An air bed is an inflatable mattress which is made with specially designed air chambers, filled through use of an electric pump. It is unique in allowing the user the ability to adjust the firmness or softness according to his preference within a wide range. Most people have seen in stores the cheap air beds which are mostly used for camping. But there are also much better models available which can give excellent comfort for every night use.

For good sleep, the body needs a sleeping surface that helps the muscles and joints easily relax during the night. Unfortunately the most common mattresses used are spring mattresses, in which the support is provided by metal coils which push up against the body. This leads to pressure points being created in many places, such as the back, neck, shoulders, and hips. Over time this frequently leads to a lack of proper alignment of the spine and less than ideal circulation, causing the typical sleeper much discomfort and many nights of tossing and turning. Over the life of the bed, the springs deteriorate, making the situation worse. Air beds were developed to fix this problem.

An air mattress allows us to sleep supported on air rather than by metal coils. It is made up of a durable air chamber, filled with air through a powerful air pump operated by a hand held control. The air filled chamber provides a surface that gently conforms to the contours and curves of our body, creating an even support everywhere. There are no pressure points, no restriction of circulation. The spine is able to align itself naturally.

Sleeping on a good airbed helps create comfort to relieve sore muscles, backache, and neck pain. Sleepers report that they toss and turn much less, fall asleep more easily, and as a result wake up feeling better.

An air bed has several good uses in addition to use in the bedroom. Since it can be deflated and then easily moved around and stored, it makes a good guest bed. Owners of RVs find that an RV airbed mattress is ideal in their motor homes, because it is lightweight, portable, and comfortable. It also can be built to a custom size to make sure it fits easily into the available space in the RV.

The construction of the bed can be either with a single air chamber or dual air chambers. Dual chambers are a very practical choice when there are two people in the bed, as each partner is able to adjust their own side of the bed without disturbing the other. Each side has its own independent air pump and individual control. Dual air chamber construction is usually available in both queen and king size.

To give extra comfort there is a removable pillowtop which is simple to air out or clean when necessary. The best choice of pillowtop material is virgin wool, as it naturally absorbs 30 percent of its weight in moisture, making it act as a natural air conditioner on warm nights and a natural insulator when it is cold. Most airbeds also have a comfort pad under the pillowtop which gives extra support. If desired one can add a special topper layer, such as a memory foam mattress topper.

Usually a quality air mattress is 7 or 8 inches tall and is placed on a foundation to give a bed with normal height. Foam side rails surround the air chambers, giving comfortable seating on the side of the bed. The air pumps are concealed out of sight, within the foam perimeter. Quality air beds will be UL listed to ensure electrical safety.

Find more info and great deals on air beds here. Author William Tucker has over 7 years of expertise with the air bed and other mattress products.