The thing coming between you and a good night’s sleep might be the thin layer of bedding between you and your mattress. When it comes to improving your sleep, activity leading up to bedtime and the quality of a mattress are more frequently discussed factors, but as it turns out, bed sheets and pillow cases could be the reason you’re not refreshed when you wake up each morning. And, contrary to popular belief, a higher thread count, unto itself, might not be the solution. Courtesy of Ariel Kaye / Today As TODAY dives into bed this week for the Snooze or Lose series, we pulled back the covers to get the truth about sheets. 1. Higher thread count doesn't always mean higher quality.Think sheets and pillow cases with 1,000- or 1,500-thread count are more luxurious than those with smaller numbers? Michael J. Breus, an Arizona-based sleep expert known as "The Sleep Doctor," says thread counts exceeding 500 are redefining the word "thread" because, at that point, "what you're looking at is probably two textiles that are woven together."
Ariel Kaye, the founder and CEO of Parachute, a California-based bedding company, doesn't even mention thread count on her website. "Anything that’s over 400 is a manipulation of fabric or thread," she says. "The problem with higher thread counts is that they use these synthetic finishes; when they dissipate, the sheets are going to be unrecognizable." Both experts recommend thread counts that top out at about 400. 2. Some materials are cooler than others.Synthetics have a tendency to trap heat, making for a more uncomfortable sleep experience; quality cotton gets better reviews. According to the Parachute website, Kaye’s company uses “Egyptian cotton, combed with precision to remove all impurities.” Breus' preferences are also along those lines. “The bottom line is that pima cotton or an Egyptian cotton are the best materials to use in a sheet," he said. "I, personally, like the sateen type of finish, just because it’s softer." For menopausal women who are prone to hot flashes and night-sweats, Breus often recommends moisture-wicking sheets, which offer next-level coolness.
3. Wash new sheets before you use them.And, if possible, do that more than once. “Make sure that you wash your sheets at least two times before putting them on your bed," Breus said, "because, a lot of times, when they’re in packaging, there are [irritants] that can get on them.” 4. For sleepers with sensitive skin, detergent may be more of an issue than bedding material.“The bigger deal with sensitive skin has to do with what you wash it in, in terms of detergent, than the actual textile itself, in most cases," Breus said. "So, what you really are looking for is those [detergents] free from things like perfumes, dyes and things like that." That said, Kaye's company is certified by OEKO-TEX, which checks to make sure no toxic chemicals were used in a manufacturing process. “Fiber might have been grown organically," Kaye said, "but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t processed without toxic chemicals." 5. Toss bedding in the laundry basket every seven to 10 days.There's nothing that feels quite like climbing into a clean set of sheets, so it might be worth doing a little extra laundry if you want to get the best rest.
But switch out the bedding more often if you're more active than most. "Let’s say you work outside, and you’re not showering before bed, then, clearly, you’re going to have another issue; you’re going to have to change your sheets more regularly," Breus said. "But, generally speaking, I think a good guide would be once a week.” 6. Seasonal bedding might make a difference.“My wife and I, we change our sheets seasonally," Breus said. "We have more of a jersey, T-shirt-y material in the wintertime and a much lighter one, seasonally, for the summertime.” 7. Buy new bedding every 18 to 24 months.Like most clothing (other than, say, jeans and sneakers), newer bedding just looks and feels better. "Like any fabric, hot water and repeated washing will shorten the life span," Kaye added. 8. Can't wait that long and want a less expensive solution? Just buy some new pillowcases.“It will completely change the way your bedding feels," Kaye said. "It’s just a really easy way to get that freshness, and make you feel like you have a whole new set of bedding."
9. Oh, and about that myth that silk pillowcases can reduce or prevent wrinkles?Breus is skeptical, and contends wrinkles are more of a matter involving skin dehydration. “Whether or not you have wrinkles," he said, "has nothing to do with the surface on which you sleep." writer Chris Serico on Twitter. I accept the Terms and Conditions Simmons Beautyrest Waterproof Mattress Pad The Queen size is temporarily out of stock. Simmons Beautyrest Breathable Waterproof Mattress Pad - King Size Simmons Beautyrest Breathable Waterproof Mattress Pad - Twin Size Simmons Beautyrest Breathable Waterproof Mattress Pad - Full Size ManufacturerLouisville BeddingWarranty1 yearMaterialsTop – 100% CottonFilling, Back and Skirt – 100% polyester laminateColorWhiteDimensions - Twin - 39"x75"x20" - Full – 54"x75"x20" - Queen – 60"x80"x20" - King – 78"x80"x20"Shipping Weight (View shipping rates and policies)Care InstructionsMachine wash and dry Our Customers Say it Best!
of respondents would recommend this to a friend. This One Is My Choice Everytime Details Specifications Reviews FAQs This unique, top-of-the-line mattress pad combines plush comfort with a breathable, waterproof, polyurethane layer. Unlike every other pad on the market, this deluxe pad contains no vinyl middle layer. Instead, polyurethane allows for the exchange of body heat, which guarantees comfortable sleep all night long. Fits mattresses up to 20” deep. If you, or your child, tend to sweat easily during the night, this is the pad for you. Since the waterproof layer is breathable, and not occlusive, body heat is dissipated as it is produced. You may also be interested in the following product(s) Dry Defender Odor-Eliminating Underpad Be the first to review this product Be the first to review this productI’m so excited for the Purple mattress review. The company sent me a free king size Purple mattress to test out. This mattress may make the color purple more popular than Prince himself.
The reason for my excitement is that this mattress has a top layer construction that is unlike anything I have reviewed so far. I first found out about the Purple mattress through the Kickstarter campaign where 320 backers pledged $171,560 to bring the project to life. I have seen other mattress Kickstarter campaigns and they don’t even come close to the popularity of Purple. Below is their official Kickstarter video. Below is their famous raw egg test video on the Purple Mattress featuring Mallory Everton from Studio C, a well known YouTube channel: You can order Purple direct from their website. According to my UPS tracking, the mattress with packaging weighs in at 143 lbs. By far the heaviest mattress I have reviewed. Right now you can get a king size for $1,299. As a general rule of thumb, I find the heavier the mattress, the more quality you get. That’s because there’s just more material in there to work with. The mattress comes in a plastic bag as shown below.
There’s no external box, just this which is really cool. the top unzips and then you can slide it out of the bag. Getting it out of the bag may take two people since it’s in there tight. Instead I just cut the bag open which is a shame because it would be great to reuse to store things in. The bag also comes with handles so it makes it easier to move. This came in super handy while bringing it up a flight of stairs. At over 140 lbs. I’ll take all the help I can get. Here’s me unboxing the Purple Mattress. When unzipping the cover I found that they give you a cutter, instructions and two mini samples of the purple top layer. You can unzip the ticking. I really like the embossed “Purple” logo on the sides: What really makes this mattress stand out from the competition is the Smart-Comfort Grid. Here’s a sample that comes with the mattress when you open the purple plastic casing. The only similar mattress I have come across is the IntelliBed which uses “Intelli-gel” which look similar to the Purple technology.
The difference is that the IntelliBED uses innersprings and latex instead of foam layers. The IntelliBED costs a bit more though. Here’s the full Intellibed Review. Their Relief Perfect Low Motion model costs $3,599 for a a queen. While you can get a queen size Purple mattress through the link below for $999. Here’s what the layers look like. The bottom two layers are really just for support. What makes Purple unique is the top layer. So, what is the Purple mattress made of? The Purple mattress is made of a hyper elastic polymer grid that collapses when exerting a certain amount of pressure. The grid will provide support and pressure relief where need while maintaining a cool sleep environment. The first night of sleeping on this mattress was wonderful. This is truly a unique sleep experience in large part because of the Smart-Comfort Grid. You get a sort of floating sensation and the grid conforms to all your pressure points while providing support where you need it. Here’s what the grid looks like:
This is also the most breathable mattress I have ever tested. If your major concern is sleeping hot, then get this mattress. It beats all the competitors hands down. The Purple ranks extremely high in point elasticity. That means it will collapse where needed without affecting the other parts of a mattress. A traditional inner spring has low point elasticity, think about how you feel your partner moving around. The best example of the Purple point elasticity is their egg test where it rapidly adjusts to the pressure exerted by the egg. The only other mattress with this high level of point elasticity that I have tested i the Luxi mattress. Luxi calls this their SBT layer (Support Balancing Layer). Here’s a comparison of the Luxi vs. Purple Here’s a video illustrating how each layer works: With this mattress you sleep on it more than in it. Whether or not that’s a good thing comes down to preference. Some people like more of a pillow top feel some don’t. Notice that there isn’t a large amount of sinkage with this mattress however it does a wonderful job with pressure relief.
Here’s how it handles motion transfer: I don’t notice my partner shifting around on this mattress. Motion is very well contained and it also bounces back into shape well which is very hard to achieve in a mattress. If you’re looking for sheets for the Purple mattress, I strongly recommend going with a set the Purple Sheets. They are stretchy and breathable so you will get the full performance of the mattress. The same goes with a mattress protector. You can get other brands of performance sheets such as Sheex or Bedgear but I haven’t come across a mattress protector like the Purple Mattress protector. It is very stretchy but still waterproof, breathable and light. The Purple mattress provides amazing pressure relief and temperature regulation. It doesn’t sleep “cool” or “hot” instead it just passes heat through the comfort grid. I love how it contours so well to your body. In my opinion it truly is a Goldilocks mattress in the sense that you get great support and contouring.
However it isn’t a mattress that feels “cozy” or will hug you. I weigh over 210 lbs. and the grid handled my body just fine. According to their side, 300 lbs. is the threshold for weight. That means 300 per person so 600 total. I sleep primarily on my stomach and side and this mattress felt great in both positions. Sometimes I get numbness in my arm from sleeping on my stomach on certain mattresses. The Purple was able to sink enough in the right areas so this didn’t happen. Expect to hear a lot about Purple in the near future. It’s a game changer in the mattress industry and is exploding in popularity. If you are looking for a mattress with high point elasticity like Purple but also want more “hug” check out my super in depth overview of the Luxi and Purple technology. Purple has recently launched some new accessories including the Purple Mattress Protector and the Purple Pillow. Below is a video overview of the Purple Pillow Purple doesn’t do coupon codes.