Everyone remembers the water bed, and, believe it or not, many people still own one.  My parents slept on one themselves for a long time up until a couple of years ago, and I recently asked them what they thought of it.  The first thing out of my mom’s mouth [delivered in the high pitched, screeching voice that it takes a thoroughly irritated mother to master] was “I hated it! I wouldn’t have another one if they paid me.”  My dad responded in absolute agreement to her complaints: that it “killed” her back and that the waves and air bubbles were constantly waking her up.  She said the only reason, in fact, that they’d bought one was because they were in their early twenties and didn’t know any better.  Now, I understand that my dear ol’ Ma and Pops’ real-life review probably isn’t considered the most reliable, so let’s do a little research and find out exactly what the particular difficulties are in owning a water bed mattress.

For starters, let’s examine the anatomy of this mattress, which is unlike any traditional variety.  They are typically placed inside a large wooden frame, which often incorporates drawers or space beneath it that can be otherwise used for storage.  Inside this rectangular frame is a piece of plywood, and layered on top of that are little, foam-like pebbles designed to prevent waves and other motions which disturb a sleeper at night.  The actual mattress is composed of a flexible vinyl or polyurethane “bladder,” supported by that plywood platform and held in place by the wooded frame.  This bladder is filled with water, and then zipped inside a fabric casing.  Bladders may contain one or more chambers for the water: early styles consisted of just one chamber [often referred to as a “free wave” unit], but more modern water beds contain two or more chambers that prevent such substantial wave motion.  When the bed is filled, upkeep is necessarily required in order to prevent the formation of algae inside the chambers, usually in the form of the occasional addition of chemical conditioners.¹

Now that you’re familiar with the water bed’s components, let’s consider their specific disadvantages.  The first thing that likely springs to your mind would be the mattress’ potential to leak.  The tiniest of punctures [perhaps even while you're sleeping!] can cause catastrophic damage, and when this happens, patch work must be performed immediately.  Without quick work to stop the leak, the water could easily drain onto your floor and create a very serious problem.

Energy costs are another major drawback.  The average yearly kilowatt usage by a water bed is some 1300 kw/h², which is the same amount of energy you’d use to run a typical refrigerator.  Beyond the cost of conditioning chemicals for maintenance, you’d have to be prepared for a significant increase in your monthly power bill as well.

Other important problems to take into account are the considerable amount of floorboard strain that a water bed creates, and the tremendous inconvenience of moving a water bed from place to place, all due to its sizable weight: an average water bed can weigh in excess of 1,400 pounds.  For this reason, many apartment complexes do not allow water beds at all because of the very real risk of them collapsing through the floor.  And, unless you have super-human strength, you can forget about lifting a water bed in one piece when it comes time to move.  You’d have to fully drain the bed and then dismantle the framework entirely.

One final– and probably the most notable– disadvantage is the cost of a water bed to your health and well-being.  As I mentioned earlier, water beds will often create sleep disturbances due to passing waves and air bubbles.  Every time a wave interrupts your sleep cycle, that deep REM phase is forever lost– and, unfortunately, so are the restful aspects of your sleep. It may be difficult to fall asleep at all because the water can be too cold or too hot, and many consumers have complained that the water bed lacks a particular level of proper support for their backs at night [which may lead to chronic pain].

It’s time to talk alternatives.  Perhaps you’d first consider an innerspring mattress, but this can be a painful mistake to make, as the toll they take on your body can be just as bad– if not worse– than a water bed.  Furthermore, I couldn’t bear the thought of recommending an air bed mattress because they require almost as much maintenance as a water bed and are just as prone to leak.  My suggestion to you, therefore, is a simple visco-elastic memory foam mattress: they require zero maintenance [you don't even have to flip them], they promote better overall health because they improve blood circulation while you sleep, they can be moved from place to place far more easily, and they are a great deal more affordable.  Memory foam mattresses are frequently recommended by doctors due to their unique ability to relieve the pressure created by your weight which often leads to chronic pain, and the promotion of blood flow throughout your body will allow you to achieve a better night’s sleep.  Pressure points that build up on other types of mattresses can cause people to shift positions some 40-60 times a night³, but these will be virtually non-existent on memory foam because of its proven pressure-relieving aspects.  It also serves as a shock-absorber, so that you won’t be disturbed a bit by your partner’s movements.  All these benefits add up to a much more restful night’s sleep on a memory foam mattress.  My advice: don’t mess around with a bed that requires sea-sickness patches, and look into memory foam instead.