Top Quality Sofa Beds - Sofa Bed Mattresses

As you may have guessed by its name, a sofa bed is a piece of furniture that can be used as both a sofa and a bed. By day, it is used as a couch but when you need to use it to sleep on, all that needs to be done is to pull out the bed from under the sofa.

Just the thought of sleeping on a sofa bed used to strike fear into the hearts of sleepy people everywhere. For instance, spending the night at grandma's used to be a real pain - a pain in the back! However, advancements in modern technology have helped manufacturers create a sleeper sofa that feels nothing like its ancient counterparts. Instead, a combination of a good mattress and support system without the bar has taken the pain out of sleeping on the couch.

Original sleeper sofas were often as hard on the butt as they were on the back. The frame that needed to support the sleep system did not make a good foundation for sitting. Nowadays, some frames feature wooden slats instead of the metal bar system that was used for decades. In addition, the newer foam and softer upholstery materials have made some models feel as comfortable as regular sofas.

Another problem with older model sleeper sofas was the embarrassingly thin mattress. Sleeping on one felt like sleeping on a thick blanket or quilt laid over a cold metal bar. In reality, that is exactly what it was, since there was next to nothing between you and that horrible bar which ran the entire width of the bed. Fortunately, as manufacturers improved the quality of their conventional mattresses, their innovations carried over into the sleeper sofas.

These days, you can get a sleeper sofa mattress that is considerably thicker than the older four inch model that used to come as standard. In addition, while the older models were usually made from foam only, today you can get a real inner spring sleep system. These thicker mattresses do tend to be quite heavy though which makes moving the couch quite a challenge.

Another option for your sofa bed is the tempurpedic foam mattress. Also known as the memory foam mattress, it is made with a tempur material that is sensitive to both weight and heat. This allows it to respond and give support in just the right places for a more restful night's sleep. A memory foam mattress is also lighter and easier to move than it's innerspring counterpart.

For the ultimate in comfortable sleep on a sofa bed, try out the Sleep Number Sleeper Sofa by Select Comfort. It has a deflated air mattress inside and when folded out, inflates at the touch of a button. It is adjustable to meet your desired level of comfort. Since the mattresses do not stay inflated all of the time, the sofa can be lighter and easier to move, however, the sofa does need to be placed next to an electrical outlet to operate the pump.

Another major advance made in the sleeper sofa is appearance. At one time, you could spot a sleeper at one glance but these days they are not so easy to detect. Modern styles are available in a wide range of shapes, fabrics and materials. They are even available in leather, which is very popular. With all these choices, you can surely find one to fit in with your decor.

Fortunately, for all, the modern sofa bed has come a long way since it is early days. Combined with its updated mattress and support system, it can now offer all the comfort of a traditional bed, with the elegant looks that hosts demand.