A water mattress is often seen as exotic and is a very common item in love hotels or autohotels. Like smart mattresses, water mattresses automatically adjust to the curves and contours on your body such that people who have slept on such water beds describe it as somehow floating on water. Water beds were invented to provide a support that can handle the body's contours way before the use of memory foams. Some people feel that water beds helps to conduct heat away better from the sleeping person and is useful in hot climates.

Unlike other mattress materials such as air, foam, spring, latex etc, water mattresses are available in the most number of shapes and styles, especially in countries such as Japan and South Korea. You can find them ranging from a regular single to super king size, as well as round or heart shaped. Although they can look extravagant, do not overlook their health properties which are on par or better than memory foam orthopedic mattresses. The luxury water mattresses have temperature controlled units that can enable a constant mattress temperature such that the sleeping person can enjoy a cooler sleep during summer and keep warm during winter.

Do not believe that if you are easily prone to seasickness, you cannot sleep on water mattresses. You will not be moved at all by the underlying water when you have settled into your sleeping positions. There is no body motions just like an ordinary mattress.

Water mattresses can be classified into standard and hybrid designs where you can choose between full water motion or varying degrees of wavelessness. Many water bed manufacturers rate their products according to the degree of water motion and you should try out several different ratings to find the one you like most. Different wave actions are achieved by using either baffles, cylinders, polyester batting, foam or a combination. The main difference between a standard and a hybrid water mattress is that the former consist of a single large vinyl bag, or water bladder. The hybrid one looks like a pocket spring mattress, except that these compartmentalized pockets are filled with water instead.

If you are going to buy a water mattress for home usage, note that they can generally last for 10 to 15 years without the usual mattress problems like sagging or lumpiness. However, they do face specific problems such as water leakage from the seams, especially from cheap mattresses retailers with poor quality control and water proof sealings. It may be better to buy regular shaped water mattresses despite the fun novelty of heart shaped mattresses. This is because you may find it difficult to buy a matching heart bed frame or mattress few years down the road when you need to replace either of them. It may also be more difficult to find nice bedding ensembles for the novelty mattresses. Water mattresses also require more maintenance such as conditioners for removing moulds and odors caused by water leakage.