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Last spring, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that one-third of adults surveyed would buy a new mattress if they thought it would improve their sex life.
"A good mattress can not only make sex more enjoyable and comfortable, but it also helps you get a better night's sleep," says sex therapist and "Book of Love" author Dr. Laura Berman. "This translates into energy, rest and, hence, an improved sex drive."
Photo: GettyWith all the types of beds and mattresses on the market, it can be hard to narrow down which one will hit the spot. But after a little research, we've figured out the best beds for sex.
Foam May Kill the Mood
The biggest complaint about memory foam is that it gets hot, and it responds to heat by softening. This creates almost a dough-like feeling, which easily kills the mood.
The advantage of a foam mattress for sleeping could be a major disadvantage for getting frisky: There's virtually no bounce. You've all seen the commercial where a person rolls around on a foam mattress while a glass of wine is sits on the bed next to them not moving at all. That's the point. Foam molds around your body and absorbs your movements. Therefore it's tough to maneuver quickly on it and it will sink when pressure is put on it.
For Better Bounce, Try...
A standard (and less expensive) coil mattress will bounce back during the sexy fun, helping to create a rhythm and allowing for more acrobatic movements. There is a disadvantage to coils: Some of your energy will be absorbed in the bounce and you'll have to exert more energy to keep up with the passion (maybe an argument for older folks to favor memory foam). Also as a coil mattress ages, it runs the risk of becoming squeaky, a problem you won't have with foam.
Photo: GettyFor Better Leverage, Reconsider...
Foam. Since foam mattresses mold to your body, they also mold to your partner's, keeping he or she in place. Your partner won't have to brace himself to keep from slipping or moving. This allows you to get into some creative positions without worrying that a limb will go numb.
Beware the Tired Bedframe
Of course the mattress is only one part of the equation for a sexy bed. A good bedframe is equally important in setting the mood. A friend of mine inherited an antique sleigh bed from his grandmother. He thought it would impress the ladies, but it tends to squeak. "Very unsexy," he says. Also, when a bed is mentioned in the same sentence as "grandmother," it loses some romance. But you already knew that.
New beds sometimes can be no better. A disgruntled shopper at a popular furnishings store wrote a long diatribe on Apartment Therapy when he discovered the wooden support slats under his platform bed had broken after a particularly wild night.
Cecile and Gigi, founders of the popular sex and dating blog It's Not Okay to Look, have taken note of various guys' beds over the years, and they have a few ideas about which kinds of beds are best for getting busy. Cecile is a girl who likes comfort. Her lush bed has one of the softest mattresses on the market; it's topped with no less than 12 pillows. But regardless of her bed's comfort -- which in fact, she says is a bit too soft for sex -- Cecile has another problem: Wheels. Her bedframe has, on occasion, cruised around the room during sex.
"Lock them," she advises. "My own bed moves so much, there was one night that I definitely hit all four walls -- it was a good night."
Tips for a Sexier Bed
Cecile's boyfriend sleeps on a futon. When she first met him, it was on the floor. But in the year they've been together, she's been adamant about the need for a frame. It doesn't have to be fancy, she says, but some elevation is necessary and can add to the fun. An elevated bed introduces a whole new set of creative coital positions, including standing ones.
Cecile says that placement is important as well. She doesn't like that her boyfriend's futon is floating in the middle of a room. "Make sure that the bed is against at least one wall," she says. "Sometimes a lady needs to lean against something."
Cecile's co-founder Gigi has her own rules: Twin mattresses are no-no's, and a guy better have more than one pillow. She says that a sturdy, firm mattress and bedframe are essential. "I don't want to hear your headboard slamming against the wall repeatedly and I guarantee your roommates/neighbors/landlord don't want to hear it either," she says.
While the ideal surface and setting are all well and good, sex therapist Brenda Lewis cautions against becoming dependent on external factors to create great intimacy. A couple who already has a great relationship is likely to enjoy themselves no matter the setting. "Sex is not confined to a perfect mattress or lighting," she says, but "creating a setting for intimacy can add to the experience, absolutely."
So light some candles, break out the scented oil, but don't count on your bed alone to improve your sex life.
Tips for a Sexier Bed
Cecile's boyfriend sleeps on a futon. When she first met him, it was on the floor. But in the year they've been together, she's been adamant about the need for a frame. It doesn't have to be fancy, she says, but some elevation is necessary and can add to the fun. An elevated bed introduces a whole new set of creative coital positions, including standing ones.
Cecile says that placement is important as well. She doesn't like that her boyfriend's futon is floating in the middle of a room. "Make sure that the bed is against at least one wall," she says. "Sometimes a lady needs to lean against something."
Cecile's co-founder Gigi has her own rules: Twin mattresses are no-no's, and a guy better have more than one pillow. She says that a sturdy, firm mattress and bedframe are essential. "I don't want to hear your headboard slamming against the wall repeatedly and I guarantee your roommates/neighbors/landlord don't want to hear it either," she says.
While the ideal surface and setting are all well and good, sex therapist Brenda Lewis cautions against becoming dependent on external factors to create great intimacy. A couple who already has a great relationship is likely to enjoy themselves no matter the setting. "Sex is not confined to a perfect mattress or lighting," she says, but "creating a setting for intimacy can add to the experience, absolutely."
So light some candles, break out the scented oil, but don't count on your bed alone to improve your sex life.
