Sleep is essential for humans. It not only gives us peace and helps us relax. Various medical studies show that lack of sleep has an impact on the human immune system. In animal experiments, scientists were able to demonstrate a decrease in the production of white blood cells. At the same time, medicine hasin a study in the early 2000srecognized that too little sleep can have a negative impact on wound healing.
There are many causes for poor sleep. Illnesses or other systemic causes, such as hormonal imbalances, can be responsible for the sleep deficit. On the other hand, external factors also influence people when they sleep. Sudden noise caused by loud music from the neighbors could literally wake those affected from their sleep. But stress can also make sleep less restful.
Of choosing the wrong onemattressOr a duvet, on the other hand, is usually the last thing you think of. Restful sleep only occurs when all the conditions are right. The problem: You usually only notice late whether a mattress, pillow or blanket serves its purpose 100 percent. If you feel sleepy and tired in the morning or are constantly stuck in a “mini-jet lag” in the office, you might want to put your bed – and the blankets – to the test.
Blankets for the bedroom – What types of blankets are there?
Each bed includes:
– Slatted frame
– mattress
– pillows and
– Bed cover.
Four points that play a significant role in how well you spend the night - and how restful your sleep ultimately is. The mattress and the slatted frame in particular are elements that consumers are now paying more attention to. Finally, in recent years there has been increasing recognition that both influence healthy sleep.
Nevertheless, current studies still show significant deficits when it comes to relaxed sleep. According to one inFederal Health Gazette 2013According to a published study, more than a fifth of the study participants are not satisfied with their own sleep. One cause could be picking up the wrong blanket. What kind of duvets are there?
Blankets for the bedroom can be distinguished based on various criteria, namely:
– die Steppung
– the filling material
– seasonal use
– the allergenic potential, etc.
In particular, the influencing factors quilting and filling material can significantly influence the comfort of the duvet. Example: A blanket without quilting, as was standard in grandmother's time, allows the filling to slip. Movements during sleep cause the filling to shift, which can lead to cold feet. On the other hand, down duvets or cassette duvets are now quilted so compactly that the filling cannot slip. The height of the bridge can influence the thermal properties of the duvet. The lower the bar in a coffered ceiling, the thinner the whole thing. In the
With regard to the filling, natural fibers such as:
- Cotton
– down or
– Wool (e.g. sheep’s wool or alpaca)
Filling materials made of synthetic fibers are also used. No matter which material you ultimately choose, it should be warm and not too heavy on the skin, but at the same time it must be able to absorb and transport away moisture. The combination of quilting and filling influences the seasonal use of a blanket. In addition, a winter blanket can also be created in other ways. With a so-called duo blanket for the cold season, two duvets are placed on top of each other and connected to the sides with snap fasteners.
Blankets for the bedroom – which material is suitable for whom?
As already mentioned, very different materials are used as fillings in modern duvets. Down, i.e. the underfeathers with a short keel, is one of the classic fillings. However, due to the fact that some of the down is obtained through live plucking, down has partly fallen into disrepute. By the way, particularly high-quality down comes from the eider duck. Their down is collected from the nests that the ducks have lined with the down for breeding.
Wool fibers that come from sheep (e.g. Merino) are also used. In addition, consumers can also choose cashmere or camel hair as filling material. And of course cotton has also found its way into our duvets. In parallel to the natural fibers mentioned, the industry has developed synthetic fibers that can also be used as fillings. Which material is best to choose? Two important criteria count here: the thermal properties and the moisture absorption capacity.
– Good thermal properties have, for example:
– Wool fibers
– Cashmere and camel or
– Down.
Cotton or silk, on the other hand, are less suitable as heat insulators. On the other hand, these two materials - along with down, cashmere and camel down - score points when it comes to moisture. When it comes to synthetic fibers, the respective fiber variant determines the properties.
Important: Natural fibers in particular can be demanding when it comes to cleaning and can only tolerate machine washing to a limited extent. This aspect is particularly important for allergy sufferers to take into account.
Different duvets for summer and winter?
In quite a few households the same duvet is used in summer and winter. It is clear that this creates problems. Anyone who spends the winter with a summer blanket will freeze. And in midsummer, the winter blanket simply leads to excessive sweating, which in turn disrupts sleep. The duvet should therefore be adapted to the seasonal conditions.
This can be done either by completely changing the ceiling. Summer and winter blankets differ in:
– quilting and
– Filling material
from each other. On the other hand, retailers today offer combination products – in the form of duo blankets. The motto here is: Make 2 out of 1. In summer, a blanket attached with buttons can simply be removed, which avoids heat build-up and heavy sweating.
Healthy sleep with the right blanket
With the right mattress you simply sleep better. However, it doesn't just depend on what surface you bed on. Although crucial, in many cases the duvet is considered rather secondary. Thanks to the material that is optimally tailored to the sleeper and the right thickness, it contributes significantly to a pleasant night's sleep. The next time you buy a bed, you shouldn't just spend hours looking for the perfect slatted frame and mattress. The duvet also simply deserves more attention - so that sweet dreams await in the future!
