How To Sleep better…with wool We often think of wool bedding as something to add warmth to our beds. But that isn’t necessarily true, and there are other benefits to sleeping with wool….Wool products are naturally flame retardant, have no added chemicals, are naturally hypoallergenic and also help eliminate dust mites. People with wool allergies will not suffer from using a wool duvet as the wool is covered with a cotton covering and wool allergies are a “contact” allergy. Less than 1% of people have breathing allergies to wool. Wool is the only material that both absorbs and releases moisture efficiently, thereby maintaining your body temperature at 98.6 degrees F regardless of your surroundings. For a lot of us a good night’s sleep is hard to come by….one reason is - we lose 2 oz. of water vapor every hour of our life! When we sleep, if we are too hot, moisture accumulates; we perspire even more, become restless, change position or throw off the covers to cool off. Cooler air immediately starts to dry the moisture through evaporation making you feel cold. This restless, disturbed sleep can be detrimental to the immune system and increase the production of stress hormones. Most couples have a hard time choosing bedding that suits each individuals’ warmth needs. One person is usually too hot while the other is cold. Wool is the best product these couples can choose. Wool creates a microclimate, which assists in regulating body temperature and humidity, thus relieving the body of thermal stress and promoting a deeper, more refreshing sleep. Wool’s unique ability to absorb up to 1/3 of its weight in moisture without feeling damp allows it to efficiently wick away the one-liter of moisture vapor our bodies lose each night. The wool releases the dampness absorbed from our bodies during the night into the atmosphere during the day providing a dry warm inviting sleeping environment every night for better quality healthier sleep. There is several wool filled bedding products available on the market, wool duvets being one of the most popular of the items. Covering your wool duvet with a 100% cotton duvet cover will give your bedroom the fashion statement your looking for and at the same time allow the wool duvet to breathe. Wool pillows that have a zippered 100% cotton covering can be adjusted to fit all sleep positions. By being able to adjust the amount of wool filling in the pillow you can design a pillow that just right for you. The wool filling helps to reduce excess perspiration and provide year round comfort. Wool mattress overlays not only add a comfortable “cushy” layer to your mattress but again you will get a more restful nights sleep as it will wick away any excess moisture. Wool overlays are used in hospitals and care homes to promote circulation in the body and so bedridden patients do not develop bedsores. People suffering from arthritis and diabetes get relief from sleeping on a wool overlay as it promotes blood circulation and relieves the pressure areas that often trouble these individuals. The wool overlay also helps to maintain an even body temperature and provides a more restful sleep. Care & Cleaning of Wool Bedding Wool is a natural fiber that requires gentle care to maximize its longevity. Wool should never be exposed to high heat for more than a few minutes. Wool knop pillows – any time re-fluffing: place pillow or pillows (maximum 2) in a dryer with a wet (wrung out) terry towel. Tumble for 5 – 8 minutes on “hot”, remove and allow to cool before use. The steam released will refluff the wool knops. The 100% cotton covering on a zippered wool pillow can be washed (without the wool filling), as you would with any 100% cotton laundry. The whole pillow may be hand washed if needed. Lukewarm water, mild detergent in the laundry tub. Gently squeeze – do not agitate. When rinsed it can be “spun” in washing machine to remove excess water. Place the pillow in the dryer on hot for maximum of 5 minutes. Remove and allow to air dry. Wool duvets and mattress overlays contain “carded wool” and therefore cannot be successfully laundered. Dry-cleaning is recommended and be sure to inform the drycleaner the filling is wool. Any spills or small stains can be “spot” hand washed with lukewarm water and mild detergent in a laundry tub. Rinsed with cool water and allowed to drain in tub until dry enough to hang up to finish drying. Regular use of a duvet cover will eliminate the need to frequent cleaning of your wool duvet. For your wool overlay frequent airing and shaking will lessen the need for frequent cleaning.
