Bed or futon?

A bed is a piece of furniture likely to be found in every house around the world. However, beds come in different shapes and “colors”. For people raised in a Western society, a bed is composed of: bed frame, mattress(es), pillow(s) and all sorts of sheets, covers and blankets. The first time I came to Japan I discovered the futon, a simpler interpretation of the concept of “bed”. While there are variations, a classic futon is basically a Japanese mattress with a big blanket and a pillow. At first I thought that sleeping on a relatively thin sleeping mat on the floor could have repercussions on my health, but after a whole year I didn’t notice any substantial differences. I am currently considering reverting to the futon lifestyle: it’s relatively cheap and it would help free up space in my bedroom.

Which one do you prefer and why?