We know that sleep has essential benefits for your health, and impacts virtually everything we do throughout the day.
Scientists believe that bedding choice can have a huge impact on sleep. Clinical psychologist and sleep expert Micheal Breus, Ph.D, "The Sleep Doctor," says that "Sleep is a performance activity -- and equipment matters just as much as for something like exercise." He also states that bedding and mattress together influence about 20-25% of your sleep quality.
Therefore, the bedding we choose to sleep in can be a very important health decision.
Researching high-quality, gorgeous bedding that works best for your sleep needs is the perfect way to beautify your home and improve your sleep routine. This article will explore the most important things to pay attention to when choosing the best bedding for sleep and make product recommendations based on your needs.
How Do I know what bedding is right for me?
Sleep conducive bedding is the perfect answer to all your queries about how to sleep better at night naturally.
Sleeping Ocean Founder and Certified Sleep Science Coach Alex Savy states that thermoregulation and body alignment are the two biggest factors at play when it comes to getting a full night’s sleep.
First, evaluate your current sleep troubles. Do you run hot or cold? What climate do you live in? Do you prefer a soft or firm pillow? Answering these questions will help you choose the best bedding to address these issues and help you stay asleep.
Thermoregulation is addressed by choosing sheets and duvets in a weight and material that work best for your body. The following sections on choosing the best sheeting fiber for how you sleep and picking a comforter weight will address properly regulating your body temperature with bedding.
Body Alignment is addressed through bedding by choosing the correct pillow firmness and breathability for your body. Do you prefer a down or down alternative pillow? Do you prefer a soft, medium, or hard firmness of pillow? Choosing a firmness that works for your body will help you to keep your body in a healthy straight line. It will help you sleep well without suffering from any neck or back pain upon waking up.
The Importance of Natural Sheeting Fibers for Sleep and Beyond
As the part of your bedding that is directly touching your skin, sheeting material can have a large impact on quality and quantity of sleep. Thus, it is very important to use sheets made of high-quality, natural materials.
Some examples of healthy, natural sheeting fibers are cotton, linen, bamboo, silk, and tencel. The Fig Linens and Home Team recommends only buying sheeting that is made of 100% natural fibers. Using these materials has several benefits:
First, natural sheets made out of fibers that come from the Earth are much more breathable and moisture-wicking than their synthetic counterparts. These materials help your body to regulate its natural temperature allowing for better sleep.
Sheets made of natural fibers are also simply softer than synthetic sheets. The soft feel of these fibers against your skin can lead to deeper comfort and relaxation.
Aside from the benefits for sleep, sleeping on natural materials is also important for our health. Considering that we spend about 33% of our lives asleep, the materials touching our skin for this significant period of time should be healthy for us. "Healthy bedding" refers to sheets made of natural materials without an excess of artificial chemicals and pesticides. Sleeping on natural linens made of materials like 100% cotton, silk, and linen contributes to our quality of life, both short-term, and long-term.
Choose the Best Sheeting Material for Sleep: Considering Thermoregulation and Skin Sensitivity
Choosing a sheeting fabric is deeply personal, and ultimately comes down to preference for feel and look. However, certain materials are better for certain types of sleepers.
Best Sheets for Hot Sleepers
The sest sheets for hot sleepers are made of the most breathable materials including cotton, linen, and tencel. Our best cooling bed sheet recommendations for hot sleepers are:
- Best Cotton Sheets for Hot Sleepers: Sferra Celeste Sheeting
- Best Linen Sheets for Hot Sleepers: Pom Pom at Home White Linen Sheet Sets
- Best Tencel Sheets for Hot Sleepers: John Robshaw Kayan White Tencel Sheet Sets
We also recommend a breathable mattress topper like the Thermabalance Tencel Mattress Pad under your fitted sheet to wick and disperse moisture and regulate temperature.
Best Sheets for Sensitive Skin
If you have sensitive skin, using sheets that are hypoallergenic and non-irritating will help you to sleep best. While all-natural sheets made of materials like 100% cotton should be safe, Bamboo and Silk sheets are considered the gold standard for those with allergies and/or sensitive, acne-prone skin.
- Best Bamboo Sheets for Sleeping with Allergies: Pom Pom at Home Parker Sand Bamboo Bedding
- Best Silk Sheets for Protecting Skin During Sleep: Kumi Kookoon Classic Silk Sheets
The table below offers a guide to choosing the best sheeting material for your sleep needs. Consider what you are hoping to accomplish in terms of temperature regulation and skin protection and read the in-depth analysis to help you choose the best sheet set material for you!
How to Pick the Best Comforter Weight for Your Sleep Temperature
If the temperature in your room is too hot or too cold, it may change your body's internal temperature and interrupt sleep. Therefore, it is very important to have a down or down alternative comforter at the appropriate level of heat for your body.
When it comes to choosing between down and down alternative, down tends to be better for regulating temperature as an all natural material and are longer-lasting, while down alternative may be better for those who require a hypoallergenic alternative. Ultimately however, all high-end down and down alternative comforters from brands like Downright, Scandia Home, Sferra, and Matouk should check both of these boxes. Therefore, the choice between down and down alternative is mostly a matter of personal preference.
The standard weights of down and down comforter are as follows:
Summer Weight:
This ultra-light comforter warmth level is best for those who sleep hot or live in warmer climates. A popular down alternative option is the Sierra Summer Weight Down Alternative Comforter by Downright, with a queen comforter clocking in at 36 oz.
All Season:
An All-Season or Three-Season comforter is heavier than a summer weight comforter (The Sierra All-Season Down Alternative Queen Comforter is 70oz). Its baffle-box construction is the same as its summer weight counterpart, but the weight lends itself more to an average heat sleeper or someone who lives in a colder climate.
Winter Weight:
The heaviest of the three comforter weights, winter weight is generally made in down. This is because down is a stronger insulator than down alternative comforter weights. A winter weight comforter is best for people who run cold at night or live in very cold climates.
Choosing the Best Pillow Firmness for Your Sleep Style
Pillow firmness is ultimately a matter of personal preference. However, choosing a pillow for the best alignment is determined by what direction you like to sleep.
The Best Pillow for Side Sleepers:
Side sleepers should use a firm or extra firm pillow to properly align the neck and head. Down pillows are recommended because they do not lose their thickness as quickly, meaning they help keep a healthy alignment for longer.
The Best Pillow for Back Sleepers:
Back sleepers should also use a firm pillow to elevate the top half of the body and keep the airways open. This will help to prevent snoring and other sleep disturbances for your best night's sleep.
The Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers:
Stomach sleepers should opt for softer pillows which allow the body to keep the neck's natural alignment.
Eye Masks, Pajamas, and Lavender for Sleep
Aside from bedding, sleep products like cotton pajamas, silk eye masks, and lavender candles can help you feel relaxed and pampered, leading to a better night's sleep!
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Sophie Edwards is the head content writer at Fig Linens and Home. She is a bedding, linens, and luxury homeware expert with an interest is the intersection of interior design with fashion, travel and culture. She has a BA in creative writing and sociology from Sarah Lawrence and an MSc from the Oxford University Department of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography.