count and a gorgeous cashmere stretch knit fabric finish. Or take a look at the soothing Allure 2600 by Rest Assured – the gorgeous quilted fabric is enriched with aloe vera, and there is a layer of memory foam for optimum support.

Pashmina Mattress from Dura Beds

These are just a few of the many luxury mattresses we offer at Bishops Beds – why not treat your tired side, and make your journey to the land of nod one of pure indulgence.

For slightly older boys the Sport Mattress from Sweet Dreams is a great alternative. The Sport Mattress is a deep quilted stitchbond mattress with a fantastic football fabric which works wounders for getting the kids to bed. The low priced mattress is ideal for juniors.

Is your child football mad? Are they constantly talking about their favourite player and dreaming of playing for England one day. Why not make bed time fun with a football themed bed. Buying your child’s next bed can sometimes be challenging with parents concerns based around durability and safety. Whilst children are constantly demanding the coolest bed themed around their current interest to be the envy of all their friends.

Luckily you can please both child and parent with Silentnight My First Football Bed, making the transition from cot to bed fun and exciting.

My First Football Bed

For the parents the football bed features the unique miracoil spring system which supports supple young backs as they grow and provides children with the support they need to sleep soundly. It comes with a soft, knitted cover with aloe vera to promote a healthy, restful night’s sleep. Aloa vera has therapeutic and soothing properties. It is anti-bacterial and anti dust mites ensuring you that your child has a healthy and comfortable night’s sleep.

You child’s needs are also met with a Football mad bed including football boot feet and a football pitch head board. This fun theme will reduce the night time bed battle and allow your child to dream of football stardom.

For slightly older boys the Sport Mattress from Sweet Dreams is a great alternative. The Sport Mattress is a deep quilted stitchbond mattress with a fantastic football fabric which works wounders for getting the kids to bed. The low priced mattress is ideal for juniors.

Sport Mattress

Or why not go for the complete soccer frame, The Soccer bed frame from Serene is great for a big football fan with its eye catching football themed design. The soccer bed comes with a sprung slatted base giving a better support whilst sleeping. Great for any football fan. We recommend a Kiddies Coloured Mattress or to keep the football theme going the sport mattress as seen above.

Alternatively this low priced boy’s bed from Sweet Dreams comes in a blue football stitch bond cover. The Sport Divan Bed is available in a single with a slide store drawer as a storage option. This bed is perfect for a young child.

Sport Divan Bed

 

Football Themed Beds

Is your child football mad? Are they constantly talking about their favourite player and dreaming of playing for England one day.  Why not make bed time fun with a football themed bed.  Buying your child’s next bed can sometimes be challenging with parents concerns based around durability and safety.  Whilst children are constantly demanding the coolest bed themed around their current interest to be the envy of all their friends.

Luckily you can please both child and parent with Silentnight My First Football Bed, making the transition from cot to bed fun and exciting.

For the parents the football bed features the unique miracoil spring system which supports supple young backs as they grow and provides children with the support they need to sleep soundly. It comes with a soft, knitted cover with aloe vera to promote a healthy, restful night’s sleep. Aloa vera has therapeutic and soothing properties. It is anti-bacterial and anti dust mites ensuring you that your child has a healthy and comfortable night’s sleep.

You child’s needs are also met with a Football mad bed including football boot feet and a football pitch head board.  This fun theme will reduce the night time bed battle and allow your child to dream of football stardom.

Or why not go for the complete soccer frame, The Soccer bed frame from Serene is great for a big football fan with its eye catching football themed design. The soccer bed comes with a sprung slatted base giving a better support whilst sleeping. Great for any football fan.  We recommend a Kiddies Coloured Mattress (http://www.bishopsbeds.co.uk/content/beds-and-mattresses-shop/product/Kiddies%20Navy%20Coloured%20Mattress) or to keep the football theme going the sport mattress as seen above (http://www.bishopsbeds.co.uk/content/beds-and-mattresses-shop/product/Sport%20Mattress)

Football Themed Beds

Is your child football mad? Are they constantly talking about their favourite player and dreaming of playing for England one day. Why not make bed time fun with a football themed bed. Buying your child’s next bed can sometimes be challenging with parents concerns based around durability and safety. Whilst children are constantly demanding the coolest bed themed around their current interest to be the envy of all their friends.

Luckily you can please both child and parent with Silentnight My First Football Bed, making the transition from cot to bed fun and exciting.

For the parents the football bed features the unique miracoil spring system which supports supple young backs as they grow and provides children with the support they need to sleep soundly. It comes with a soft, knitted cover with aloe vera to promote a healthy, restful night’s sleep. Aloa vera has therapeutic and soothing properties. It is anti-bacterial and anti dust mites ensuring you that your child has a healthy and comfortable night’s sleep.

You child’s needs are also met with a Football mad bed including football boot feet and a football pitch head board. This fun theme will reduce the night time bed battle and allow your child to dream of football stardom.

For slightly older boys the Sport Mattress from Sweet Dreams is a great alternative. The Sport Mattress is a deep quilted stitchbond mattress with a fantastic football fabric which works wounders for getting the kids to bed. The low priced mattress is ideal for juniors.

Or why not go for the complete soccer frame, The Soccer bed frame from Serene is great for a big football fan with its eye catching football themed design. The soccer bed comes with a sprung slatted base giving a better support whilst sleeping. Great for any football fan. We recommend a Kiddies Coloured Mattress (http://www.bishopsbeds.co.uk/content/beds-and-mattresses-shop/product/Kiddies%20Navy%20Coloured%20Mattress) or to keep the football theme going the sport mattress as seen above (http://www.bishopsbeds.co.uk/content/beds-and-mattresses-shop/product/Sport%20Mattress)

Alternatively this low priced boy’s bed from Sweet Dreams comes in a blue football stitch bond cover. The Sport Divan Bed is available in a single with a slide store drawer as a storage option. This bed is perfect for a young child.

Alternatively this low priced boy’s bed from Sweet Dreams comes in a blue football stitch bond cover. The Sport Divan Bed is available in a single with a slide store drawer as a storage option. This bed is perfect for a young child.

As any parent of a beautiful but rather demanding princess will tell you, keeping up repayments on a castle is increasingly difficult in these austere times. So if you really have to let the castle go and the thought of an angry bundle of pink taffeta throwing an epic strop is making the beads of sweat on your forehead develop beads of sweat, you can inject a little royalty into her sleeping quarters without compromising your bank balance.

In tales of old, princesses often went through many trials before they were allowed their happily ever after – being cursed by old ladies, having to disguise themselves as various wild beasts, being ordered not to look in various incredibly mysterious locked rooms (that last one sounds easy, but trust me, it isn’t!) and all of this far away from home, usually in a dark and rather menacing forest. What would those princesses have given to sleep on a luxurious and soft toadstool bed? Rather a lot, I imagine. My First Toadstool Bed by Silent Night is not only ultra comfortable but is infused with soothing aloe vera, as well as being anti-bacterial and anti-dust mite to ensure a good nights sleep for the tiniest princess.

My First Toadstool Bed by Silent Night

Often, when these princesses returned home, they had evil stepmothers and various vegetables making peaceful slumber impossible. But this doesn’t have to be the case for your growing future queen. Take a look at our elegant metal bed frames such as Yasmin and Isabelle by Serene, which feature gorgeous girly heart designs – all with sprung slatted bases for extra comfort and support.

Yasmin Metal Bed

And, if you’re almost 100% sure than your princess is half-ogre at this point, we have the Princess by Apollo Beds, a double bed which gives her plenty of room to move as she sleeps – for hours, and hours, and … well, you know. And if in between sleeping she’d like to do some homework, we have the Study Bunk by Apollo beds; it includes a desk and an extra futon, available in lilac and blue, for when other royal ladies stay over.

Metal Study Bunk by Apollo

At Bishops Beds, we have a wonderful range, so take a peek – we’re sure they’ll be princess-approved.

For allergy sufferers, summer can be a nightmare – to venture out of the house armed with any less than a pharmacy and an up to the minute pollen count would be viewed by our sniffling brethren as sheer madness! But for many sufferers, it’s actually the winter months that prove hardest, and while most people are grumbling at the cold (and secretly glad to be snuggled up in bed away from it!) those with allergies are facing a different problem – lack of sleep.

With winter showing no sign of stopping, we’ve become a nation of homebodies, clinging to the warmth of our mattresses with unabated gusto, and for allergy sufferers, this means that they often find themselves feeling worse than ever. When we stay home and crank up the central heating, what we’re really doing is throwing open our home to millions of dust mites, critters who most people would agree make unappealing house guests.

Even for those without existing conditions such as asthma or eczema, dust mites and bed bugs can make getting a good night’s sleep impossible, or at the very least uncomfortable, blocking the sinuses and making breathing more laboured. You want your bed to be a relaxing, luxurious haven from the stresses of the world, and I’m sure you agree that those stresses include allergies. So what can you do? Well, luckily, there are things that prove effective for sufferers and non-sufferers alike.

A Clean Bedroom

This may seem obvious, and you may be rather outraged at the insinuation, but a lot of us are not as clean as we think. According to a poll in the Daily Mail, half a million Britons only wash their bed linen three times a year!

“Washing your bedding takes time and effort, but to reduce levels of unwanted organisms and mites, you need to wash your bed linen at least once a fortnight-preferably once a week.”

Your Bed: A Pet-Free Zone

As a nation of animal lovers, we are guilty of letting our pets walk all over us, and probably all over our beds too. As endearing as your pets are, your allergies will thank you if you make your bed a no-go area. The hair and skin and saliva your pets leave behind (not so endearing now, are they?) are a yummy goldmine for dust mites.

Hypo Allergenic Mattresses to the Rescue!

Dorchester Mattress by Highgrove

Once you’re finished cleaning, and banished your pet to his own bed, it might be worth investing in a hypo allergenic mattress. These are made with materials that are much less likely to cause a reaction (animal products such as down and hair are usually avoided) and the surfaces are tightly knitted or treated to make it impossible for mites to burrow inside and multiply. At Bishops Beds we have a wide range of hypo allergenic mattresses that won’t break the bank, such as the Cupid, the Tranquility and the Dorchester, and many of our hypo allergenic mattresses also incorporate memory foam so you can be sure of their comfort – take a look at the Dual Memory and the Midas by Apollo. These are just a few of the hypo allergenic mattresses Bishops Beds offer, so look around, and make your bed a sneeze-free place to be!

Cupid Mattress by Apollo Beds

 

We spend around a third of our lifetimes in bed, so it’s worth thinking carefully about purchasing a new one. Take your time, and don’t be afraid to test out the different options.

Here is some bed buying advice to start you off.

How big should your bed be?

As big as possible! The Sleep Council recommends that you choose a bed 4-6 inches longer than the tallest person who will sleep in it: anyone over 6 feet tall should think about getting a larger-than-average size. If two of you will be sharing the bed, make sure you have enough room to move about without disturbing each other.

Height is another important factor – a low bed might be more to your taste, but not much good if you need to make the most of storage space underneath.

What kind of bed base do you need?

Divan beds are probably the best option for storage, and have often been designed to work with a particular mattress. Bedsteads are usually made from metal or wood, and vary widely in design. If you buy a separate bedstead, make sure your mattress will fit!

Many bases use wooden slats, which can be rigid or sprung. Sprung slats have more give, and are the best option both for comfort and for mattress care.  Broken slats are easily replaced – speak to Bishops Beds about our replacement bed slats.

Bamboo Pocket Mattress

 

What about the mattress?

There are several different types of mattress, and your ideal option will depend on what best suits your body. Try out different options, and make sure that your mattress will work with your new bed. Read our guide to mattresses to find out more.

How much should you spend on a new bed?

Of course, everyone has different budgets. However, your new bed should give you several years of comfortable sleep, so it’s a worthwhile investment.

Spending a little more could mean a longer-lasting bed and fewer restless nights. Bishops Beds offers a whole range of budget beds that don’t compromise on value.

Of course, this doesn’t even begin to address issues of style and design – your bed will usually be the centrepiece of your bedroom, so make sure it suits your décor! Browse the Bed Doctor archive for more bed advice, and get in touch with your questions.

Did you know that memory foam began life at NASA? Most regular sleepers won’t need a mattress that can cope with a space mission, but if you’re serious about comfort, it can’t hurt to put yourself in the hands of the scientists who put a man on the moon…

Memory foam was developed in the Sixties to make NASA’s airplane seats more comfortable and protective because of its shock-absorbing properties. Since then, those properties have been adapted to all kinds of purposes – including memory foam mattresses.

There are practical reasons for choosing a memory foam mattress – it doesn’t need turning, for one thing (though you might want to switch ends from time to time to make sure it wears evenly).

There’s a further benefit for allergy sufferers, since memory foam mattresses are antimicrobial. They don’t retain moisture like other mattresses and can help keep dust-mites at bay.

But the spinal support offered by memory foam mattresses is perhaps one of their biggest advantages. Given the huge number of regenerative processes that go on when you sleep, a supportive bed is a basic requirement. According to expert Michael Copland Griffiths, sleep allows the body’s activity to slow down, muscles to relax, and the spine to recover from the strains of the day.

But if you’re not sleeping properly, these restorative processes are interrupted – and could result in damage. “If tissues that should be resting are held under strain during the night they will function less effectively the next day,” warns Griffiths in an article for the organisation Back Care.

“Where strain is due to faulty sleeping posture the detrimental effects can be cumulative, so the importance of good bedding in minimising postural night strains should not be ignored.”

Memory foam mattresses absorb rather than resist your body’s weight, so pressure on the spine is reduced. Because they respond to your body’s heat, they will mould to your natural contours and help keep your spine straight.

There are also lots of mattresses that combine the advantages of a pocket sprung mattress with a thick memory foam topper, and if you need a cheap memory foam mattress there are some great value options available.

Of course, different people need different qualities in a mattress, and it’s important to do your research. But if you want to give your spine the support it needs, a memory foam mattress should definitely be in your shortlist.

Memory Foam Tranquility Mattress

Whatever look you want to achieve, a metal bed will instantly add style to your bedroom.  From vintage wrought-iron effect metal bedsteads to contemporary nickel frames, a whole range of designs and finishes is available to complement your theme.

Or, if you like to change your mind, opt for a plainer design that will slot in perfectly each time you decide to give your room a makeover. And paired with your choice of mattress, you’ll be comfortable, too.

Minimalist calm

The clean lines and elegant angles of the Pluto metal bed frame make it an ideal choice for a minimalist design theme. Choose crisp white or neutral-toned bed linen and keep bedroom clutter to a minimum to complete this look.  The Pluto metal bedstead has a sprung slatted  base for comfort and support.

Pluto metal bed frame

Bohemian elegance

The beauty of metal beds is their ability to combine vintage features with a defined shape. The Marseilles metal day bed is an attractive solution for a small or multi-purpose room. With an under-stated nod to French antique chic, it avoids any risk of looking fussy.

Combine it with layered bed linen, long sweeping curtains and mis-matched bedside tables and wardrobes for a truly bohemian look. Dressed in vintage fabrics and piled up with cushions, this metal bed frame also makes a styish seating area that can double as a guest bed where necessary.

Marseilles metal day bed

Classic style

If you need a bed that will slot into your existing colour theme, a metal bed is a very versatile option. The classic, feminine design of the Nice metal bed, for example, will complement almost any scheme.

Nice metal bed frame

Pretty in pink

If you’re looking for a sturdy but girly option for a bedroom, a metal bed finished in glossy pink is perfect! With its delicately curved shape and soft colour, the Penny metal bed will be a hit with discerning little girls.

Penny Metal Bed

Never mind the economy – Britain is facing a sleep crisis! The average Brit gets just over six hours’ sleep each night. That’s well below the recommended level of eight, and is threatening to take its toll on the workforce.

According to research by the hotel chain Travelodge (published in May by Telegraph.co.uk), more than half of us blame lack of sleep for poor concentration at work. And there are some unusual coping strategies around – while 16 per cent will catch a quick nap at their desk, one in ten admits to snoozing in the loo.

Civil servants are losing out the most, sleeping for just five hours and 53 minutes on average per night. Following closely behind them are bankers, factory workers, doctors, teachers, estate agents, recruitment consultants, accountants and taxi drivers.

This is bad news for employers. You don’t need to be a sleep expert to know that sleep loss can severely damage our ability to focus at work, making us more likely to forget appointments or mislay vital pieces of paper. It can damage working relationships too – tired employees can be easily demoralised and quickly irritated.

Of course, some enviable people can function perfectly well on less sleep, enabling them to squeeze more out of their extra-long days than the rest of us. This appears to be particularly true for those in positions of power – Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and Napoleon each snatched just six hours a night.

It’s debatable whether this rare gift can be achieved through practice. Last year a team of scientists from California claimed to have identified a gene for needing less sleep (read full article here). Two members of the same family, a mother and daughter, would go to sleep with everyone else at 10pm, but woke up around 4 – without feeling any worse for it.

One solution could be the ‘power nap’. According to Saga, taking a short nap during the day can have great health benefits, and one sleep author, Dr. James Maas, claims that napping for 20 minutes in the afternoon gives more rest than sleeping in for 20 minutes in the morning.

Make sure your bed isn’t holding you back during the day. Research has suggested that simply swapping your old bed for a new one could give you an average of 42 minutes extra sleep – which is a good start! Take a look at what’s available at Bishops Beds.

Cherry juice: the new cure for insomnia. That was the claim made a few weeks ago on the basis of new research from America. But, as an NHS article pointed out, the study involved just 15 people, who experienced a very slight improvement in their sleep – and it was funded by a cherry juice manufacturer.

But the experts suggest our diet can affect our sleep. A heavy meal late in the evening can lead to a restless night, as can too much caffeine. Keep an eye on your alcohol consumption too – as well as dehydrating you it’s said to make you more likely to snore!

Instead, a warm milky drink before bedtime, or a light snack if you’re peckish, can help you drift off more easily. Herbal teas like camomile are traditionally said to help relax you, and a drop of lavender oil on your pillow could help too.

Why not start a food diary? Make a note of your meals each day and record how well you slept – you might find a pattern emerging.

Of course, you should always see you doctor if you suffer with serious sleep problems, but most of us can benefit from a few simple changes.

A good night’s sleep is crucial for your child’s well-being. Here’s some advice on choosing novelty beds for children to encourage drama-free bedtimes.

It may not feel like it just now, but did you know your child will probably spend 40 per cent of their childhood asleep? Adults feel grotty after a poor night’s sleep because our bodies haven’t recharged properly. It’s no different for kids – in fact, a lot of their growth and development goes on while they sleep. And as they get older, good sleep patterns will help their behaviour and concentration at school. That’s why it’s worth choosing your children’s bedroom furniture carefully – and better sleep for them means better sleep for you!

All the experts agree that a good routine is a great way of helping kids get to sleep. A bath, bedtime story, and good-night cuddle at a regular time each night will work wonders. A familiar sleeping environment can also help children settle. There are all sorts of novelty beds and themed beds for kids around that won’t break the bank – why not choose one they’ll look forward to snuggling down in?

For little ones making the transition from cot to bed, novelty beds are a great way of marking the milestone. The Cuthbert Bed Frame is ideal for aspiring fire-fighters, and has surrounds to keep wriggly sleepers in.

For smaller budgets – and bedrooms – divan beds are ideal. These kids’ single beds with extra storage space underneath are the perfect solution when space is tight. Plus, the children can choose their favourite design: the Alice Divan with its pretty loveheart design, or the Goal Divan for the football-crazy.

Beds for children need to support them as they grow – as well as matching their interests. The Soccer, Yasmin and Jemima metal bed frames all have sprung slatted bases for extra support. The Yasmin and Jemima frames are elegant but sturdy, and would look beautiful in any girl’s room. And for those who aren’t so keen on pink, the Soccer bed with its black frame and football design will complement all those football posters perfectly.

Soccer Metal Bed

There are lots more children’s beds to choose from.  If you need some help choosing your kids’ bedroom furniture, why not get them to join in the fun? They’ll look forward to their new bed arriving, and it could help smooth the transition into that new routine – and restful slumber for the whole family.

Sweet dreams …

Dear Bed Doctor,

Recently I’ve been having trouble sleeping and getting up. I’ve started falling asleep around 3am and not waking up until around 11am naturally. For someone like me who is usually asleep by 11pm and has to get up at 6am, I’m not enjoying this. Please tell me you know how to help me!

Sleepless
–
Dear Sleepless,

You’re not alone. Millions of people worldwide have trouble sleeping, waking up, feeling tired etc. but what these people don’t know, is that there are a few very simple steps which can be taken to avoid this!

Develop A Pattern. Go to bed at the same time every night, regardless of how tired you feel – listen to music or read a book in bed if you’re really awake. Wake up at the same time each morning. After a few days your body should start to recognize this pattern and start to shut down/wake up automatically.

Only Sleep At Night. It’s been claimed that the average person feels the need to sleep at around 2:30pm each afternoon. Try to avoid this, as it detracts from your night-time sleeping hours & destroys your good sleeping pattern. If you feel you MUST sleep during the day, for whatever reason, limit yourself to two 30 minute power naps. No more.

Take Up Exercise. Fairly self-explanatory. Exercise works the body’s muscles, therefore making them tired. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise every day can help you sleep, but be sure to exercise in the morning or afternoon, especially if you want to see physical changes to yourself, as well as your sleeping habits. Muscles need to keep working after exercise to keep showing benefits and aerobic exercise stimulates the brain, making it difficult to fall asleep.

Take A Bath. A warm bath can help relax muscles, aiding a better night’s sleep. Try adding some relaxing essential oils to the water, like Lavender or Jasmine to calm your senses and lull you into a relaxed state. Try not to fall asleep in the bath though!

Avoid Eating Just Before Bed. Give yourself at least 2 hours between eating and sleeping. This allows digestion to start, so that your body is not trying to digest food whilst your brain is trying to sleep.

Avoid Caffeinated Drinks. Caffeine is present in drinks like Coffee, Tea, Cola etc. Try to avoid this as it causes the brain to wake up, which, when you’re trying to sleep, isn’t what you want.

Read A Book. Reading a fiction book whilst lying  in bed helps you to sleep better, it relaxes your brain, makes your eyes tired and eventually you’ll drift off to sleep. If you close your book before falling asleep, try not to think about it too much; an overactive brain makes for a sleepless night.

Have The Room Slightly Cooler. You’re more likely to sleep well in a room that’s slightly cooler than normal. Turn the heating off and get snuggled down under the duvet. Hot rooms just make you uncomfortable anyway and you’ll save a few pennies on the heating bills too.

Sleep In Silence. Noises disturb you and stop you from relaxing effectively. While soothing music played quietly can relax some people into a blissful slumber, louder noises and televisions will just annoy you, so turn them off.

Last but by no means least, buy yourself a Memory Foam Mattress & Pillow. These have been proven to make sleep much easier for people, because the materials mould to the shape of your body. They follow every contour and curve, giving you the best possible surface to sleep on along with the best possible support your body could require for a restful night’s sleep.

To visit the Bishops Beds homepage and view our offers on memory foam products please click the following links: Memory Foam Mattresses or Memory Foam Pillows

Memory Foam Tranquility Mattress

 

No, we’re not talking the latest designs in lingerie, we’re talking beds: the simple, somewhat vital, hearts to every bedroom. Style in the bedroom begins at the heart and there’s a lot to consider when designing your bedroom.

Experts think that the modern lifestyle brings too many of the gizmos and gadgets of daily life into the bedroom, creating a more stressed and less therapeutic environment in which to catch those ever so important hours of shut-eye. Realising the optimum ambience for sweet dreams should undoubtedly start with selecting the right bed and thanks to modern innovation in interior design there’s a bed frame to suit every couple, teenager and young bachelor in the country.

So where do you start? There’s a lot on the market at the moment, but here are a few of the basics to get you going:

Faux leather bed frames – an increasingly popular design which gives a touch of class at an affordable price for those who want to bring sophistication to their bedtime feng-shui.

Wooden bed frames – traditionalists will love the variety of styles available in wood, from the ultra-classical to more modern designs.

Metal bed frames – these add a contemporary touch to the bedroom, but needn’t ruin its tranquil ambience. There is a design for every taste and a shape, to fit every wall and corner.

For those looking for a cheap bed frames that are still good quality, there is plenty on offer. Take your time to research the options and you’ll soon be reaping the rewards in deep slumber!

Braemar Metal Bed Frame

How do you know if you’re sleeping on the right mattress? In actual fact the signs are very obvious but you may well have put up with them so long that they have become a part of life. Given that insufficient sleep causes a severe lapse in day-time performance levels, the fast paced rhythm of the modern working environment means that we simply cannot afford to put up with inadequacy when it comes to bedding. Back and neck pain, interrupted sleep and grogginess could all be signs that it’s time to stop being such a good soldier and go in search of a mattress that fits.

So what’s out there?

Sprung Mattresses – sprung mattresses use springs to maintain the shape of the mattress whilst giving firm support to the body. This is a widely available option which is both durable and affordable.

Pocket Sprung Mattresses – a step up from the traditional sprung mattress, pocket sprung mattresses have the springs separated into individual pockets. This allows the springs to adapt to individual body shapes and is therefore a good option if you share a bed. The mattress will adjust around the two different body shapes and weights, ensuring a good night’s sleep for both of you.

Memory Foam Mattresses – reviews suggest that these are simply the most comfortable mattresses out there. The high-tech fibres in the mattress mould to fit your exact body shape, leaving you with nothing to do but lie back and enjoy blissful slumber.

Orthopaedic mattresses – orthopaedic mattresses come in a variety of designs and offer firm support for those who suffer from back and neck problems.

Latex mattresses – a slightly more expensive mattress, the latex mattress gives excellent support. Its popularity is on the rise and it is a particularly good option for sufferers of dust mite allergies, as the dust mites dislike the latex filling.

Cheap mattresses still come in a wide range of designs and sizes in good quality. When looking for a mattress remember to fit it to your bed, or, if you are investing in a bed frame as well, consider buying the mattress first and fitting the frame to it.

Ortho-Damsak Mattress

Everyone’s heard it: we spend a third of our lives in bed. Few of us, however, do the maths to realise that this means we are likely to spend an enormous two to three years in a newly purchased bed. Given the undeniable comfort and style factors involved with buying a bed, it’s surprising then that we seem to spend far more time dithering over the latest mobile phone model. There’s a lot to take into consideration, from bed frame design to optimising the quality of your sleep with the perfect mattress.

When looking for a new bed it’s important to know what’s out there. It is possible to find a bed to suit, whatever the design of your room. It might be worth considering something a little different, such as a faux leather bed frame, a classy design which has taken off in the last few years. You may perhaps be thinking of upgrading your bedtime comfort to an electric bed.

Children do the majority of their growing during sleep, so it’s important not to settle for second best when choosing your little ones’ beds to ensure they get the hours they need to grow up healthily. Buying a bed, however, needn’t be boring, even for the kids. There’s a wide range of kids’ beds designed especially for both boys and girls, with everything your children could think up, from the classic bunk bed to novelty racing car frames. Thanks to refreshing modern design, children being dragged off to bed will soon become a thing of the past!

 

Leo Sleeper

It is also worth considering investing in a little comfort for the guests. We all know what it feels like to have kipped on relatives’ thirty-year-old mattresses, which leave sharp pain in the neck and back throughout your stay. With a little care, it is easy to ensure that your guests have a good night’s sleep and come again. For those with little room to spare but who still want to provide guests with more than a couch, divan beds are a comfortable and affordable option.

On top of the bed itself, bedroom accessories can really make a difference in creating that all important sleeping environment. Keep clutter to a minimum with storage drawers which neatly tuck away beneath the bed. Add greater comfort for both you and your guest with an array of large pillows, which can also be used to turn the bed into a pleasant seating area by day. If you can’t afford to buy a new bed but want to revamp your bedroom style, then consider changing the headboard – there is now a wide variety of designs on offer.

 

Jessica Metal Headboard