Longer evenings, darker mornings and cooler temperatures all invite us to spend more time snuggled up in bed in winter. But when the environment we’re sleeping in is too hot or too cold, it can interfere with our natural sleep cycle, leaving us feeling grouchy and tired the next day. Read on to discover some simple tips on how to sleep in cold weather.
Go Natural With Your French Bed Linen
No, we’re not suggesting that you sleep in the nude in the depths of winter. We’re talking about natural fibres. Bed linen is in direct contact with your skin, so we want it to be soft, gentle and above all breathable. Natural fibres like organic cotton, linen, silk, and bamboo all allow the skin to breathe. Bamboo is also hypoallergenic and antibacterial. It contains a unique antimicrobial agent called bamboo-kun, which kills bacteria and other microbes, leaving your skin calm and clean. A set of luxury bed linen made from natural fibres will help to regulate body temperature as you sleep, keeping you warm and comfortable.
Feather and down are also great natural materials that can help us to sleep well in cold weather. Duvets and pillows filled with feather and down are exceptionally insulating and soft, offering you comfort as well as helping to regulate your night-time temperature. Lightweight and luxurious, these luxury duvets and pillows guarantee a perfect night's sleep. Our feather and down luxury duvets and pillows all use ethically-sourced feathers: read more in the product description of our Vispring Pyrenean Duck Down and Feather Luxury Duvet.
Quieten Your Senses Before Sleep
Why not light a soothing scented candle to ensure your mind, as well as your body, is peaceful and ready for sleep? Our Lavender & Lemon Triple Wick Candle uses essential oils to soothe and calm. Dip your fingers in the natural oils after burning the wax and rub onto your wrists to take the calming fragrance with you as you go to bed. You can also access a guided meditation session by scanning the QR code on the packaging.
Layer Your Bed with Luxury Bedspreads
Layering your bed with sumptuous blankets and bedspreads is a tried and tested solution to help us sleep in cold weather; not to mention a stylish one! We can escape the pinch of cooler temperatures and rising heating bills with a well-chosen selection of blankets.
Start with a generously sized bedspread, such as our Plushious Cotton Velvet Quilted Bedspread or Peachskin Quilted Bedspread, and then layer up with additional blankets and bedspreads. We love a good faux fur blanket for some instant warmth. Make your bed both warm and inviting by combining different textures, colours, and patterns to create a cosy haven, perfect for snuggling under on a chilly day.
Invest In a Luxury Mattress
Consider investing in a high-quality mattress made from natural materials. The quality of a mattress plays an important role in how well we sleep. A well-made luxury mattress brings myriad physical and mental benefits; consistent comfort, support, temperature regulation, moisture wicking and hours of blissful sleep, to name a few!
When we buy a luxury item of clothing or a pair of designer shoes, we can justify the price by reasoning on their ‘cost per wear.’ The majority of our mattresses have a 30-year warranty, meaning the cost per sleep can be as little as 7p a night, when spread over 30 years.
There are several manufacturers renowned for producing luxury mattresses which tick all the boxes, with sizes ranging from single size to a super king mattress and even an emperor mattress. The most acclaimed here in the UK is Vispring. Every aspect of the mattress construction has been fine tuned to offer a truly luxurious night’s sleep, from ventilation to the way the mattress holds your body. These luxury mattresses are crafted from the finest quality award-winning wool and cotton, and utilise an incredible number of springs, which guarantee optimum comfort and durability. It’s the perfect cloud-like backdrop to your bed sheets.
Warm Your Body Before Bed
A nice cup of herbal tea or warm milk is a quick and easy way to raise your core temperature and help warm your body before going to sleep. We recommend chamomile to help you really drift off.
A warm shower or bath can also be beneficial, again helping to raise your core temperature and make you feel relaxed and cosy, in the perfect mindset to enjoy a good night’s sleep.
With these solutions however, it’s important to warm up a little, and gradually. Raising your core temperature too quickly means that you will start to sweat which can cause discomfort, skin irritation and make you lose more heat. It must be a gentle and gradual process to receive the most benefit.
A good way to achieve this is to without the aid of warm liquid is to do some light stretching and deep breathing. A short bedtime yoga routine should help prepare you both physically and mentally for sleep.
Read more tips on How to Make a Bed Look Luxurious and find out more about the difference a mattress makes to our quality of sleep in Buying the Perfect Mattress: Why More Is More
