No-Chem Tummy Time Mat We have recently updated our site, and slowly our health articles and info pages will be added to this new site. We appreciate your patience while we work behind the scenes. Connect with us on: The page you are looking for must not have been updated to the new site yet. We apologize, and hope to have everything updated soon. You might find a link to the new page listed on Healthy Living Articles, or on a tab to the left. You can also try adding the letter "l" (lowercase L) at the end of the url and it might take you exactly where you want to go. Thanks for stopping by!For those who like feeling as if they’re sleeping on a pile of feathers, or in a Ritz-Carlton penthouse suite, nothing will bring you there like a plush mattress topper. An extra (literal) layer of softness can be all the more necessary in this age of computer-generated comfort from bed-in-a-box brands like Casper and Tuft & Needle, which aim for a median level of comfort so that you don’t need to test out your mattress beforehand;
you can feel relatively sure, based on their extensive research, that it will feel “fine.” But what if you want to feel not just fine, but like you’re sleeping on a cloud? If you’re looking for plush, there are two options: down and alternative down, which mostly feels the same, but has no allergy-causing potential and is often much more affordable. What makes one cushiony fabric really stand out from the pack is the way it distributes the fluff. While in some cases a down filler will shift or bunch up, the best toppers are able to maintain an even distribution throughout the night. Others run into problems when the outer shell has a synthetic feel, which can seep through and affect overall softness, even when it’s beneath sheets. The happy medium here is Parachute, which is, of course, another sleep start-up. Instead of focusing on the mattress, though, Ariel Kaye founded Parachute two years ago to sell sheets and duvets she designed to mimic a hotel bed she first slept in during an Amalfi Coast getaway.
I was turned on to the brand during an informal survey of interior-designer friends and bedding experts. Two of them, interior designer Danielle Arps and home-goods designer Aelfie Oudghiri, said that Parachute’s down-alternative fiber bed, filled with a hypoallergenic microfiber and released this August, was the most natural and luxurious-feeling, like a super-dense comforter from below. So I decided to try one out.I sunk right into the Parachute and it shaped to the form of my body, following my every move throughout the night. While a memory-foam topper might act similarly, this felt light, airy, and cool, instead of thick. And there were no hot vibes like I get from foam. Kaye and her team developed this topper to solve the problem of down alternative often flattening quicker than real feather down; Parachute’s stands at three inches tall (they also offer a duck-feather option). And instead of bothersome synthetic coating, Parachute uses an Oeko-Tex certified cotton shell that’s both soft and free of synthetics and chemicals.
But most important, the Parachute has a box construction with stitching throughout the topper to make sure that the fiber filling stays evenly distributed throughout any tossing and turning, so you’ll never have to shake it out. I felt myself gently melting and folding into the topper, while it enveloped me from beneath. I woke up feeling lighty sandwiched between layers of plushness.Learning Center / Healthy Home / Bedding / How to Choose the Best Hypoallergenic Mattress Cover [Buyer’s Guide]How to Choose the Best Hypoallergenic Mattress Cover [Buyer’s Guide]If you can’t afford a new mattress – or you’re not ready to replace your existing one, but are aware it needs a pick-me-up – then a topper could become your new best friend. Sitting on top of the mattress, under your sheets, it offers extra padding and comfort that could make all the difference to your quality of sleep. Research the fillings as rigorously as you would with a new mattress. They all have different benefits for different kinds of sleepers and types of people – for instance, if you get hot at night or you suffer from allergies.
Check how snugly the topper fits onto the bed – you don’t want it to move about. And be sure that the filling is evenly distributed, just as you’d want it to be with a duvet. 1. John Lewis Soft Touch Washable Mattress Topper: from £75, John Lewis This 6cm polyester topper, with dual layers and woven fabric, offers cloud-like comfort. It lasts well too, staying squidgy and soft without going flat. Plus, you can wash it in the machine umpteen times without losing any of the quality. Great value for hotel-like luxury. 2. Breasley Flexcell Mattress Topper: from £129, Mattress Online This thick, comfy topper is made from memory foam, which moulds to your body’s shape and distributes your weight evenly. There’s a smooth winter side, which gets really quite warm (great for those who feel chilly at night), and a bumpy summer side, which circulates air to keep you cooler. 3. Hästens Top Mattress BJ: from £670, Hästens This is the deepest topper in our roundup (7cm) and it feels like you’ve got a whole new deluxe mattress.
It’s handmade from all-natural materials including wool, cotton and flexible horsetail hair, all of which keeps your body at the ideal temperature and means the mattress stays comfortable and durable. It is very heavy, though, and it can’t be washed. 4. Vispring Heavenly Mattress Topper: from £550, John Lewis Vispring is the crème-de-la-crème of mattress brands, and its mattress toppers are equally fabulous. Each one is handmade to order in any size and generously filled with the best British wool, which all makes for a comfy, soft, breathable and hypoallergenic sleeping experience. 5. The White Company Supreme Luxury Down Topper: from £150, The White Company Anyone who’s experienced good duck down and feather bedding will know that this filling can swiftly take you into the land of nod in the lap of luxury. The same can be said of this incredibly comfy topper. The top layer includes down for extra softness, while the bottom layer is 100 per cent feather for support.
It's box stitched for even distribution, but it does need regularly plumping up. 6. Dorma Anti-Allergy Mattress Topper: from £45, Dunelm This is excellent value for a soft and plump mattress cover, made from spiral fibre which is encased in 100 per cent cotton sheeting. We found it every bit as good as some toppers we tested (that didn’t make this list) at two or three times the price. It fits well on the bed and is machine washable. 7. The Woolroom Deluxe Wool Topper: from £111.99, The Woolroom This soft and cosy topper, made from top-notch British wool, carries the British Allergy Foundation’s Seal of Approval, making it an ideal choice for anyone who suffers from asthma, allergies or eczema. It’s 3cm thick, extremely well-made, keeps body temperature comfortable throughout the night and is machine washable. 8. Silksleep Topper: from £110, Silksleep This works like a fitted sheet, wrapping right round your mattress. At just 1cm thick, it’s neither firm nor supportive, but the 300 thread-count cotton cover, filled with long-fibre silk, does a particularly good job of regulating body temperature – ideal for women of a certain age – and it feels luxurious.
Dust mites hate silk, so it’s also good for allergy sufferers. 9. Soak and Sleep Ultimate Microfibre with Silk Topper: from £60, Soak & Sleep This is a good one for anyone who wants the luxury, springy feel of down and feather, but either can’t afford it or is allergic. The filling – top-quality, hypoallergenic microfibre and silk – is box stitched so the filing doesn’t disappear down one end, no matter how much you toss and turn at night. 10. Marks & Spencer Supersoft Mattress Enhancer: From £89, Marks & Spencer This is soft but supportive, thanks to the cluster fibres that cushion your body. Particularly well suited to those who get chilly at night, it keeps the bed nice and warm – so probably not the best for those prone to sweating while they sleep. 11. Ikea Talgje: from £65, Ikea Ikea has a wide range of mattress covers, with this one – a blend of cotton and polyester foam filling – towards the bottom of the price range. It has a good, snug fit and although it’s only 3.5cm thick, it offers an indulgent layer of comfort, particularly for the price.