With everything going on in the world, many of us just want a few uninterrupted peaceful hours of rest, and having a bad night's sleep can ruin your day. A new bedtime routine can stop a frazzled mind from spinning and soothe you to sleep but without a cozy bed to fall into, it'll still be tough to get a good night of rest.
After weeks of struggling with restless nights, I've introduced some new yet very simple bedtime habits and upgraded my bedding. Honestly, it's so easy to overlook how long you've sleeping on the same pillows and wrapping yourself in the same duvet. If you're waking up with neck or back ache, like I had been, it's probably time to refresh your bedroom and this is how you can make sustainable purchases.
Sustainably-Made Pillows
I'd been struggling with shoulder pain caused by lumpy worn out pillows. No matter how I plumped or stacked them, I'd wake up in pain. I replaced all four (yes, four) of my pillows with a single Luff Prestige Bamboo Pillow. They're an investment but one well worth making. Choosing a new pillow is difficult, costly, and it's hard to know whether you've made the right choice, which is why I put off replacing mine for so long.
Luff make their pillows using sustainably-sourced bamboo, which is both anti-bacterial and anti-allergy, and removable memory foam filling that can be adjusted to suit your sleeping position. So whether you need a pillow to be firm and supportive or super soft and squishy, the Prestige Pillow can do both. I removed a little over a third of the pillow's memory foam filling, as recommended by Luff, to create a soft yet supportive pillow for sleeping on my back. If you're a side sleeper, you might not want to remove any filling at all and if you're front sleeper, you'll probably want a lot less.
One night's sleep was all I needed to know the Luff Prestige Bamboo Pillow was the right choice. My neck pain cleared up and I was sleeping through the night interrupted again. The quilted bamboo case is super soft and breathable while the adjustable filling creates the perfect pillow just for you. Unlike other memory foam pillows I've tried, Luff uses CloudTec® to balance comfort and support.
If you need new pillows but you're nervous about investing in the wrong ones; Luff offers 15% off your purchase, gives you a '100 day sleep trial', and a 3 year warranty. They also donate 10% of profits to homeless charities and donate pillows to the homeless too.
Eco-Friendly Bedding
Linen and cotton are my favourite choice when it comes to bed sheets. I love rumpled appearance of crinkled linen and the crisp coolness of organic cotton so I have a set of both. The Dip & Doze Original Set comes in four colours and two options: soft and smooth or cool and crisp. Both are made using Fairtrade organic cotton with plastic free, coconut shell concealed buttons. They're lightweight making them ideal for hot summers when all you want is the sheet itself, or layering with blankets in winter. Join the Dip & Doze newsletter for 10% off your order.
For additional warmth, texture, and better sleep; I have a refurbished weighted blanket from Beyond Blankets to help with anxiety and disrupted sleep. I find the deep pressure therapy that this blanket applies enables me to fall asleep faster and reduces occurrences of sleep paralysis. They're not to everyone's liking but if you're struggling with stress, anxiety, or a sleep disorder, a weighted blanket is worth testing out. Beyond Blanket offers a 28-night trial.
Organic Cotton Nightwear
Before I climb into bed and my head hits the pillow, I follow a simple nighttime routine to soothe me to sleep. This involves a gentle skincare routine and changing into comfy nightwear. I like simple sleepwear, the kind you can throw on but doesn't make you look sloppy. There's something delightful about cozy nightwear that looks as good as it feels (no ratty tees here!)
Yawn have a range of organic superfine "00" cotton nightwear including nightshirts (my favourite), pyjama sets, and dressing gowns. They are unbelievably soft to the touch and a delight to wear at the end of a long day. Lightweight and cozy, it's the perfect sleepwear for lounging as well as snoozing. The deep v-neck of the nightshirt or PJ top can be buttoned up on colder evenings, a simple feature that makes Yawn nightwear so thoughtful in design.
