4 Ways Bedding Affects Your Sleep

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and the quality of our sleep can affect how we feel and behave during our waking hours.

Feeling tired and sluggish can make concentrating difficult and driving or using machinery dangerous, and not getting enough sleep has been linked to serious health issues including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

The first stop on the road to a good night’s rest is finding a mattress that provides you with comfort and support in your preferred sleeping position. T

he second step is choosing bedding that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.

Your bedding can affect how well you sleep and how refreshed and energized you feel when you wake up in the morning.

However, choosing the right sheets and covers can be difficult because everybody is different. Here are four ways your sleep can be affected by the bedding you choose.

1. Temperature Control

Temperature Control
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The mattress you sleep on and the bedding you choose can warm you up or cool you down, and that can influence how quickly you fall asleep and how peaceful your slumber will be.

An ultra-plush mattress would be a great choice if you sleep on your side as it will keep your spine, hips, and shoulders in alignment.

Remember, though, that not all plush mattresses are the same.

A memory foam mattress will feel warmer because it will trap your body heat.

Coil spring mattresses feel cooler because they allow air to circulate more freely.

Your bedding can also raise or lower your body temperature during the night.

Natural fibers, like cotton and linen, are highly breathable, so they’re perfect for people who like to feel cool when they sleep.

Microfiber sheets are affordable and comfortable, and they are preferred by people who like to stay warm because they tend to trap body heat.

Choosing the right sheets is difficult because there is no ideal sleeping temperature that works for everyone.

The perfect sleeping temperature for one person could feel unbearably warm or cool to another, and researchers have found that our preferences change as we get older.

After observing how rested adults were after sleeping in different temperatures, scientists noticed that young people sleep more peacefully in cooler environments, and older individuals get better rest when their beds are a little warmer.

2. Comfort

sleep comfort
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Extreme fatigue can make us fall asleep in the most unusual and uncomfortable positions, but we need our beds to be comfortable if we’re not ready to drop.

The plush vs. firm mattress debate has been raging for as long as mattresses have been around, and it’s not likely to be settled soon because different people like different things.

However, there is consensus when it comes to comfortable bedding.

Even people who like to sleep on mattresses as hard as concrete will balk if they get into a bed that has stiff and uncomfortable sheets.

Cotton sheets are extremely comfortable, and blankets or a plump duvet can make a bed with cotton sheets more than warm enough for those of us who tend to shiver at night.

Flannel provides the last word in comfort, which is why pajamas are often made out of the material.

Man-made materials, like microfiber, can also be soft and comfortable, and there is nothing quite like the feeling of luxury that getting into a bed with silk sheets provides.

When you pick out sheets, think about what fabrics make you feel the most comfortable.

3. Neck Support

Your preferred sleeping position will determine what kind of mattress and bedding provides you with the most support and comfort.

A firm mattress will feel more comfortable if you sleep on your back because it will support your spine, but you will probably get better rest on a plush mattress if you like to sleep on your side.

The pillows you choose can also make you more or less comfortable during the night depending on your typical sleeping position.

If you sleep on your back, choose a pillow that’s on the firmer side even if you prefer to rest your head on something soft and yielding.

Back sleepers often snore and suffer from apnea because gravity pulls their tongues back.

A firm pillow will gently lift the head to prevent this from happening.

Firm pillows are also a good choice for side sleepers because they distribute weight more evenly and keep the neck and spine properly aligned, but they should not be more than about four inches thick.

If you like to sleep on your stomach, a plush pillow will feel more comfortable.

Your head will be closer to your mattress if you sleep on your stomach, and that will keep your spine in a more natural position, preventing morning stiffness.

4. Hormone Regulation

Hormone Regulation
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Feeling stressed out can make falling asleep extremely difficult.

Pressure therapy recreates the feeling of being hugged and has been used to reduce stress for centuries.

You won’t be able to visit a therapist if the stresses of daily life are keeping you up at night, but a weighted blanket could be just as therapeutic.

Scientists have found that sleeping under a weighted blanket prepares the central nervous system for rest and slows breathing, and that can make falling asleep much easier for those dealing with high levels of stress or anxiety.

Deep pressure stimulation makes falling asleep easier because the body releases serotonin when the nervous system switches from a fight-or-flight to a rest-and-digest state.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body, and it’s often called the happy hormone because it’s associated with feelings of calmness and euphoria.

Choosing the Right Bedding for a Good Night’s Sleep

The bedding you choose can affect your rest almost as much as the mattress you sleep on.

You will enjoy more peaceful sleep if your sheets, covers, and pillows keep you comfortable, but what makes one person comfortable could make another person toss and turn.

Sheets made out of breathable natural fibers and a firm pillow will probably help you rest more comfortably if you sleep on your back and like to stay cool.

On the other hand, a plush pillow and a set of microfiber sheets would work better if you are a stomach sleeper and like your bed to be warm and toasty.