Do you struggle to get to sleep in the summer? The heat and the long summer days can easily give you trouble sleeping, especially if you’re not one to blast the air conditioner until you freeze. The arrival of summer means sleep problems for many people. Heat and sweat are always one of the biggest factors preventing you from getting a good night’s rest. On the one hand, you want to stay cool. On the other, you’re just not one of those people who can toss off the covers and sleep soundly. That may not even be the best thing for you, given how duvets and sheets can help wick moisture off your body.
With the right duvet, you don’t have to give up the covers even in the peak of summer. Duvets differ in terms of weight, fill power, and filling type. Fill power is basically a measurement of quality and durability, measuring fill in grams per square meter (gsm). For its part, a heavier duvet is not necessarily a warmer duvet. Warmth often has more to do with fill power and the type of filling that’s been used. However, a heavier duvet can be uncomfortable for people who like to sleep with less on top of them. It can feel restraining even if it’s not uncomfortably hot.
The filling will have the biggest impact on warmth. First, you have to choose between natural and synthetic fillings. Natural fillings are the better pick for summer weather, as they’re more breathable. Natural fillings include wool, silk, feathers, and down. Down filling is the lightest, but it’s also the most effective at trapping heat under you. Silk and wool are naturally hypoallergenic. If you want to cut down the heat during the summer, look for a mixture of down and feathers with a cotton case. Mixing down with feathers will balance weight and insulation so that it’s not too heavy and not too warm.
The next thing you need to consider is the duvet cover, a removable cover that goes over your duvet. To keep cool, you may want to ditch the cover altogether, but a duvet cover can help wick away moisture and stop those summer-time night sweets. When you’re shopping for a duvet cover look for linen as the material of choice. Linen is light-weight and it’s better at wicking away sweat. Plus, linen is breathable and environmentally friendly.
When it comes to sheets, the same rules apply. Linen and cotton are must-haves for a comfortable summer sleep. These are some of the features you should look for in summertime sheets:
- 100% Egyptian cotton – With a high thread count, Egyptian cotton bed sheets will be thin and airy. Egyptian cotton is highly breathable and ideal for those hot and humid nights.
- Bamboo sheets – Ever tried bamboo sheets? These are also super-lightweight and breathable. They’ll give you a luxurious night’s sleep and they’re completely hypoallergenic. Durable and light, they’re another great summer option.
- Linen sheets – The one downside to bamboo sheets is that they can feel a little rough. Linen sheets are soft and cool.
You don’t have to suffer through the summer months. Get ready to change your sheets and duvet and you’ll be sleeping soundly all summer long.
Author: Angela Smith
