Best bets for better sleep

Try not to get drowsy reading these sleepy facts from Mary Pat Wallace, Chicago Luxury Beds, and Neil Stanley, British sleep expert.

• The right bed for you is the one that gives you support where your weight is — perhaps around your hips and waist and provides comfort for your shoulders and neck. If it's too firm, your arm gets numb, says Wallace.

• Couples really should not sleep in the same bed or even room, says Stanley. But those who do should have king beds. That's not to mention the couples who gather children and large pets in the nighttime.

• Be sure the bed you choose will fit in your house, up the stairs — and in the bedroom.

• Men are more comfortable trying out beds when they go to the store with their wives or designers, notes Wallace.

• One of Wallace's brands, the British Vi-Spring, really will let you exchange the mattress within a month if you decide you prefer a different one.

• Not only does Stanley want us to get rid of our bed partners, but he says banish televisions and computers from the bedroom. He wants your room dark, quiet and with fresh air that is the right temperature.

• A final tip from Stanley: You move 40 to 60 times each night, so when you are checking out a bed be sure to roll over. This takes a lot of effort if the bed is too soft and will feel uncomfortable on your hips and shoulders if it is too firm.

Chicago Luxury Beds is at 440 N. Wells St., Chicago. The phone number is (312) 985-0836 and the website is Chicagoluxurybeds.com.