10 Health Independent Life 27.1.

04

The inside Don’t be bugged into having your sweet dreams disturbed ...
info on ...
the big Jane Lyons takes you through the secret of a good night’s sleep
sleep

PILLOWS
Buying the right pillow
for your usual sleeping
Who’s been sleeping
in your bed then?
position is essential so
that your your neck and
head get enough
support.
If you sleep on your
stomach and have a
small frame, then pick a
pillow with a firmness
rating of 1-2. If you have

U
nlike the Three Bears, you
a medium/large frame,
might not realise that you
pick one with a firmness
have unwelcome visitors
of 2-3.
trying out your bed for
If you sleep on your back
size. But every night, you
and have a small frame,
snuggle down with mil-
you should choose a
lions of uninvited bedfellows and none as
pillow with a firmness
sweet as Goldilocks.
rating of 1-2; if you have
Recent research carried out by bed-linen
a medium frame, a 2-3;
manufacturer John Cotton into our sleep-
and if you have a large
ing habits revealed some disgusting results
frame, a 3-4.
about what goes on between our sheets.
If you sleep on your side,
Phil Atherton, of John Cotton, says: “One
the pillow needs to be
of the things we have uncovered is how
firmer to support the gap
seldom people change their pillows and
between the shoulder
duvets. Most people will get a new pillow,
and the head. If you have
on average, around every five years —
a small frame, choose a
although we did find one family who’d had
pillow with a firmness
their pillows for 20 years.”
rating of 2-3; if you have
Mr Atherton says that, after three years
a medium frame, a 3-4;
of constant use, perspiration accounts for
and if you have a large
10pc of a pillow’s weight because you lose
frame, a 4-5.
half a litre of sweat through your head
every night. Also, as you move about in the
COLD FEET night, the friction sloughs off minute dead
If you are one of the
skin cells from your face, which then land
many who suffer cold
in your pillow.
feet in bed, this might be
What then takes place is described as
the answer: Cosyfeet Hip
the ‘greenhouse effect’. Heat from your
to Toe’s new Super-Soft
head allows fungus to grow on dead skin
Bed Socks. They’re ideal Sleep
cells and other bacteria. Then the battal- body moisture that has soaked into the 16-18C.
for anyone who suffers well: you
ions of dust mites come along, feed on the duvet to evaporate. The thermal resistance of your duvet is
with poor circulation or need to
proteins growing on the fungus and bac- Of course, an even bigger playground for another thing to consider. This is mea-
cold feet at night. change
teria and drop their faeces in the pillow. this sleepy-time ecosystem is your mat- sured in tog and the higher the tog, the
Made from 100pc your
Dust mites are microscopic, which tress, which the average person keeps for warmer the duvet. The recommended tog
brushed acrylic for pillows
allows them to move about inside the pil- 17 years — an extended playtime that you is 4.5 for summer and 10.5 for the rest of
fleecy comfort, these every 12
low and makes them easy to inhale. So if don’t want. But with size precluding it the year, unless it is really cold.
loose-fitting, to 18
you wake up with red eyes (not after a from a quick spin in the washing machine, And to settle, once and for all, the argu-
mid-calf-length socks months if
night out), a bunged-up nose or red a mattress is difficult to clean. You should ment over who stole more of the duvet,
won’t pinch around the you want
around your nose, this is irritation caused cover it with a mattress protector, which Snuggledown have produced the two-vet —
ankle or impair healthy to avoid
by dust mites and their droppings. should be washed every month. a tailor-made, his-and-her duvet. This is
blood flow. Their light, dust
“We are trying to get people to realise thinner on the man’s side and thicker on
pressure-free fabric

C
what’s in their pillow and encourage them leanliness is not the only thing the woman’s because men’s metabolism mites
means you’ll hardly know
to change their bedding more often. They to ensure you wake up bright- means they are more likely to get too hot
you’re wearing them.
should change their pillows at least every eyed and bushy-tailed. Although while they sleep.
Priced at £10 (¤14.50)
12 to 18 months,” says Mr Atherton. “Peo- we spend about one third of our Although it is important not to be too
for a two-pair pack or
ple keep their duvets for an average of lives sleeping, only 10pc of people get a hot, it is also important not to be too cold.
£11 (¤16) for a two-pair
seven years when they should change it good night’s sleep. Heat can be part of the As you fall asleep, your body will also start
extra-roomy pack, the
every three to five years. But duvets are not problem. People seem to think you need to to cool as the metabolism slows down.
Super-Soft Bed Socks
as bad for collecting skin cells as a pillow be warm when you go to sleep but you However, if your temperature drops too far
are available in a variety
because it is on top of the person.” should be climbing into a cool bed — so your body will wake you up to regain some
of colours and aim to fit
John Cotton has a range of anti-allergy hands off that electric blanket. The ideal warmth. Often the culprits are your feet,
sizes from 4-9 (ladies’)
pillows and duvets that can help combat temperature for the bedroom is around which lose large amounts of heat. The best
and 6-9 (men’s).
this problem. You can also buy washable thing to do is wear a pair of socks to bed.
For more information
pillows and duvets. Lastly, try to adopt a good sleep routine,
call the customer care
In Germany people will take their duvet aiming to go to bed at the same time every
line on 00 44 1458
447275 or see
back to the store every couple of years to You would not believe night. Taking more exercise, cutting down
have the down and feather taken out and on coffee and tea, avoiding food/alco-
www.hiptotoe.com.
washed. Owning a duvet is a serious busi- the bacterial soup hol/stimulants 10 minutes before you go to
There’s nothing worse
than a cold if you’re
ness for Germans and they will spend an
average of ¤300-¤500 on a duvet that they
acquired in a pillow bed and creating a restful sleeping envi-
ronment will help ensure you have a good
trying to fall asleep.
Perhaps you should try
will keep for life. after 18 months’ use - night’s rest.

the Healthtek Vaporiser.

You may not be able to avail of the same
kind of cleaning treatment but you should
yet some people have So goodnight, sleep tight and don’t let
the bed bugs bite.
It may help to relieve
stuffy noses, soothe sore
regularly hanging your duvets outside. You not changed their
should also pull back your duvet in the John Cotton products are available in Argos,
throats and ensure a
morning, so it’s doubled up on itself, and pillows in 20 years! Penneys, Primark, and The Spinning Wheel in
good night’s sleep.
leave it for at least an hour. This helps Belfast, or online at www.kays.com