All about sleep
It is safe for us to assume that for as long as there has been life on Earth, people have applied considerable thought to why we sleep and dream. Ancient cultures nurtured many weird and wonderful ideas with regard to sleep. The inhabitants of classical Greece were of the opinion that Hypnos, god of sleep, watched over us as we rested and dreamed. Another view, one which prevailed up until the time of the Renaissance, pertained to the flow of life-giving juices, the idea being that this flow was turned off when the body was sleeping and turned on again upon waking. Even today we are unable to fully explain the significance of sleep and dreaming, and its physiological benefits. What we are sure of, however is that both humans and animals need sleep in order to survive.

Modern day research into sleep and the conscious mind is highly reliant on so-called polygraphic technology. This involves measuring and registering a series of bodily functions, such as eye movements, muscle activity, pulse frequency, blood pressure, etc.

When we sleep, both body movements and energy usage decrease and our body temperature drops by about 0.5 degrees Celsius. Our body's metabolism also slows down, and activity in the brain is reduced by 15-20%. Activity in the frontal lobes of the brain especially is reduced, an area that has a direct influence on our thoughts and actions when awake. This can be assumed to indicate a state of relaxation for the brain.

So-called sleep-jerks are a common phenomenon, occurring just after we fall asleep. These are quite normal, and stem from the brain relaxing its grip on muscle tension when the body subsides into a state of sleep. Should this occur abruptly and with force, however, a person can be woken up equally abruptly, and experience a sensation of falling.

When we sleep, our blood pressure and pulse rate reduce. Blood vessels dilate and the flow of blood increases, causing our skin to become warm and red. Our breathing rate also slows down.

Researchers have established a definite link between what happens in our dreams, and changes in blood circulation, breathing and eye movements.

All about dreams
Our knowledge of dreams can be explained under three main headings - pre-scientific, psychoanalytical, and contemporary dream physiology and psychology.

Dreams have long been accounted for by a wide range of myths, interpretations and speculation. In Homer's Iliad, dreams are said to have affected the outcome of the Trojan War. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, claimed that dreams indicated the way in which a sickness should be cured. The earliest-known written documents, dating back thousands of years before the birth of Christ, contain a number of dream interpretations.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, was of the opinion that interpreting a person's dreams led to an understanding of the subconscious mind and its functions. Dreams have meaning, even though that meaning may not always be clear. Freud described what he called the manifest dream sequence, in which the latent meaning of a dream can be understood by means of association when the person is asked on waking to account for details of the dream. Freud regarded dreams as the processing of what has happened during the day - a perception also held by many contemporary thinkers.

Neuro-psychological dream researchers regard dreams as being the means by which the central nervous system processes accumulated information. Researchers are now trying to more closely define the differences between:

A. Thought and experiences during the daytime, i.e. when a person is conscious and awake.

B. Activities during the night, when a person is sleeping and dreaming.

The processing of information takes place both during waking hours and sleep. If a sleeping person is aroused, he or she can almost always account for the more straightforward dream experiences. Dream experiences can be lively and highly complex, depending on how deeply the person sleeps. Most dreams, however, are exceedingly trivial. Dramatic dreams with an element of horror, or those of a more erotic nature, are rarer than might be expected. In fact, most dreams are completely forgotten. Some researchers believe that people dream in order to forget, that dreams can be an expression of the way in which information stored in our brain is sorted and cleared.

All about backs
So long as our backs don't actually hurt, we tend not to think too much about them. Having said that, about 80% of the population suffer from back trouble at some point in their lives. Are our backs made to stand the strain? Does walking upright on two legs result in too much stress on our spines?

The human spine is a fantastic construction. Although our vertical stance does give rise to a certain degree of strain, our backs are made to absorb it. Even four-legged animals suffer from back trouble in their old age, and slipped discs are as common among horses and dogs as they are among human beings. But a word of warning! Our lifestyle has a negative effect on our backs. Research has indicated that smoking and sitting still increases the risk of back pain. Even certain repetitive movements can cause damage, such as lifting awkwardly as with a twisted back.

Choose a bed that feels comfortable and is well constructed. The degree of firmness that is right for you depends on your weight. It is important that your whole back is properly supported - neither too much nor too little.

Be sure to change your sitting or working posture frequently. Sitting still for long periods of time is not good for your back. Movement, on the other hand, has a decidedly beneficial effect.

Support your back. Your entire spine should be well supported, whether you are sitting or lying down. If possible, have some kind of support for your arms when working in a sitting position.

When lifting, hold the object as close to your body as possible, in order to reduce the stress on your back. You can stabilise your back when lifting by tightening your stomach muscles. Never twist your body at the same time as you lift something! Avoid turning your body at the same time as you bend your back, as this can result in considerable strain.

Try to exercise regularly. Exercise counteracts calcium build-up in the joints, improves the supply of nutrients to your spinal discs, and is generally beneficial to your back. Reports show that 30 minutes exercise, three times a week, is enough to keep your back in good shape.

Avoid smoking. Smoking inhibits the supply of nutrients to the discs between your vertebrae. Discs are made up of a jelly-like substance, protecting your spine by acting as shock absorbers. A series of tests have shown back pain and slipped discs to be more common among smokers than non-smokers.

All about choosing the right bed
Choosing the right bed is easy. We usually say that the right bed is the one that isn't noticeable when you're lying in it. A bed should be neutral, where the only feeling is that of comfort.

Which bed is best? If you try out all of the models, with their varying degrees of firmness, you will eventually discover the bed that is right for you. Our range is there to ensure that our customers' individual wishes and requirements are met. It is also our intention to offer you the best bed within each respective price range. Our various models offer varying degrees of comfort. It's up to you to try them all, and discover which one suits you best.

Size is important. The ideal bed is the one that affords you maximum relaxation and the soundest sleep. Within this context, the size of the bed is probably more important than you imagine. It has to be big enough to enable you to stretch out and turn over easily. Our beds are available in standard UK sizes, from 90 cm to 210 cm wide, and in standard lengths of 200 cm, 210 cm and 220 cm. All other sizes can be specially ordered.

Soft, medium or firm? If you think that the bed you are trying out is too soft, or too hard, it's the wrong bed for you. What do you feel? If you sink down too far, then the bed is too soft. If you don't sink down at all, but rather seem to be lying over the bed, then it's too hard.

The right bed is the one in which you are neither suspended over, nor sinking into, the mattress. The right bed is comfortable and provides your body the support it needs to rest properly. It is the bed you will wake up refreshed in. If you are uncertain which to choose, simply follow these three easy steps: 1. Carefully try all the beds. 2. If you are the least bit unsure, try them again. If you still can't make up your mind, choose the harder mattress. 3. Don't buy the bed until you are absolutely sure it is the right one for you.