The ABC of Bedding

At the end of a long, hard day, during a bumper-to-bumper ride back home, there are two things that motivate me to keep going, a cup of tea to drown my day’s stresses in and my fluffy, comfortable, sinfully cozy bed. The moment I lay down and close my eyes, it’s almost as if the day’s worries just ebb away into the sheets.

Lying down on a bed, that’s made well, at the end of a long day is almost a meditative experience. But what makes it so comfortable is the bedding. Bedding has always been the unsung hero in bedroom experiences with our focus often being on the perfect bed frame, the right mattress, or the correct pillow.

While depending on the climate and geography, there are several or minimal layers that make up your bedding, let me take you on trip to discover and understand the various components that put the ‘sweet’ in sweet dreams.

Sheets

When you go shopping, typically you would buy a sheet set which would include a fitted sheet (a folding nightmare), a flat sheet and pillow cases. While fitted sheets have elasticized corners that can be just tucked over a mattress, a flat sheet which can be either used as a layer under the duvet or comforter or as an alternative to the fitted sheet (common in India), as long you are good to make hospital corners to tuck the sheet under the mattress.

Sheets are available in a large variety of fabric, including cotton, flannel, linen, satin, silk, etc. Natural fibers are your best bet. Egyptian cotton makes for the softest cotton sheets. Linen is a great alternative for warm climates and flannel for cold.

Blankets

Used for extra warmth in winter, blankets are often used with a flat sheet since they can be a little abrasive and itchy. More and more people are opting for heavier comforters, duvets, and even electric blankets (in cold countries) instead of blankets, though.

Duvets and Duvet Covers

Duvets are feather- (down) or fiber-filled blankets which are meant to go inside a duvet cover. Duvet covers are available in a variety of colors and designs and can be used to match the décor in your bedroom. Duvet covers also give you the ability to change and wash them easily while protecting duvet covers from regular wear and tear.

Comforters

The easiest way to define a comforter is calling it a combination of a duvet and a duvet cover, where the warm inner duvet is sewn into the duvet cover. Most people often use a sheet with comforters since they are difficult to wash and clean.

In India, it is common to forego the duvets and comforters and use the top sheet as a coverlet during the day and use a simple blanket as a cover at night.

So now you know what goes into elevating a bed but how do you make it a haven of comfort and relaxation. Here are some tiny tips that can go a long way.

• Make your bed every day. Nothing causes more stress and causes a room to look untidier than an unmade bed. Do that first thing in the morning.
• Irritated by the creases on your sheet? A simple steam with your trusted iron will easily smoothen them out for crisp, clean sheets that instantly vanish your irritation.
• If you aren’t using fitted sheets, stray edges can quite the pests. Simply tuck the edge of the sheet underneath the mattress corner and use a safety pin to secure the sheet in place.
• Pay attention to pillow cases. These have constant contact with your facial area. There are different cases that are available that are more suitable to facial skin. Use satin or silk if you have sensitive and delicate skin. 
• Throws are excellent additions that not only add an extra decorative accent to your bed but can also be used to keep you warm without touching the duvet or the comforter.
• Use a linen spray. It can be a great way to add a refreshing scent to your bedding.

A perfectly made bed takes less than 2 minutes in the morning and gives you night of stress-free sleep. Worth it, don’t you think?