Shell out for a quality bed or spend the evening counting sheep

When I moved, I realized I had quite a collection of twin beds; two from the guest room, leftovers from what had been rooms the children had occupied and the twin beds that had resided in the master bedroom. In my new apartment, my sole twin looked rather lost and forlorn all by itself, and so I embarked upon a search for a new bed; deciding on a queen-size as so many sheets and accessories now are available in only king and queen.
Upon visiting several "sleep centers," my first surprise was sticker shock. A top-quality mattress cost as much as my first car. Then there was an overwhelming selection of "memory foam," regular innerspring, innerspring and box frames, and innerspring plus foam, etc.

Even a consumer guide wasn't much help since they admitted mattress comparison shopping is almost impossible as the same manufacturer makes the same mattress under different names for different stores who then charged differing prices for the same product.

I finally resorted to the old standby: laying fully prone for 5-10 minutes on each mattress. While the foam ones seemed light and easy to handle, I could not become accustomed to the way the foam seemed to follow me around on the bed. With just a little encouragement from the saleswoman, who knew an uncertain prospect when she saw one, I settled on one of the most expensive, top-of-the-line mattresses that came with an electric device which can raise or lower the head or the foot of the bed. Wonderful for my bad ankle and for reading in bed, I reasoned.

Before the bed was delivered, I realized I also would need sheets, a comforter, queen-size pillow cases, a dust ruffle, a duvet, a mattress cover, etc. And since I am one of a dying breed who like extra-fine quality sheets which I iron (yes, I know it is insane) again, sticker shock.

Once the bed arrived, I also realized I had given no thought as to a headboard and since this bed goes up and down, only headboards that are attached to the wall can be used. To date, I am still headboard-less. So far, I am finding I really like the mattress and the extra room a queen affords me. I sleep like a baby once I am in bed. Aye, there's the rub ... somehow the bed is much higher than it seemed in the store, and I almost need to take a running jump to scale its height. A friend suggested I use a small step stool by the side of the bed which inspired me to do some research on the history of beds.

Bet you didn't know that the Egyptians had high bedsteads, which they ascended by steps and they also hung curtains all around their beds, which were highly decorated with gold and mother of pearl. Of course, way back in time, people used piles of straw or animal skins to sleep on.

A major change occurred when they raised these off the ground to avoid drafts, dirt and pests. The first beds were found in Scotland and were made of stone, topped with fillers and dated about 3200 B.C. The ancient Romans had many kinds of beds; a chamber bed for normal sleeping, a highly decorated marriage bed, a table bed on which they ate while lying on their left side, a study bed and finally, a funeral bed on which they were carried to their pyre. The 14th century brought about the feather bed and the 17th century was the century of magnificent beds with Louis XIV owning 413 (maybe one for each mistress?) And if you have stayed with me this far, you might wish to stun your friends with the fact that one of the biggest beds in the world is the Great Bed of Ware made in 1580, and it is 10.7 feet wide and 11.1 feet long and resides in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St. Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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