What do those who are unwell, people who have a chronic illness and those recovering from trauma have in common with babies?
Sleep - lots of good sleep.
Sleep is so SO important for everyone, let alone those who have a lot of cell growth/repair to do. Yet when we need deep, refreshing sleep the most, many of us suffer either from insomnia or wake up exhausted in the morning. And of course this does the opposite of supporting the immune system so that the body can heal.
Recent studies show the resting heart rate of people who sleep on most pillows and under synthetic or treated sheets with a synthetic - or even pure down - duvet or comforter is significantly higher, resulting in waking up feeling tired out.
Most pillows and bedding regulate heat badly and hurt our necks and make our bodies ache, particularly if we have arthritis or fibromyalgia. However, there is a new - and ancient - bedding available now that will not only ensure you a have a deep restful sleep for the first time in ages, it will also protect you from sleeping with pounds of dust mite faeces too. Yuk!
So what can we do to make sure we get the high quality, restful sleep we need? The human immune system is nothing short of a miracle when it comes to recovering from any kind of trauma… Providing that we support it well so that it can do its job.
You can have the best health habits in the world but if you aren't sleeping well you simply won't ever be truly healthy or feel good. Sleep restores your brain and body. It recharges your batteries, helps you sort out and solve problems, replaces vital chemicals, and gives you the energy you need to meet the new day.
When you sleep, you're giving yourself a restorative "mini-spa retreat" every night. Although not if you're in the same bed as 60% of North Americans! Millions of us don't get enough sleep. A recent National Sleep Foundation study reported that more adults than ever are experiencing occasional problems sleeping.
So, when you know that sleep is that important, why is it so tough to get what you need? There are a variety of factors that can hamper your ability to get a great night's sleep – everything from the foods you eat to the duvet on your bed. The good news is that when you take control of your sleeping environment and habits, you can help yourself drift quickly and easily into dreamland.
So, how can you set yourself up for a better night's sleep?
If you are having sleep problems, whether you are not able to fall asleep, wake up too often, don't feel well-rested when you wake up in the morning, or simply want to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep, there are many things you can do, including:
• Go to bed around the same time each night, ideally around 10 PM.
• Avoid snacking just before bedtime, particularly grains and sugars.
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F (ideally between 60-68 degrees F.
• Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the amino acid L-tryptophan, a precursor to melatonin and serotonin.
• Avoid caffeine as much as possible, especially in the PM.
• Make sure you exercise regularly, but not near bedtime.
However, as we suggested above, there's another simple thing you can do that will set you up for sweet sleep: change your bedding. The types of sheets, pillows and duvet on your bed can make a significant difference in how well you sleep.
But, not just any new bedding will do!
That's because the secrets to great sleep lie between your sheets - and it's not you!
The Truth about Your Comforters and Pillows
It makes sense that your bedding would have a big impact on how you sleep, right? Obviously what you choose to lay your head upon or cover your body with makes a real difference in how well you'll snooze. But emerging sleep research is revealing that it's not just thread count or how squishy that comforter or pillow is that makes the real difference in your sleep quality.
Recent scientific studies indicate that your choice of bedding can actually help you sleep longer and more comfortably.
For example, certain types of bedding have actually been shown to increase the length of your REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, sleep. And as you may know, REM sleep is the most beneficial phase of your sleep cycle. This is where your body is most relaxed, where dreaming happens, and the main restorative benefits of sleep take place. This means you can now select bedding that is scientifically proven to help you sleep better.
Hot or Cold? The correct bedroom temperature makes a big difference too...
The ideal room temperature for the most effective sleep is generally agreed to be between 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit. Get much colder or hotter and your sleep will be impaired. As for your body, it's constantly regulating your temperature to keep you comfortable. When your body has to work hard to keep you warm or cool (through perspiration) while you sleep, you gain less restorative benefits of sleep. When the room temperature is ideal, your body has to do very little to keep you at the optimal sleeping temperature.
However, if the room temperature is above 70 degrees, for example, your body needs to work hard to cool you down (through perspiration). Even though you might not be awake, this "cooling down" takes effort. And, that effort steals away some of the energy you need to get the most from your sleep cycle. So, as you can imagine, your room temperature and the bedding you choose will have a dramatic effect on your body's temperature and thus the quality and quantity of the sleep of you get every night.
This is why keeping your room temperature at between 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit AND reducing the amount of "thermal stress" on your body by selecting the appropriate bedding is so important if you want to get a great night's sleep.
But, before you rush out to buy new comforters and pillows, it's important for you to know that… All bedding is NOT created equal - synthetics and some natural substances pose a problem.
Although bedding made and filled with synthetic materials such as polyester are some of the most readily available and inexpensive, I do not recommend them. Most synthetics fail to help your body in temperature regulation. For example, studies show polyester simply gets too hot to keep you within the comfortable range for peaceful sleep.
And synthetics can also pose a real health risk to you and your family.
Many popular manmade fabrics used in making sheets, comforter covers and pillow cases either were made of and/or contain harsh or dangerous chemicals. For example:
• Many sheets labeled "wrinkle free" or "no iron" contain per-fluorinated chemicals, or PFCs.
• Chemicals added to bedding to make them softer, prevent shrinkage, and make them fire retardant can emit formaldehyde gas.
• The polyester stuffing found in many pillows and comforters is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is essentially plastic … and therefore presents its own slew of potential health issues, especially as it deteriorates over time.
• Many fabrics include other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and dioxin-producing bleach.
As you can see, using synthetics for your bedding comes with real risks. But, before you go searching for so-called "all-natural" bedding, like that made with goose or duck down, there's something else important you need to know…
Get the lowdown on down before you buy...
For decades, down bedding has traditionally been thought to provide superior comfort and health benefits. And, whereas, there are real benefits to using down over certain synthetics, there are real shortcomings, too.
When you get the real lowdown on down, you'll begin to see it's not always what it seems. For example:
• Because down doesn't insulate or breathe, it cannot regulate your body temperature … as a result, many people sweat under a down comforter.
• In a controlled study, subjects sleeping in a 64 degree Fahrenheit room reported that down tested outside of the comfortable range for optimal sleep. And, as you learned above, this "thermal stress" causes you to expend energy rather than restore it.
• Down creates "microclimates" – so where you may be perfectly warm under one section of a down comforter, you may be roasting in another.
• Again, these microclimates cause your body to work hard to keep your body comfortable. Waking up with your head on a sweaty pillow or experiencing that clammy feeling under the comforter is never enjoyable.
• Plus, down is extremely flammable. The only way to reduce this flammability is through potentially harmful chemical saturation of the feathers. As with synthetics, these chemicals can present real problems.
• And, of course, in addition to the fire-retardant chemicals, many other chemicals are regularly used in the processing and cleaning of feathers … each with their own possible health risks, especially for people with asthma or any air sensitivities and allergies.
And if that news isn't bad enough…
Down makes a great home for millions of dirty guests: Dust mites - and these are NOT your friends
Did you know that the beds in nearly one in four homes contain extremely high levels of dust mite allergen? Add to that the fact that a shocking 20 million North Americans, or 10 percent of the population, are seriously affected by dust mite allergies every year, and it's easy to see we're facing a real dust mite epidemic.
Dust mites feed on the dead skin cells that your body naturally sloughs off every day. That's why your bed is one of the places dust mites thrive. Dust mite faeces and decaying bodies are responsible for our allergic reactions. Allergic reactions can range from very mild to severe. If you have existing air sensitivities, your reaction could be even more intense. When considering bedding choices, it's important to note that dust mites thrive in warm, humid conditions. Regretfully, because down dries very slowly and doesn't wick away moisture like sweat, down creates the ideal humid habitat for dust mite infestation.
When you realize that a down pillow can accumulate a pound or more of dust mite feces over two years, it becomes even more important than ever to find a real bedding solution – one that helps you get great sleep AND reduces your chance of dust mite problems.
So, if synthetics AND so-called "all natural" materials can cause a whole host of problems, what do I recommend?
Wool Is Your Best Choice
When it comes to treating yourself to the best bedding possible – and thus the best sleep experience – I fully recommend wool.
• Wool provides the perfect four-season comfort no matter where you live. That's because wool helps the body regulate temperature naturally – it's insulating in the cold, and cool and breathable when it's warm.
• With wool, you're assured that you'll never be too hot or too cold.
• Wool breathes naturally. When compared to other natural fibres as well as synthetics such as polyester, you'll discover that wool offers unmatched breathability and comfort.
• Wool is hypoallergenic, so when encased in all-natural cotton coverings, people with even the most sensitive skin, including those with fibromyalgia, can enjoy the soothing benefits.
• Wool is a sustainable, ecologically-friendly resource. Unlike the impact of harvesting other natural bedding materials such as down, sheep continue to live long healthy, happy lives.
• Plus, since wool is naturally flame-resistant, you can always feel safe knowing that you and your loved ones will always be safe. Even if you hold a match to wool, it will self extinguish in moments.
• In addition, wool has an unmatched natural resilience – holding its crimp and loft longer than any other filling.
• And, since wool regulates your body's temperature, you never sweat AND since it wicks away moisture and dries extremely quickly, it naturally doesn't provide an environment for dust mites to live in.
In recent studies, wool has been proven to outperform both synthetics and down. Dramatic results demonstrate that wool bedding such as comforters and pillows:
• Breathes more naturally than any comparable synthetics, so you reduce the thermal stress on your body AND avoid creating a hospitable environment for dust mites…
• Increases the length of your REM sleep – meaning you benefit more deeply from this vitally important stage of sleep every night…
• Helps create the most optimal body temperature – the body gets to a comfortable sleeping temperature more quickly and stays there longer.
And, as if that isn't enough, recent studies have shown that the resting heart rate of people who sleep under wool versus those who use synthetics is 20 beats per minute less … creating a more restorative sleep experience from beginning to end.
But, before you rush to the store, you must know that not just any wool will do for your comforters and pillows…
Don't Be Fooled… All Wool Is NOT Created Equal. "Wool is wool, right?"
Wrong! Just as with any other fabric, natural or synthetic, there are good options and not-so-good options. Plus, there's a wide range of quality. Just as you discovered with down and other types of bedding, not all wool is created equal. Let me share what I've discovered with you?
To make sure you are getting all the benefits you need from your comforter and pillows, it's critical that you know exactly how the wool has been handled, treated, and processed. For starters, you'll want to find an all-natural 100% virgin wool that has not been treated with any harmful chemicals or additives.
Many wool producers use a process called carbonization to clean their wool. This process uses sulfuric acid to remove naturally-occurring vegetable matter that gets knotted up in a sheep's wool. As you can imagine, sulfuric acid can present real problems for people with skin or air sensitivities. You want to find wool that has undergone an all-natural cleaning process.
Optimally, that cleaning process would only use biodegradable soaps. Not only does choosing wool that's been naturally cleaned avoid the possible ill effects of carbonization, but it makes sure you get wool that has its natural lanolin intact. Lanolin is a natural oil found in wool that gives it its soft and supple character. Harsh treatments like carbonization and sulfuric acid strips away the wool's natural lanolin content leaving it rough and coarse.
Where can you find all-natural, handpicked 100% virgin wool that has not been treated with chemicals or additives? I've almost finished checking out the process this company uses and as soon as I can I will bring you the details as to where you can buy their products.
These pillows, duvets, infant crib bedding, toppers and pet beds are the very best quality and lovingly brought to you from Canada and New Zealand. Above all, they represent the very best value available anywhere. In the meantime:
⁃ Find the best grade of wool for your pillows and comforters. With three main grades of wool – fine, coarse, and medium – it's important you make sure you choose a medium grade for your bedding.
⁃ Fine is great for clothing and coarse is ideal for items such as rugs. But, medium grade is perfect for warmth, loft, durability and comfort.
⁃ Use all-natural cotton coverings to guarantee superior quality through and through.
⁃ Ensure that the carding process, the other manufacturing processes are human-body-friendly
⁃ Is never treated with harmful chemical processes like carbonization and sulfuric acid.
Your Body Will Thank You
When it comes to comfort, health and the highest quality sleep, it's vitally important you take the time to create a welcoming and relaxing sleep environment. To assure yourself of the best and most restorative sleep possible, do yourself a favour and choose wool. With the potential dangers of synthetics and the shortcoming of other natural materials like down, there simply is no better all-natural solution than wool.
When you experience the unmatched benefits of sleeping under a 100% handpicked virgin wool duvet and rest your head on a soft and supple wool pillow encased in all-natural cotton or bamboo, you'll finally know what a good night's sleep really feels like. From your very first night, you'll sleep soundly with the peace of mind, all season/every-day-of-the-year comfort and sensuous enjoyment that comes, simply, from wool.
Treat Yourself to Your Best Sleep Ever – Today
I cannot stress enough how important quality and quantity of sleep is to your health. Unless your sleep is perfect each and every night, now is the time to take this simple step toward your best sleep ever and the tremendous benefits it offers you. A good sleep every night will work wonders for you.
The investment is minuscule compared to the costs and hazards of fatigue from sleepless nights.
One last thought? The people who bring you this luxurious but very affordable bedding also make wool pet beds for your devoted 4-legged friends! Animals seem to have an instinct about what's good for them and they will make a beeline for these bed - mine did!