The Sleep Council today comes to the rescue of bed shoppers too shy to try before they buy.

Although some four million new beds are sold in the UK each year, latest Sleep Council research shows some four out of five buyers feel genuinely embarrassed when it comes to testing out new beds in shops.

“Considering we live in an age when people walk the streets baring their midriff, flaunt multiple piercings and bare their bulges in the gym, it’s incredible that anyone thinks twice about trying out a new bed,” says Jessica Alexander, consultant to The Sleep Council.

So here are five good reasons why you shouldn’t feel shy when trying out new beds in shops:

• You’re meant to! That’s why there’s a plastic strip across the bottom of every new bed in the store – it’s there to protect the mattress from dusty shoes. The manufacturers expect you to lie down…the salesmen expect you to lie down...so, go on, lie down!
• It’s important. You spend a third of your life in bed and what you lie on will make a huge difference to the quality of your sleep. Would you dream of buying a car without test driving it first? Well don’t buy a bed without doing the same.
• Ask yourself, if you see someone in a bed shop trying out a bed, does it strike you as any more unusual than seeing someone in a fashion shop trying on a suit? Of course not. So as you lie on the bed in a bed shop, remind yourself that you look a lot less ridiculous than someone straining to see themselves from every conceivable angle in front of a mirror in a clothes shop.
• How much more stupid are you going to feel if you invest in a super new bed, only to get it home and find it’s too hard, too soft, or simply not right for you?
• Don’t think of it as indulging yourself and being idle in front of others: this is about scientific testing! And just to make sure you do it scientifically, try this test to check if the bed you are lying on is too soft, too hard or just right. Lying on your back, place your hand in the small of you back and then try to move it about. If it moves too easily, the bed is too hard for you; if it’s a struggle to move it, then the bed is too soft. If you can move your hand with just a little resistance, then the bed is just right for you.

Still not convinced? Then which part of you really need to try out a new bed before you buy it don’t you understand?!

Finally convinced? Then here’s some tips to bear in mind when you make your trip to the bed shop:

• If you share a bed, always take your partner along with you. Their impact on the mattress will effect how it feels to you – and it’s important a new bed suits you both. (If you have completely different needs, it’s possible to buy mattresses with different zones of firmness. Or you can buy zip and link mattresses so you each get exactly what you need on your side of the bed).
• Don’t go bed shopping when you’re feeling tired. Everything will feel wonderfully comfortable!
• Dress for the job in hand! Wear loose comfortable clothing – how can you know if a bed feels comfortable if you are wearing tight, constrictive clothing? Remove shoes and coats before getting on the bed.
• Spend as long as possible lying on each bed, not only on your back, but all the positions you favour when in bed. Two minutes lying on your back on a bed isn’t going to give you a true picture. Aim to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes on each bed that you try.
• Take a magazine with you. Having something to lie and read will help while away the time, take your attention away from feeling self conscious. And in the case of the truly paranoid, give you something to hide behind!

For further advice on buying a new bed, visit The Sleep Council’s web site at www.sleepcouncil.com where you can download or request a copy of the Bed Buyers Guide which will tell you much more about how to choose the best bed. You can also work out your own individual bed profile using the interactive My Bed Profile feature. The Bed Buyers Guide can also be requested by phone on 0800 018 7923.