Category: news

In today’s fast-paced society, our lifestyles have undergone significant transformation. We find ourselves constantly on the move, buried in work, and overwhelmed by stress from numerous sources. This includes exposure to screens that produce blue light, disrupting our body’s natural rhythm, as well as the sounds permeating from city surroundings.

As a result, our sleep is often suffering. It is no wonder that we have a pandemic of sleep disorders. One of the most common sleep disorders is insomnia, and it is estimated to affect around 30% of people at some point in their lives.

Treating insomnia is a challenging task, and it can be different depending on the individual. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the first option for treating insomnia. It is supposed to be a long-lasting solution, in contrast to medication that is used to help manage short-term symptoms of insomnia.

Research done so far has shown that CBT is an effective way of lessening and eliminating symptoms of insomnia. Let’s dig in into different aspects of CBT, how it works, what are the benefits, and why you should try CBT if you are struggling with insomnia.

What Is Insomnia?

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, where an affected person is either not able to fall or stay asleep. Depending on that, a person is diagnosed with either sleep onset or sleep maintenance insomnia.

Everyone experience a sleepless night now and then, and if it just one night, you probably shouldn’t worry about it. Maybe you had an afternoon nap, or you got too excited about some event, and your nightly rest suffered a little bit.

If the symptoms persist for some time, it is probably best to seek professional medical help. Some people may experience a condition called transient insomnia, which can last up to three months. It can usually be connected to a stressful period, some acute illness, hospitalization, or a significant life event. It can even be caused by a rebound effect when a person stops using sleep medication. The important thing is that the situation usually resolves when the conditions go back to normal.

Chronic insomnia is a little different. Environmental factors can trigger it, but genetic factors and underlying conditions play a significant role as well. 

Some people have a naturally low threshold for nighttime arousals, which is why their sleep is often fragmented, and they are more prone to developing insomnia. Others might have a condition like restless legs syndrome, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, kidney disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, or some other medical condition that is affecting their sleep.

If that is the case, besides standard insomnia treatment, doctors also focus on eliminating the underlying causes and managing the disease that is responsible for sleep disruption.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)?

CBT-I is a go-to treatment when it comes to insomnia. It consists of a series of visits to a psychologist who specializes in this type of treatment. The goal of CBT-I is to address problems surrounding sleep and to create a more peaceful sleep environment, as well as a positive attitude towards your nightly rest.

CBT-I is used for treating chronic insomnia since people usually develop negative thoughts and behaviors connected to their sleep. It is understandable that after tossing and turning in bed for a long time, people tend to get a bit frustrated. And if this persists for weeks or months, you might go to bed every night expecting to get inadequate rest.

That is where CBT-I steps in and tries to turn these negative associations into positive ones. That takes time, and CBT-I is often viewed as a long term solution for sleep problems. Standard CBT-I program involves regular sessions for 6 to 12 weeks, and it includes different approaches based on each case.

The CBT-I can include stimulus control, sleep restriction, biofeedback, relaxation training, and sleep hygiene education. The treatment usually consists of a combination of these approaches, and sometimes you can even be prescribed medication for short term relief if the symptoms are severe. It is all closely watched by a sleep specialist, who evaluates your condition with each weekly session, and they adjust the treatment accordingly. 

Stimulus Control

People with insomnia often have a lot of negative thoughts about sleep. They get frustrated with the inability to fall asleep, which can later develop into anxiety. That results in a negative attitude towards going to sleep, as people are already expecting a negative outcome.

Stimulus control aims to reinforce positive associations with sleep and to get rid of any distracting thoughts. That usually means using your bed only for nightly rest and intimacy and leaving all electronics, and other distractions from your bedroom. All other activities like watching TV, reading, catching up with news, or looking up social networks should be left outside the bedroom.

When you get rid of distractions, it should be easier to fall asleep. However, if you have been in your bed for 20 minutes, and you haven’t fallen asleep, it is time to get up. Doing some relaxing activity should wear you out, and then you can return to bed when you feel tired again.

After some time, your brain learns to recognize the bedroom as a place for relaxation, and nightly rest. That means that it takes less time for you to fall asleep, and all the negative thoughts surrounding sleep will slowly go away.

Sleep Restriction

Most people think that going earlier to bed should result in more sleep. However, that is not true in most cases, since more time in bed doesn’t necessarily mean more rest. Our internal clocks dictate our sleep and wake cycles, and the best thing you can do for your internal clock is consistency. Going and getting out of bed at the same time every day is one of the most important things when it comes to good sleeping habits.

Sleep restriction limits the time spent in bed each night in an attempt to cut down the time needed to fall asleep. For instance, if you usually spend 7 hours in bed each night, but you only get 4 hours of sleep, the initial limit is set at 4 hours. 

Sleep restriction seems to have an opposite of the desired effect in the beginning, since you are spending less time in bed, you are not getting enough sleep. But with time, falling asleep becomes more comfortable, and your sleep efficiency increases. After that, you start gradually increasing your time spent in bed until you can regularly get sufficient amount of sleep without prolonged sleep onset and nocturnal disturbances.

Biofeedback and Relaxation Techniques

These two usually go hand in hand as the ultimate goal is for you to calm down, and enter a relaxed state that should make it easier to fall asleep. 

Biofeedback refers to using a small device that tells you about the state of your body. This device tracks your heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, or body temperature, and can tell you when these parameters change. The device alerts you when these parameters increase, which is an indicator that you are getting restless. Using these devices comes naturally for some people, while others need time to get used to them. Either way, don’t worry and take your time. 

After you learn to recognize the signs of restlessness, it is essential to know how to reverse your mind and body into a calm state. That is when relaxation techniques come into play, and the most common ones include meditation and breathing exercises. 

With biofeedback and relaxation techniques, you will learn to recognize when you are getting frustrated with the inability to fall asleep, and also to calm yourself. That is useful not just for sleep, but for other aspects of your life as well.

Sleep Hygiene Education

One of the first things a sleep specialist does is examining your lifestyle habits. People often do certain things that disrupt their nightly rest, without them even realizing. That is why it is crucial to learn about good sleep hygiene and make some adjustments to help you sleep better. That includes:

• Sticking to a regular sleeping schedule. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day helps your internal clock realize when is the time to be active, and when you should go to sleep. Staying up late and sleeping in on weekends is tempting, but you should avoid it and stick to your schedule.
• Making your bedroom sleep-friendly. You should remove all the distractions from your bedroom, including all electronics and anything that can wake you up. Keep your sleep environment dark, and set the room temperature to mid 60 Fahrenheit, as it appears to be the best sleeping temperature. 
• Avoid screen time at least 45 minutes before bedtime. Screens emit blue light that can make your brain think that it is daytime, and it stops the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone that is produced at night, and it is vital for our sleep/wake cycles. If your brain stops producing melatonin before bedtime, it becomes more difficult to fall asleep.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine. You can try reading, taking a hot bath, listening to relaxing music, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, or tending to a hobby. Just remember to do it outside the bedroom, as the bed should be reserved only for sleep related activities.
• Eat a balanced diet, with a lot of fruit and vegetables. You should also stay away from stimulants like nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine at least 6 hours before going to bed, as they can disrupt your sleep.
• Exercise regularly. Staying active is essential to proper rest, and experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week for full long term health benefits. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime, as it can be counterproductive and make it harder to fall asleep. You should also spend some time outdoors in daylight each day, to help your biological clock understand when active hours are happening. 

On top of all of these techniques and education, a sleep specialist will discuss everything with you during weekly sessions. They can discover underlying sleep problems, tell you where you go wrong and point you in the right direction. Even though it may seem like all of these different techniques aren’t complicated, having a professional guide you makes it much easier. 

Is CBT-I Effective?

It all means nothing if CBT is not effective for treating insomnia. Luckily, there has been a lot of research, where scientists investigated aspects of CBT and how it compared to sleep medication.

This 2002 meta-analysis tried to discover how effective sleep medication and behavioral therapy were in treating chronic insomnia. The review looked at different parameters, including total sleep time, sleep latency, number of nighttime arousals, wake time after sleep onset, and sleep quality. All of these were assessed before and after the treatment was conducted. The results showed that both pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy are an effective way of treating short term effects of primary insomnia. There was no difference in effectiveness between those two, except in sleep latency, where CBT showed a more significant reduction in sleep latency.

A 2004 study looked at different treatment approaches for insomnia. The results showed that CBT was the most effective intervention, and it also produced the most persistent improvement in sleepers. That was another step in proving the effectiveness of CBT, and placing is as the number one treatment for insomnia.

The results of later research followed the same trend. This meta-analysis also highlighted that CBT-I is at least as effective as pharmacotherapy in the short term, and it is superior in the long term. Because of the long-lasting effects of CBT-I, it is considered a first-line treatment for insomnia.

Besides insomnia, CBT has been proven effective for some other conditions, like anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. A 2012 study showed some long term effects of CBT on patients with chronic pain. There was a 23-minute improvement in total sleep time recorded six months after the treatment. That showed that CBT was valid and that it also had long-lasting effects.

When to See a Professional

If you occasionally experience a night of poor sleep, there is probably nothing to worry about. However, if your problems persist for some time, you might need to see a professional. If your everyday life and work performance are affected, it is time to book an appointment.

Medical professionals will help discover the cause of your sleep problems, and prescribe you the needed therapy. Depending on what’s causing your sleep problem, it could even be CBT.

If you have been advised to try CBT-I, it is vital to remember that it has been proven effective time after time. Stick to it even though it might not seem like it’s working in the beginning, it will definitely pay off in the long run. 

Need some extra help in the sleep department? Some folks have a very easy time falling asleep naturally, but for others, it can be a real hassle. If you didn’t get a full 8 hours of blissful, uninterrupted sleep last night, don’t immediately reach for herbal supplements and melatonin pills – consider upping your home flora game instead!

You probably know that certain herbs such as chamomile and lavender can help you sleep better when you consume them, but did you know that keeping certain houseplants can also ensure you catch those precious ZZZs? Houseplants aid sleep by improving air quality, raising the oxygen levels in the room and emitting moisture to combat sinus issues and ensure easier breathing while you snooze. Here are our top 8 plants for the bedroom to help you sleep like a baby.

How Houseplants Aid Sleep?

Houseplants are mostly known for their ability to purify the air and help you breathe better. However, some plants, apart from their air-cleaning properties, also come with other relaxing traits, that can be really useful for getting a more peaceful and healthier snooze.[1] The interesting part is that each plant helps in different ways. For example, some plants such as Aloe Vera and Spider plants, release a lot of oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide we exhale during the day which is great for purifying the air and helping you breathe more comfortable in the evening.[2]

Houseplants are also very good at absorbing common VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as trichloroethylene, benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and ammonia. Let’s take a quick look where can these VOCs be found.

1. Trichloroethylene – an industrial product found in paints, dry cleaning, and adhesives.
2. Benzene – a common solvent found in gasoline, oils, rubbers, and plastics.
3. Formaldehyde – a water-soluble organic compound found in grocery bags, cleaning agents, and paper towels.
4. Xylene – a chemical found in tobacco smoke, rubber, paint, and vehicle exhaust.
5. Ammonia – commonly found in household cleaners, floor wax, and fertilizers.

Other plants, such as lavender, jasmine, and gardenia, apart from purifying the air and absorbing VOCs, release relaxing aromas that particularly help with reducing anxiety, relieving stress and helping you get a more peaceful night’s rest. To enjoy the healing and relaxing aromas of different herbs, you don’t need to diffuse essential oils or create incense – housing live plants in your bedroom is enough.

Sounds too easy or too good to be true? As always, Counting Sheep backs up everything with science!  One of the first studies that examined the benefits of houseplants was done in 1989 by NASA, and the research was focused on finding out how some houseplants purify indoor air.[3]

In the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, researchers have found out that the plant known as vining pepper improves workers’ moods when introduced to a work environment. The study suggests that indoor houseplants can reduce physiological and psychological stress, and evoke calmness.[4]

Lastly, another study showed that flowering and foliage plants improve the health of recovering surgical patients, especially when it comes to reducing their fatigue and anxiety levels.[5] According to the results of the study, indoor plants may decrease the patients’ needs for medicines, help them cope better with stress and pain, and promote positive physiological responses, as well as more positive feelings.

Now let’s take a look at the top 8 best plants for sleep.

Aloe Vera – Best Plant for Improving Air Quality

Listed as one of NASA’s top air-improving plants, the fantastic Aloe Vera aids sleep by emitting oxygen at night, ensuring you are breathing easier and making you more room for a peaceful slumber.  It’s also great for purifying VOCs such as benzene and formaldehyde.

When it comes to maintenance, it’s very easy to grow and tolerates neglect well. It doesn’t need a lot of direct sunlight and frequent watering, so it’s perfect if you are a student, employed, or simply someone who doesn’t have much free time.

Known in Egypt as the plant of immortality, it reproduces quickly and easily, meaning that if you buy one, you can easily have an Aloe for all the rooms in the house. Apart from helping you sleep better, you can use the gel from its leaves to treat minor cuts or burns, insect bites, and much more. Considering all its benefits, it’s a must-have plant in every home.

Jasmine – Best Plant for Relaxation

Jasmine flowers are known for their sweet smell, that is often found in perfumes, candles, shower gels, hydrating milk and so on. The pleasant aroma of this exotic plant has a calming effect on the body and mind. Studies show that it reduces anxiety, helping you to cope better with stress or anxiety-related insomnia.[6]

Jasmine is an effective sleep aid specifically because of its sweet fragrance, and multiple studies have found that sleeping in a room with this plant improves sleep quality.[7] To take proper care of your Jasmin plants, ensure they get direct sunlight during summer and spring. During winter avoid direct sunlight. Watering is very simple – just make sure the soil remains moist.

Lavender – Best Plant for Deeper Sleep

Who doesn’t love the scent of lavender? Lavender is definitely one of the most well-known plants that induce sleep and reduces anxiety and stress levels.[8] Research shows that lavender scent slows down your heart rate, and lowers your blood pressure, making you feel more relaxed and calm.[9]

According to a 2013 study in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, lavender aromatherapy improved the sleep quality in multiple study participants among which were healthy students, ischemic heart disease patients, and women suffering from insomnia. Also, taking lavender oil orally at the dose of 80mg per day increased the quality and duration of sleep among patients who struggled with mixed anxiety disorder.[10]

Lastly, one study shows that the smell of lavender is so pleasant that it even calmed down crying babies[11] and sent them into deeper sleep – this is something definitely all new mothers will be glad to hear!

While there is a host of lavender scented products on the market that can help you get a good night’s rest, why wouldn’t you simply go for the most natural and cost-effective option, and that’s to place a beautiful lavender plant right on your nightstand.

Snake Plant – Best Plant for Air Purification

Snake plant, similar to Aloe is considered one of the best houseplants for improving indoor air quality. Japanese researchers that have published their study in the Journal for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN found that this plant absorbs various hazardous chemicals, leaving indoor spaces safer and a lot cleaner. The Snake plant is best for filtering nasty household toxins such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and benzene from the air.

Gardenias – Best Plant for Relieving Anxiety

Gardenias have glossy green leaves and beautifully scented blossoms, which makes them a very popular plant choice for bedrooms. Studies show that keeping this houseplant in your bedroom improves air quality, promotes better sleep and relieves anxiety. Particularly, the results show that one of the carotenoids found in Gardenia, called Crocetin, improved sleep quality in men who suffered from problems associated with sleep, with no additional side effects.[12]

The only downside is that gardenias can be a bit difficult to maintain. In order to keep their delicate leaves and flowers, you have to keep it on bright, but indirect sunlight, and regularly spray its leaves and soil with water. If you suffer from insomnia or anxiety, investing a bit of your time of taking care of this plant could be a much better and healthier solution to taking sleep pills.

Spider Plant – Best Plant for Filtering VOCs

Spider plant, similar to snake plant is also considered one of the best houseplants for filtering VOCs, and its air-cleaning properties and health benefits have been scientifically confirmed. According to NASA tests, spider plant has the ability to remove 90% of chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and xylene from the air.[13] Since formaldehyde is found in many common household products, it’s a good idea to keep one of these plants around. Apart from cleaning the air and improving the oxygen levels in your bedroom, this plant is also great for absorbing fumes and odors.

Spider plants are very easy to maintain, making them perfect for busy owners who don’t have time to provide constant care. The only thing this houseplant needs is well-drained soil and indirect light. Spider plants don’t like to be overwatered and prefer cooler temperatures (anywhere from 55 to 65 F).

Valerian – Best Plant for Inducing Sleep

The Valerian is a flowering plant known for its beautifully scented pink or white flowers that bloom in the summer. The plant doesn’t take much space, and its long stalks and colorful flowers will be a wonderful addition to any bedroom.

The blossoms are used as a perfume since the 16^th century, while the root has been used for tea or tincture since ancient times. It’s an interesting fact that a Roman physician and philosopher named Galen prescribed Valerian for insomnia. Today, research has proven that Galen was right and that valerian root can indeed alleviate sleep issues.[14] When it comes to this plant’s sleep-inducing properties, the effect comes from a number of chemicals, specifically isovaleric acid and valepotriates that help to relax the muscles and the central nervous system.[15]

Valerian is so powerful that inhaling its scent is enough for falling asleep faster and enjoying a more peaceful night’s rest.

To take proper care of your Valerian, make sure it receives a lot of sunlight and water it enough to keep the soil moist.

Peace Lily – Best Plant for Increasing Humidity

Apart from looking exceptional and being amazing air cleaners,[16] Peace lilies can also increase room humidity by up to 5%. Increased humidity is not only great for easier breathing during sleep, but also for getting rid of any impurities and airborne microbes that could disturb your rest. Studies show that sleeping with peace lilies helps to decrease one’s susceptibility to colds and respiratory illness.[17]

To take proper care of this plant, keep it in a shady spot and water it once a week, best when top inches of the soil seems dry.

The Bottom Line

And that’s it! According to our research, those were the 8 best plants for sleep!

Among some of our honorable mentions are English Ivy, Pothos, Passion Flower, Bamboo Palm, Chinese Evergreen, and Dracaena.

As you can see, there definitely isn’t a lack of houseplants that can be used to aid you in your sleep. They add warmth, relaxing fragrance and effectively increase oxygen levels in your room, thus ensuring a restful slumber. Add one of them in your bedroom to get your own little dose of zen.

Resources and References

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230460/

[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319979551_Role_of_Plants_in_Indoor_Air_Remediation

[3] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073077.pdf

[4] https://jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40101-015-0060-8

[5] https://journals.ashs.org/horttech/view/journals/horttech/18/4/article-p563.xml

[6] http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.health.20170704.01.html

[7] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708104320.htm

[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6007527/

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5878871/

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18053656

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20537515

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC159294/

[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10761819

[15]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274411047_Biomedically_relevant_chemical_constituents_of_Valeriana_officinalis

[16]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250005457_Purification_Effects_of_Golden_Pothos_and_Peace_Lily_for_Indoor_Air-Pollutants_and_its_Application_to_a_Real_Environment

[17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258716/

Think a nightcap may help you get a better night’s sleep? You are wrong!

Anyone who consumes alcohol from time to time knows that drinks like beer, wine, or spirits can leave you feeling drowsy. Due to this effect, many people started to use alcohol as a sleep aid. In fact, surveys show that as many as 20% of Americans use alcohol to help them fall asleep in the evening. Alcohol is a depressant, and it indeed induces sleep. However, it also contributes to poor quality shuteye, leading to interrupted snoozing, night sweats and disturbed REM sleep. [1]

Watch this video to learn what happens behind your closed eyes when you go to sleep after drinking.

Alcohol Doesn’t Aid Sleep

A study conducted in 2013 and published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has proven that alcohol doesn’t aid sleep.[2] Although it reduces the time required to fall asleep (sleep onset latency), it causes disrupted sleep in the second half of the night, by increasing non-REM sleep and reducing rapid eye movement.

Depending on the amount of alcohol you consumed, what seems like falling asleep will more likely be closer to passing out. Tolerance for the sedative effects of alcohol is quickly built, which means that over time you will have to drink more to enjoy the same sleep-inducing effects of alcohol consumption.[3]

Since alcohol is quickly metabolized, most people experience withdrawal symptoms in the second half of the night. Symptoms of withdrawal may include shallow sleep and multiple awakenings, REM rebound associated with nightmares or vivid dreams, sweating, and general activation.

Using alcohol as a sleep aid may not only lead to dependence, but also cause a variety of sleep problems such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, and sleep deprivation.

Lastly, alcohol also suppresses breathing and can precipitate sleep apnea. Since alcohol impairs sleep during the second half of the night, it reduces overall sleep time which leads to daytime somnolence.

The Relationship between Alcohol and Insomnia

Insomnia is often a chronic condition, and relying on alcohol to fall asleep will only make things worse and increase your risk of alcohol dependence. Alcoholism itself is associated with the complaints of poor sleep, increased sleep onset, sleep maintenance issues, and decreased delta and REM sleep.[4]  Lastly, it increases the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, even in individuals without a history of OSA.[5]

How Does Alcohol Interrupt Sleep?

According to a study by Wayne State University and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, after a few drinks, individuals report subjectively shallow sleep and frequent awakenings in the middle of the night.[6]

Research shows that, in the first half of the night, when the body is metabolizing alcohol, people spend more time in deep, slow-wave sleep and less time in REM sleep. REM sleep is a vital sleep stage for physical and mental restoration. This is why after a night of drinking, you wake up in the morning feeling drowsy and tired, no matter how long you stay in bed.

You probably think it’s great to spend more time in deep sleep, but it’s really not healthy for you. Why? Because our sleep architecture is biologically tuned to meet our body’s needs during sleep. Abrupt changes to our typical and natural structure of sleep aren’t generally good for our wellbeing.

During the second half of the night, sleep becomes even more disrupted. As alcohol is metabolized and its sedative effects start to disappear, the body goes through a process the experts call a rebound effect[7]. The rebound effect includes a sudden change from deeper to lighter sleep, with more frequent awakenings during the second half of the night. The abrupt frequent awakenings can manifest as micro-awakenings that you don’t even remember, but they still interrupt the natural flow of sleep and its quality. Our sleep architecture shifts again, and we spent significantly less time in slow wave sleep. The rebound effect may also include more time in REM sleep, which is characterized by vivid dreaming. Disrupted REM sleep also Increases risk for parasomnias including sleepwalking and sleep eating.[8]

Mid-night awakenings after drinking are common because alcohol affects the normal production of chemicals in the body that induce sleep (such as melatonin and ATP) when you’ve been awake for a long time, and recede once you’ve had enough rest. After drinking, production of adenosine (vital for inducing sleep) is increased, allowing for a fast onset of sleep. But it recedes as quickly as it came, making you more likely to wake up before you’re truly rested, and preventing you from falling asleep again – another consequence of the rebound effect.

Simply explained, alcohol’s adenosine-boosting effects mess up with your internal sleep drive and make you sleep at times other than you would naturally, throwing your natural sleep-wake cycle off course.[9]

This is the primary way alcohol disrupts sleep, but the effects of going to sleep with alcohol in your system don’t stop here. Here are other ways how alcohol interrupts nightly rest.

Disrupted sleep-wake cycles

Alcohol suppresses melatonin, the primary regulator of sleep-wake cycles. Research shows that a moderate dose of alcohol just 1h before bedtime can decrease melatonin production by 20%.[10] Alcohol reduces the ability of the master biological clock to respond to the light which helps it to stay in sync with the 24h day/night cycle.[11]

Effects on circadian rhythm

Let’s quickly refresh our knowledge on the importance of the body’s internal clock. Our 24-hour rhythms are managed by the master biological clock which is responsible for coordinating circadian rhythm activity through the body.

Circadian rhythms are crucial for our health because they regulate nearly all of the body’s processes, from metabolism and sleep to immunity, energy, our sexual drive, cognitive functions, and mood. Alcohol disrupts circadian functioning and directly interferes with the ability of the master biological clock to synchronize itself. Since our internal clock is, as we previously mentioned, responsible for regulating all of the major body’s processes, the disruptive effects of alcohol can be widespread, affecting not only our sleep, but other systems as well, resulting in poor liver function, leaky gut, and depression.

1. Poor liver function – Our liver is the body’s filtering system, and its primary role is to metabolize food and chemicals (including alcohol) and to remove toxins from the bloodstream. When alcohol disrupts the circadian rhythms regulating the liver, it compromises liver function and contributes to liver toxicity and disease.
2. Leaky gut – The gut and its microbiome are often referred to by experts as the body’s second brain, and it’s also operated by circadian rhythm activity. When thrown out of sync, the lining of the gastrointestinal tract becomes more susceptible to permeation, meaning the lining of the GI tract is more likely to allow bacteria, and toxins to leave the intestines and enter the bloodstream.
3. Depression – There’s a complicated relationship between depression, alcohol, and sleep. Depression and insomnia are often comorbid, and even the presence of moderate amounts of alcohol may make things even worse, especially when it comes to further pushing your circadian rhythm out of sync.

Diuretic effect

Your body knows that nighttime is time for sleep, and not adequate time for trips to the bathroom. Simply explained, your body has learned to put your bladder into hibernation for the night. But alcohol, since it has a diuretic effect, will cause you to wake up to use the restroom during the night, and interrupt your sleep.

Night sweats

Drinking affects your sleep homeostasis by messing up with the body’s core temperature. Alcohol first cools you down, helping you to fall asleep, but in the second half of the night, your body temperature will rise. Due to alcohol’s diuretic effect, your body will be encouraged to lose the extra heat through sweat, ultimately making you dehydrated. Night sweats may be particularly problematic for people who already sleep hot. However, once the effects wear off, your body counteracts it with a corresponding rise in temperature, causing night sweats and making you wake up earlier than expected.

Snoring and sleep apnea

Alcohol relaxes all the muscles in your body, which means that the relaxed tissue in your throat, mouth, and nose may stop proper air flowing, causing the air to vibrate, and resulting in loud snoring.

Effect on sleep disorders

Research shows that alcohol consumption may lead to the development of new sleep disorders or make existing ones worse, particularly when it comes to insomnia[12] and OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).[13]

As you can see, alcohol can equal a fitful night’s sleep. Sleep and circadian rhythm interference from alcohol contribute to next-day sleepiness, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty focusing. Even if you don’t experience it as a typical hangover, alcohol-related sleep loss negatively affects your mood and performance during the day.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that the more you drink, and the closer it is to your bedtime, the more it negatively affects your sleep. It doesn’t matter if you take moderate amounts of alcohol at bedtime. Almost any quantity can alter your sleep architecture and natural sleep flow.

Alcohol may severely affect your sleep, but that doesn’t mean you should stop consuming it completely. So, you may be wondering how much alcohol is too much for sleep?

Ideally, you should drink 2 to 3 times a week. This gives you enough room to enjoy a glass of fine wine at your favorite restaurant, an evening cocktail with your friends, and a cold beer at home after a busy week – without interfering with healthy sleep.

And when is the best time to consume alcohol?

Circadian rhythms affect how the body responds to alcohol, depending on the timing of alcohol intake. Research shows the body metabolizes alcohol differently at different times of the day. Your body is least prepared to process alcohol in the morning, and best metabolized early to middle evening hours – or during the traditional “happy hour” time.

Resources and references

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4666864/

[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15300277

[3] https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2775419/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5840512/

[6] http://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WP14-with-cover.pdf

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REM_rebound

[8] https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm

[9] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/

[10]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291450048_An_interaction_of_melatonin_with_alcohol_A_case_study

[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2778757/

[12] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2775419/

[13] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5840512/

Alcohol has become a staple in contemporary society. It’s often utilized in situations where individuals seek to unwind and escape the stresses and anxieties brought on by their professional responsibilities and other life pressures. After enduring a challenging day, the only thing they desire is to make the most of their leisure time. Unfortunately, this stress can also severely impact one’s quality of sleep, making alcohol a widely used makeshift solution for better sleep worldwide.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s a healthy or reliable one. Despite its popularity, alcohol is one of the worst things you could consume before bed, as it negatively affects almost everything about sleep. In this article, we will be focusing on snoring, as snoring can also negatively impact the sleep schedule of people in your home, and because it’s connected to one of the most common sleep disorders in the world. Together we will examine everything you need to know about alcohol’s connection to snoring, in the hopes that the knowledge will help some of you correct some lifestyle mistakes or help loved ones do the same. Let’s get into it.

How Does Alcohol Affect Sleep?

Those who drink before bed typically do it for one main reason (outside of late-night socializing): reduced sleep onset latency. Being able to fall asleep faster is a very tempting prospect, especially for people who are potentially dealing with a sleep disorder that drastically increases their sleep onset latency. And in the first week or so, it may seem oddly effective. Even after two or three drinks, you might wake up feeling rested and energized, but that positive feeling won’t last much longer. As time goes on, you’re going to have to imbibe more and more alcohol to get the same initial benefits, and as it develops into an addiction, the adverse effects become much more pronounced.

To look at alcohol’s effect on sleep, you must understand the circadian rhythm we all live by. This rhythm exists thanks to a figurative “master clock” in our brain stem, that uses photoreceptors to detect natural sunlight in our surroundings. That way, it can tell the time of day, and instruct the rest of our body to function a certain way. It governs when melatonin (the hormone of sleep) is produced, when we feel hungry, how energized we are, etc. However, it’s not difficult to disrupt this rhythm (typically through bad lifestyle habits such as overexposure to blue light or an unhealthy diet), and doing so can cause serious health problems for you in the future, especially if alcohol is responsible. Here’s a brief list of problems that can arise from drinking too much before bedtime:

1. A leaky gut syndrome is a very scary condition that can come out of a disrupted circadian rhythm. Our gut’s functions are governed by the master clock, and if you consume a lot of alcohol and throw off your rhythm, this condition can quickly develop. Unfortunately, we don’t know everything there is to know about leaky gut syndrome yet, except that it causes toxins and other unwanted substances to enter your bloodstream directly. You can probably imagine how disastrous this can be.
2. Depression is, unfortunately, a common condition and one that always seems to come hand-in-hand with alcohol abuse. What starts with a shot or two before bed can spiral down into serious mental health issues that need months (if not years) of therapy to resolve. Not to mention how depression itself can cause a disrupted circadian rhythm and encourage other self-destructive habits.
3. Sleep-wake cycle disruption is, unsurprisingly, a common result of alcohol abuse. You see, our ability to fall asleep and wake up at the right times stems from a collection of sleep-related hormones whose production causes varying states of drowsiness or alertness. Melatonin is the main hormone in charge of putting us to sleep, and its production is reduced by around 20% if you drink even a moderate amount before bedtime. Additionally, adenosine production can get increased, which can create scenarios where you sleep during times when you should be awake. These effects combine to throw off your sleep schedule entirely.
4. Compromised liver function is another potential consequence of regular and frequent alcohol use. The liver is another organ whose functioning is governed by our circadian rhythm, and the disruption of that rhythm can lead to severe issues like liver toxicity or various illnesses.

A Brief Overview of Snoring

Snoring isn’t an uncommon part of sleep for most adults, but it can create and point towards some nasty problems. It occurs when your breathing muscles relax to the point of vibrating while you breathe, which creates that hoarse, unpleasant sound. For couples, snoring can be a huge concern as the person snoring can keep their partner awake for potentially hours, and throw off their sleep schedule completely, which can create tension between the two people. Men are more prone to snoring, as are heavier individuals.

Snoring tends to increase in frequency and intensity as the person grows older, as aging naturally relaxes the breathing muscles. Your tongue falls back, and the walls of your throat vibrate as you inhale (and exhale, but to a lesser extent). Snoring can often be traced back to abnormalities in the structure of the nose and throat. These include enlarged tonsils or adenoids, deviated nasal septum or polyps. Additionally, problems like respiratory infection or allergies can heavily contribute to snoring, and you have to deal with the underlying causes to control your noise levels at night.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there. Snoring is linked to a variety of problematic situations and conditions that can seriously hamper your daily productivity and energy levels. If the throat closes entirely, the person goes through what is known as a mild episode of apnea. It can cause them to require medical attention in bad cases, but it doesn’t stop there. Snoring can be a big indicating factor of sleep apnea, a much more serious condition that ultimately has no cure. Those affected typically receive long-term therapy in the form of positive air pressure (PAP) treatment, which involves a hefty investment in home treatment equipment.

Usually, snoring is noticed by people in the snorer’s vicinity. However, there are ways you can deduce that you might be a noisy sleeper, and we have provided a useful list of symptoms to consult. It goes as follows:

1. Excessive daytime sleepiness, usually as a result of the fragmented sleep that often comes with snoring
2. Waking up with intense headaches
3. Noticeable weight gain in recent months
4.  Waking up without feeling rested
5. Getting up in the middle of the night, typically confused and disoriented
6. Pauses during breathing while asleep (usually spotted by someone else, but waking up gasping is a surefire way to tell)
7. Being unable to remember crucial things or concentrate on crucial tasks

Snoring is typically dealt with through a combination of lifestyle changes and direct intervention, depending on the intensity and the patient’s medical history. If deemed absolutely necessary, surgical interventions will take place, although this is typically not warranted. Should the patient be diagnosed with sleep apnea, PAP machines will be used to provide adequate treatment, even at home.

When it comes to lifestyle changes, the main thing to note is that snoring is more common while sleeping on one’s back. Sleep position training is often recommended to help transition the patient into a side sleeping routine. Make sure to have a thorough, detailed conversation with your doctor about the pros and cons of every treatment option available to you, especially if you’re running on a very tight budget.

How Alcohol Affects Snoring

With all the prerequisite information taken care of, we can dive into the meat of the topic. Alcohol serves as a sedative, which leads people to use it as an improvised sleeping aid when they struggle to doze off. However, it also relaxes your jaw and throat muscles considerably, which can cause your tongue to fall into your throat and directly lead to intense, loud snoring. If your partner or a family member don’t wake you up, chances are that your brain will.

You see, alcohol abuse before bed can create episodes of apnea, even if you don’t otherwise have the associated sleep disorder. When this happens, your breathing stops for a moment, and your brain responds to this crisis by startling you out of sleep, usually with a loud gasp. Waking up this way even once can result in fragmented sleep, an unpleasant scenario that leaves you without much-needed time in REM sleep. Since REM sleep is where your cognitive abilities are sharpened, alcohol can cause you to feel very disoriented and unfocused the following day, simply by waking you up once or twice through snoring.

Alcohol also has a nasty habit of dehydrating you (and your mouth). When the tissues in your mouth and throat are dry, the vibrations rattle far louder than usual. This makes it far more likely that you (or someone in your vicinity) will wake up in the middle of the night. If you share your bed, that could result in at least a few angry glares and complaints.

How to Deal With Snoring

An article about snoring wouldn’t be complete without a section listing solutions and tips for those of you that have to deal with snoring regularly. From an annoyance to a serious medical concern, snoring affects enough people (even if indirectly) that we feel it’s necessary to spread awareness about notable ways you can deal with this situation. Here’s a brief list to help you cope:

1. As should be pretty obvious by now, avoiding alcohol before bed at all costs is an effective way to reduce the intensity and frequency of your snoring. It most likely won’t remove the issue entirely, however. Keep in mind that you can still enjoy a glass or two in the afternoon, as long as your last drink is more than four hours away from your scheduled bedtime. Drink responsibly.
2. Limit your alcohol consumption in general — two glasses per day for men, one for women. Women metabolize alcohol much faster and are thus especially susceptible to its effects.
3. Eat a meal while you enjoy your drinks, and drink a glass of water or two for good measure. These will help you shake off the effects of alcohol faster, and severely reduce the chances of going through an intense snoring session, as long as you don’t drink directly before bed.
4. Seek out a mouthpiece that prevents snoring. These tend to work by stopping your tongue from falling back in the first place, leaving your airways more open for calm, peaceful breathing.
5. If possible, try to sleep on your side at all times. While you obviously can’t fully control your position throughout the night, make it a point to lie on your side again if you wake up during the night.
6. If you share your bed with a partner, consider buying them a set of earplugs or a similar noise reduction gadget. It’s a nice gesture, especially if you have a habit of waking them up. Fortunately, you can get quality earplugs for around $20 or less, so it’s not a huge investment.

Heading to a new place and in search of fresh bedding? Struggling to find a pillow that doesn’t leave you with neck discomfort, regardless of your efforts? You’re in good company. Research through randomized trials shows that 15 to 20% of adults globally suffer from discomfort in their arms, backs, and necks, or experience stiffness regularly each week. While for some, it may only be a sporadic annoyance, there are those who face undefined pain nearly every day.

Even if you are merely bored with your old bed, navigating the market can be hard enough. With the current offer of endless materials, mattress configurations, even sheet prints, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and confused. Knowing which of these things will suit you takes some trial-and-error time until you start to feel comfortable and confident in making a decision.

In these situations, it is helpful to remind yourself how many of these items you need for optimal sleep. When it comes to pillows, the fact is that most people require only one, though it needs to be of good quality and tick a few customized boxes. However, there are scenarios in which you might need an extra pillow or two (and not for décor purposes), or even prefer to sleep without any at all. Several factors may influence this decision, and we’re just about to unpack them.

The Main Pillow

Whether or not you need more than one pillow, or whether the one you already have suits you, it all depends how you feel sleeping on it. Do you get enough rest? Do you wake up without numbness or pain? Do you feel refreshed and energized in the morning? These are some goals to strive for when it comes to your bedding. The right setting should keep your spine perfectly aligned, which means no head tilting or neck strain. To achieve this state, your pillow’s loft has to be high enough to prevent your head from sinking too deep, but low enough not to push it too far in the other direction. Typically, you will come across three categories addressing the loft: low (up to three inches high), medium (between three and five inches), and high loft (five inches and above).

The material should be not only comfortable but also hypoallergenic, in case you’re one of the people whose allergies act up around bedtime. Moreover, the density of the pillow needs to meet your needs – softer or firmer, with the surface flatter or shaped. This will determine how deep your head will sink and whether the material will conform around it for additional, corrective support. Lastly, the breathability of your pillow can mean the difference between healthy rest and disrupted, poor quality sleep, especially for those who tend to sleep hot. Excessive heat can be trapped inside the pores of high-density materials such as memory foam and cause much distress for the sleeper.

However, when your pillow doesn’t already meet all or most of the criteria just mentioned, and you wake up sweating or tired, it’s time to make a change. Figuring out exactly which features will do the trick for you starts with the way your body is positioned during the biggest portion of the night.

Sleep Positions

Which way you face during sleep classifies you as a side, stomach, or back sleeper. Each of them come with many variations that have unique benefits and downsides and therefore require different levels of support.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is considered the best option out of the three. The way your organs are positioned when sleeping on your side means you’ll face the smallest chances of discomfort – this state is known to prevent sleep apnea, acid reflux, and snoring. Here are the three most common ways people settle down on their side:

1. Fetal position – legs are bent in the knees and arms are in the front or under the pillow.
2. Log position – both arms and legs are stretched out and you look as if you were standing upright.
3. Yearner position – legs are stretched out, but arms are reaching forwards.

An adequate amount of support means different things between the three categories, but sleeping on your side makes the least room for issues. The only thing to be concerned about here is the loft of your pillow – side sleepers require higher profile, supportive surfaces to keep their head in line with the spine. Memory foam does a great job of keeping everything in place as it usually has excellent conforming properties – unless you can’t handle the heat, that is. In essence, any cushion that is on the thicker end, and keeps your head straight will do the trick, but make sure it’s comfortable.

Back Sleeping

This position can work well in certain circumstances, but not everybody will benefit from it. Acid reflux prevention, proper spine alignment, and even weight distribution across your body are some of the upsides that come with sleeping on your back. Unfortunately, facing upwards isn’t the best idea if you have sleep apnea or tend to snore, as back sleeping is known to worsen these conditions, directly impairing the efficiency as well as the duration of your rest.

Back sleepers take up about 13% of the total population. They commonly spend their nights in these positions:

1. Savasana – facing the ceiling, arms, and legs straightened out as if standing upright.
2. Soldier – same as Savasana except with one leg bent at the knee.
3. Starfish – legs stretched, arms above the head.

When you lay down in this manner, there are a few things to be addressed. First, your main pillow needs to have a lower medium loft and preferably some contouring properties, filling out the empty bit of space below your neck. A good option for this would be a pillow with a divot.

Stomach Sleeping

Officially the worst option out of the three, sleeping on your stomach does come with some pros – it prevents snoring and sleep apnea. Unfortunately, the list ends there, as the downsides to this way of sleeping take over. When you sleep on your stomach, your entire weight distributes around your core and presses your organs into the bed. Besides decreasing their ability to expand and impairing the way they function, this also creates a great deal of stress in your ankles and wrists as they are left to handle your body’s pull. Furthermore, stomach sleeping causes even more wrinkling and breast sag than side sleeping. The discomfort caused by this position makes stomach sleepers toss and turn noticeably more often than other types of sleepers, reducing the quality of their sleep.

Finally, this position is a bad idea if you experience back or neck pain, as your spine is likely to be curved, especially if you use a thick pillow or have a very soft bed. In fact, stomach sleepers are the only group that would benefit from sleeping without a pillow altogether. If this notion is too strange for you, using a thinner but moldable pillow would be optimal, as it would allow you to turn around as much as you need to without sacrificing your comfort.

Common Types of Pillows

By now, you’ve hopefully got a picture of what you should be looking for. To give you a bit more insight into whether a model type may suit you or not, let’s take a look at the general characteristics of the ones most commonly found on the market.

Memory foam is an overall good pick for corrective purposes. This material molds around your head and neck, filling all gaps and leaving no room for bad posture. The surface of most models is around medium firm, as it’s meant to prevent you from sinking in too deep. The flaws of memory foam stem from its high density. If you are someone who struggles with excessive heat during the night, this material would be a bad idea as it’s compact structure leaves little room for air to circulate. Additionally, if you like those pillows that feel supple and soft at first touch, the memory foam surface might feel a bit awkward and hard at first, as it takes some time before it molds around you. Overall, memory foam is a widespread favorite and recommended for people who experience neck pain or headaches.

Latex is known for its soft feel and long lifespan. Highly responsive and mold resistant, this type of cushion is also eco-friendly. According to this trial, latex is deemed most helpful for dealing with persistent headaches and arm pain upon waking. However, latex definitely doesn’t sleep the coolest of the lot and can be pricey, especially the organic models. Before you decide to give it a go, make sure you aren’t allergic.

Gel-infused pillows are made for hot sleepers. Cooling property is their main selling point, along with being hypoallergenic. Even some memory foam models are infused with gel for this reason, but that usually gives them the “average” instead of “heat-trap” status in this area.

Feather pillows have been used for quite a while. They are famous for their light weight, softness, immediate responsiveness, and admirable durability. Like all other models, though, they have their cons. For one, they aren’t very breathable, disqualifying them for hot sleepers. Further, the feathers can poke through the fabric, causing skin irritation even for people who aren’t allergic. Lastly, those whose allergies act up at nighttime, as well as those who are allergic to feathers – better look at other options.

Contour pillows curve down in the middle part (think: headrests on a massage bed, except not empty in the center) and considered suitable for side and back sleepers. They are very supportive, promote good posture, and help reduce snoring.

When One Pillow Isn’t Enough

As mentioned above, most issues with pressure points and pain can be prevented or decreased to an extent by purchasing a suitable pillow. However, there are times when an extra mile is necessary.

Every one of these positions has a pressure point or two besides the one around the neck area. Your mattress would preferably address these, but if this isn’t the case and you can’t replace it, or you simply require sturdier support, additional pillows come in handy.

Side sleepers: to decrease the stress on your hips, professionals sometimes recommend placing another, thin pillow between your knees, or getting a body pillow that can be used in a similar manner. The goal here is to keep your pelvis straight. If you experience chronic pain in the lumbar area despite doing everything right, you may also put a thin layer below the knees or ribs.

The lumbar region is the back sleepers’ main pressure point. You can elevate most of the discomfort by putting a thin pillow under your knees, prompting your back to sink more deeply into the surface of your bed and filling the awkward gap between.

For stomach sleepers, a thin cushion placed under your hips may be of additional help in reducing the pressure in your muscles and joints caused by sinking too deep into the mattress.

Pregnant sleepers often need plenty of support, too. As the stomach grows, new pains and uncomfortable stretches create much distress to the expecting mother. For this reason, doctors frequently advise using a body pillow to hug around, which will ensure the stomach is adequately supported. Fixing up extra pillows behind the back, between or under the knees is also not rare. Just try not to pile up a bunch of thin pillows on top of one another, and instead opt for one pillow per area. You may think there is no difference, as the height is the same, but that may do more harm than good. By picking one over many, you decrease the possibility of one cushion sliding out or falling off the bed.

Body Pillows

This oversized cushion, although used mainly by pregnant people, may benefit pretty much everyone who is looking for a whole-body support system in the bed. There are two common types of body pillows: the U-shaped, meant for side and back sleepers alike, and the I-shaped one indicated only for side sleepers. Not convinced? Here are some features that prove body pillows are worth a shot:

1. Relief from pain in critical points – if you put one leg over, hip stress is taken care of. Hug it with your arm and ensure the shoulders and elbows are relaxed, too.
2. Decreased tossing and turning. The U-shaped ones, in particular, are designed to lock you in place comfortably, helping you fall and stay asleep.
3. Decreased snoring. By preventing you from turning over to your back during sleep, this cushion will stop you from snoring as well.
4. Relief from neck or back pain. Having something to lean over ensures your muscles won’t need to be tense to keep you in place, minimizing chances of numbness or pain the next morning.
5. Stress relief. A body pillow is essentially a grown-up version of a teddy bear. Not only will holding onto it make you feel more safe and secure, but your brain will associate the two and start releasing oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress.

Knee Pillows

Although we have mentioned the possibility of placing a thin layer between or under your knees, there are specialty items made precisely for this purpose. Most knee pillows are hourglass-shaped, which promises they won’t slip away during your sleep. They are meant to relieve any aches and discomfort that you may feel while sleeping on your sides, such as tension in your calves or hips. They also suit people who want to prevent the contact between their legs – a reasonable request, especially during summer or for those with skin issues.

Although placing it between their knees may not be beneficial or even practical for them, back sleepers who struggle with slow circulation can put a wedge-shaped knee pillow under their legs instead and promote healthier blood flow. Pregnant women could use the support when back or pelvis issues arise, but also as a measure to prevent such difficulties in the first place.

Lastly, people with chronic pain, injured individuals, and those with restless leg syndrome (RLS) may find comfort in using a knee pillow. As RLS causes tension and pain in one’s legs, and can make them shake for hours during sleep, some knee pillows are specially designed with straps that can be tied around the legs and decrease excessive movements. Besides aiding the person with RLS, this is also helpful if they sleep with a partner, as a precaution against being kicked during sleep.

Wedge Pillows

These cushions come with a tapered incline, intended to slightly lift up your head, legs, torso, or any other area you may need them for. They are usually on the firm end, meant to use alongside your regular pillow and not instead of it. A wedge pillow can be handy for plenty of scenarios: as back support while watching TV or resting on your sofa, as an elevated headrest to prevent acid reflux, a platform for your legs to promote blood circulation, etc.

A wedge pillow can come as a single piece or have multiple parts. Highly customizable and sturdy, these products can vary in almost every aspect and suit a broad audience of customers. Here are some reasons you may want to consider buying one for yourself:

1. Conforms closely to your body
2. Convenient and comfortable
3. Prevents varicose veins
4. Decreases snoring
5. Promotes better blood and air flow
6. Helps with acid reflux

Annually, the majority of individuals set aside a few specific dates dedicated to deep cleaning their homes. This activity often carries the atmosphere of a festive occasion, largely because it coincides with the transition of seasons – have you ever heard of the concept of spring cleaning? Regardless of your personal enthusiasm for it, it’s hard to completely avoid encountering it on social media. The idea is, as the chill of winter gradually recedes, you gear up for the warmer months ahead, sprucing up your living space to reflect the change. This ritual helps people feel in tune and ready for the upcoming climate shift, stowing away their heavy outerwear, swapping out dense blankets for lighter, airier options, and so on.

Other than the spiritual purpose, these cleans have an essential role as, well, cleaning. This is a time when many individuals do in-depth scanning, get their dusting tools, vacuum cleaners, and mops out and turn their entire homes upside down. Once all the major things are taken care of, it’s easy to become a bit carried away, washing and sweeping every inch of the floors and vowing to always keep it as squeaky clean. However, rarely do people follow through.

See, most of us do our share and try to stay on top of things, but our busy lives can make it very difficult to prioritize dusting the shelves and washing the rugs. We mostly focus on keeping our space neat to feel better and more organized, and do specialty cleaning only when things get out of hand. This way of functioning is quite normal. Not every part of your living space requires constant care, but a question comes to mind – what is the optimum to strive towards? How often is “regularly” when it comes to cleaning?

Regarding your bedroom, the short answer is: weekly. The reasons? Keep reading.

Air Pollution

With climate change and the surge of industrialization in our recent history, it’s no wonder that the air we breathe in is more contaminated than ever. Both outdoors and in, there is a wide range of pollutants constantly present and irritating our airways.

Outdoor pollutants include:

1. Ozone
2. Smoke
3. Carbon monoxide
4. Sulfur dioxide
5. Nitrogen oxides
6. Remnants of fossil fuel burning

Indoor pollutants include:

1. Gases
2. Harsh chemicals
3. Smoke
4. Mold
5. Dust mites
6. Various bacteria

By merely living and using the commute, most of us are exposed to over half of contaminants from both lists. The immediate reactions of our organisms include coughing, wheezing, sneezing, sometimes headaches or watery eyes, and that’s even if we haven’t developed a chronic condition. The long-term consequences are dire; we now have more than ever people suffering from asthma and lung cancer. The health risks don’t stop with our respiratory system – air pollution also causes preterm birth in pregnancies, stroke, cardiovascular diseases and, since 2013, holds its spot on the World Health Organizations’ list of carcinogens. The people most at risk are those in lower-income countries, with air pollution accounting for the staggering 91% of the premature death rate, according to the WHO’s estimates.

To counter these issues and lower the pollution level worldwide, professionals offer solutions for better urban planning and industrial strategies. These include switching to more sustainable sources of energy, using lower-emission fuels, reducing and recycling waste, being more efficient with energy use, providing biking lanes, clean energy for household use, etc. Unfortunately, most of these fall onto the community institutions and leaders, rather than the average individual to solve, which leaves a limited arsenal for ordinary people against air contamination. For the lucky, relatively unbothered individuals, this means keeping the house clean and avoiding smoke. For those struggling with asthma or allergies, on the other hand, the story is a bit more complicated than that.

Allergies

Dealing with allergies can be very frustrating, especially if you don’t realize you have one. You read that correctly. It’s possible to have an allergy to contaminants found around you, even in your home: think, pollen, dust mites, cockroaches, pet dander, etc. But because you’re used to hearing about some other allergies causing emergencies, you may not initially connect the dots, as the symptoms of seasonal or household irritant-related allergies aren’t as life-threatening. However, it’s important to get them checked in time, as persistent allergies can spread downwards to your lungs and cause asthma.

If you frequently experience symptoms like sneezing, watery or itchy eyes, swollen eyelids, runny nose, coughing, weakness or tiredness in a specific time of the day, say, in the morning, it’s very possible that you are allergic to something in your home.

The cause of allergies isn’t precisely pinned down yet. We know that allergic reactions are just your immunity trying too hard to keep you safe, but it isn’t certain what triggers it. Possible risk factors include genetics and environmental factors. Ironically, some allergies develop because of our heightened hygiene standards nowadays; if your body hasn’t come in contact with something early on, exposure later in life can cause an overreaction as your immunity isn’t equipped to deal with the matter.

Common Allergens In Your Bedroom

If you experience some of the symptoms listed above and suspect an allergy, you can go to your doctor to get some tests done and find out for sure what’s going on. Here are some common culprits to watch out for indoors:

Cockroaches

Often encountered in more urban areas, these pests like warm weather and darkness, although they are known to be very resilient. They are mostly active at night, which allows them to crawl into our homes easily and unnoticeably while we sleep. People who are allergic to cockroaches are triggered by the protein found in their droppings and body parts, which means that even when dead, these pests may trigger cold-like symptoms such as postnasal drip, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, etc. Cockroaches also tend to aggravate nocturnal asthma and even cause it in allergic people.

Dust Mites

These creatures are too small for our naked eye to spot. They live in the dust and mainly feed off of our dead skin. Because of this, dust mites are frequent residents of our pillows, beds, sofas, rugs, curtains and similar dust-collecting, convenient places in our homes. Note that it’s actually their feces and not the dust mites themselves that people are allergic to. As these pests are impossible to get rid off entirely, they pose annoyances all year long for those who are sensitive to them. If it’s any consolation, the symptoms these people experience daily aren’t severe, and they are located in the upper airways, hence the name “allergic rhinitis.”

Pet allergens

Although we don’t classify our pets as pests, they do cause adverse effects on our health more often than we care to admit. The protein found on their dead skin, hair, or bodily fluids trigger sneezing, itchy eyes and cause one’s eyelids to swell. Many cats and dogs, even if hairless, can potentially cause these symptoms. Allergen-carrying particles easily get released into the air and find their way all around our homes, not to mention our clothes after a short petting session.

Pollen

Pollen is a particle released by flowers and trees usually during spring, with the purpose of their reproduction. For many unlucky individuals, though, the seasonal merriment is dulled and replaced by what seems to be an endless cold. Although it’s technically classified as an outdoor allergen, pollen easily makes its way into our homes via open windows and doors or carried by ourselves. The symptoms may be more severe than with the other mentioned allergies, potentially including the so-called “hay fever.” According to the NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences), this type of allergy affects almost one in six Americans.

Is Prevention Possible?

Although a lot is out of your control when it comes to outdoor pollution, there is plenty you can do to make sure your indoor air and surfaces are healthy. We’ll come to cleaning in a bit, but it’s sensible to first try and reduce the work if we can. Some of the following ideas may be obvious, but some often pass under the radar:

1. Get an allergen-repellant encasement for your pillows and mattress. Make it harder for unwelcome guests to stick around! When the time comes, it’s easier to take off and wash the covers than to thoroughly clean your mattress and pillows, although that doesn’t mean you should never do the latter.
2. Make your home less humid. Whether you merely stop using a humidifier or start using an air condition, addressing this issue will make your space less likely to attract pests like cockroaches or promote mold growth. Keeping your floors, rugs, and clothes dry is a must. That means throwing the washed laundry into the dryer as well as not leaving the wet towel on the floor after showering.
3. Consider purchasing an air purifier. These are very handy as an additional line of defense against airborne particles. For your bedroom, especially if you suffer from allergies or asthma, find a device that features a passive purification system, optimally with both HEPA and activated carbon technologies. As these two excel in different areas, they will be sure to clear out all sorts of allergens when combined. Another plus is, unlike some other types of purifiers, they filter and eliminate the pollutants instead of just neutralizing them and pinning them to the floor. That means less time vacuuming while enjoying fresher air, and also allows you to keep the windows open for shorter periods during the pollen season.
4. Don’t allow pets inside your bedroom, let alone bed. Cute as they are, the risk to your health simply isn’t worth it. Even if you seem to show any allergy symptoms around them, their curious faces and paws bring along everything they’ve stepped onto or come in contact with during the day.

Cleaning Methods and Considerations

How well does cleaning work? According to these studies, very well.

1. Washing your sheets and pillowcases once a week gets most of the job done even on lower temperatures. Most sheets are meant to be washed in colder water and tumble-dried to keep their material as soft as possible. However, it is recommended to wash them in hot water to eliminate dust mites and their food – your skin flakes, hair oil, and other bodily fluids. If you decide your sheets are too delicate for that, you can put them in the dryer at a high temperature before washing them, or even put them in the freezer shortly.
2. Your bed should be aired out once in two months, but you’ll be fine if you don’t skip it for over six months. That’s when it needs to be vacuumed, flipped over and rotated, not just to make it wear evenly, but also to minimize the risks for your health. Besides the scheduled mattress cleaning times, if you notice stains, off-putting smells or wake up with bumps all over your body, you’d be best advised not to postpone dealing with it. In the event of bed bug infestation, it can be a matter of hours before cleanup becomes near impossible.
3. Shower before going to sleep. When you come back from work or even a short trip to the store, many particles like dust or pollen use you as a vehicle. You can’t stop this from happening, but hanging your jacket near the door and then washing away everything else will at least limit what’s going to the bedroom with you.
4. Don’t focus only on the bedroom. Wiping it to perfection won’t matter the second you leave it to grab a bite or go to the bathroom. You will just carry back everything with you. By no means are you required to wipe and dust every single corner of your house on a daily basis, but don’t slack too much. While some things need only be checked monthly or even yearly, airing out your home, vacuuming, and dishes need to be done with more commitment. Make sure not to leave unwashed plates on countertops, and especially in your bedroom. Cockroaches can very well find their way in and be rewarded with food, too. Instead, wash up as soon as possible and close all waste into bags or containers.
5. Don’t just work hard; work smart. Splitting the washing into zones and covering them day by day instead of doing one exhausting session makes the whole thing much easier and takes less time. For example, pick a day to commit yourself to the living room: vacuum it, wipe all surfaces and throw the decorative pillows into the washing machine. Next day, do the bedroom: change sheets, pillowcases, and blanket encasement, and vacuum the floor. Over the week, you’ll cover the entire house. Another strategy would be sticking to one duty, like wiping the glass and making your way through the whole house. Next day, you swap it for sweeping the floors, etc.
6. Don’t wait until you accidentally spill a drink on your sheets before you change them (and don’t eat or drink in your room, while we’re at it). Remember, just because something smells nice or looks clean, doesn’t mean it really is. Did you know your purse likely carries more contaminants than the amount found in your bathroom? You just don’t think to wash it more often because it doesn’t show visible staining or smell bad. The same goes for your bedroom.
7. Underperforming can cause obvious issues. On the other hand, overdoing it with a harsh cleaning solution can do more harm than good in regards to your health. Try to stick with products that come with a short list of ingredients, and make sure you understand what they are. Basic things like vinegar, rubbing alcohol or baking soda can be enough in many situations, although we put more trust in complicated solutions.
8. Consider taking some eco-friendly steps to reduce your carbon footprint. It might not be a significant improvement to your own life, but making an effort to lower our contribution to the global contamination level is something we should all do. One individual doesn’t make a huge difference, but imagine if more individuals started buying fewer single-use items, found a green way to do laundry and recycled the waste they make. Cleaner water and air for everyone, you included.

The objective when putting away items you seldom use is to fold them so that they don’t get wrinkled and occupy the least amount of space. This is especially important for those who are limited by storage space and must be particularly diligent in maintaining organization. While many of us can handle folding flat sheets and pillowcases without much trouble, dealing with fitted bed sheets can be incredibly challenging.

You don’t know what to do with those elastic edges and billowy corners, so you get frustrated and end up just crumpling it into a ball of mess, and throwing it in the back of your linen closet. That way it takes too much space, it gets all wrinkled, and every time you look at it, it reminds you of that time you got so frustrated and gave up. But don’t worry, there is a way to do it.

We will show you a few tricks on how to fold your fitted sheets, and with our step by step guide, it will be incredibly easy. Read on to learn this useful skill, and you won’t have to stress about it ever again. You can even show it to your friends and make their lives a little easier as well; they will be thankful for sure.

4 Easy Steps to a Folded Fitted Sheet

People have been struggling with folding fitted sheets for as long as they’ve been around. It’s like these things are made to be unfoldable. Luckily, we have experimented a little bit, and we came up with an easy solution that should do the trick every time. Follow these step by step instructions to fold your fitting sheet successfully without getting frustrated during the process:

1. Lay your fitted sheet down on a flat surface with elastic edges showing. While this is usually done on the bed, you can also do it on the table or even floor, just make sure you have enough room. 
2. Observe each of four seams that are located in each corner of the sheet, as they will help you to fold it properly. Take the bottom two corners, and fold them up into top two corners in a way that they align completely. You can also do it lengthways if it seems more natural to you, but it should be easy either way.
3. Now you should have a more rectangular shape with more enclosed elastic edges, which is much easier to work with. To prepare for the next step, you can fold your sheet in half, or put the bottom third up and the top third down, depending on the size of it. The goal is to get straight lines and to get as close to a rectangle shape as possible. Remember to pat everything down after each fold, to get rid of the air, and to get a flatter crisp finishing product.
4. Fold the rectangle inwards into a square shape to a size you find appropriate for storing. Flatten it as you go, and you should have a folded fitted sheet in these four easy steps.

Alternative Way to Fold Your Fitted Sheet

We found the previous method to be the easiest, but if you are not convinced about it, we have an alternative for you. Follow these steps for a wrinkle-free, perfectly folded bedding:

1. Lay down your sheet on a flat surface and identify short from long edges. Make sure it is inside out.
2. While standing, take two adjacent corners of a long side, and place your hands inside them. 
3. Bring your right hand to your left hand and fold that corner over the one in your left-hand while flipping it, so that the right side is facing out.
4. Keep your left hand tucked in those two corners while using the right one to stretch and straighten the rest of the sheet that is hanging.
5. Reach down to grab a corner that is hanging and then bring it over the ones you are already holding in your left hand. The top one outside layer should be now facing inside out.
6. There is only one corner left, so bring it over with your right hand and fold it over as you did with the rest of them.
7. Lay down the sheet on a flat surface in a current folded state so that the elastic edges are facing up. Flatten it out additionally with your hand.
8. Now is the time to fold it in thirds to hide the elastic and get a rectangular shape.
9. Proceed to fold until the sheet is the size that you want, and remember to pat it in between to flatten it as much as possible. That way, it won’t wrinkle, and it will look crisp when you take it out.
10. Store it in your linen closet.

If corners unfold at any moment, you may need to shake out your sheet and start over. Try both described techniques and see which one suits you better. They should be equally efficient, although the first one appears to be a bit simpler. 

How to Fold Pillowcases and Flat Sheets

Now that the hard part of the folding is done, you can proceed with your other bedding products. For your pillowcases, lay them down on a flat surface and then fold them once length and crosswise to get a square. 

You should do the same with your flat sheet, although it will need a few more foldings. Put it down on an even surface and then start matching the opposite ends until you get a size that matches your folded fitted sheet. 

After everything is folded and ready, store your items in a linen closet where they won’t wrinkle and can stay fresh until you need to use them.

How to Organize Your Linen Closet

Have you always dreamed of a linen closet from a home decoration magazine, but yours somehow still looks like tossed piles of sheets and towels, despite your best efforts? We have some tips and tricks to help you get that magazine look you’ve always wanted. With a few additions and a little bit of creativity, you can organize it nicely and avoid mixed piles of bedding and towels.

The first thing you want to do is to review all the items you have in there. Be honest with yourself; if you haven’t used something in a few years, you probably aren’t suddenly going to love it and start using it every day. Whether you don’t like a particular design or the feel of a specific material, you are probably better off getting rid of those items. It’s better to donate them to somebody who is going to use them or throw them away if they are already worn out. It’s so much easier to organize when you get rid of all the unnecessary stuff and have less to deal with.

You should cover the shelves of your closet with a liner since certain wood, or melamine shelves can cause your sheets to fade and lose color over time, so you probably want to avoid damaging them. With so many patterns available, this will give your closet an improved modern look. 

Make sure to always wash your sheets and towels before storing them, so you always reach for a clean item when you need it. It’s best to fold them while they are still warm from the drier, but if you want to go an extra mile, you can iron them after drying. Follow the folding methods we described, and you’ll have even wrinkle-free stacks of sheets.

Organize your linens by category to avoid mixing up. You can do this by type, size, color, location of use, or any other basis you find appropriate. If you have different sets of sheets for every room in your house, it is reasonable to separate them based on that. However, if you don’t have preferences and all the sheets and towels are used by every member of the household, you can pick another way to categorize them. Also, make sure to put your most used items in front and center so that you can access them more easily. 

Use bins, baskets, and boxes to create different zones to separate your linens. That way, you can keep everything neat and easy to locate. Also, use zipper and space saving bags to store any extra bedding you might have like pillows and blankets. And don’t forget to label everything; that way, anyone who opens the closet in need of something will know precisely where to look for it. You can get over the door rack for tablecloths. Hanging them will prevent wrinkling, keep them dust free, and easily accessible for any occasion you need them.

A cool trick to always keep your bedding together is to fold the whole set, and then put it in a pillowcase. How many times have you looked for a piece of linen that you know is there, but couldn’t find it? With this neat trick, you will avoid all that, and all of your sets will always be at one place. 

Nobody likes to see moths, mildew, or to sense an unpleasant smell in their linen closet, and that’s why you need to keep it fresh always. You can do so by putting a box of baking soda your closet floor to absorb bad odors. Toss in a few lavender bags for a pleasant smell and to keep moths away. You can also put in scented soaps, and remember never to put dirty or wet linens inside.

Additional Tips For Better Folding

Always keep this additional information in mind for beautifully folded, wrinkle-free linens:

• Make sure there is enough room for folding, preferably a surface where you can lie your linens down and flatten them completely. A bed should do the trick, but if you don’t feel like it’s enough, you can use a table or floor.
• It is best to fold your linens while they are still warm from the drier. If you want, you can iron them beforehand, but this step is not entirely necessary, and you’ll be okay by just folding them right away.
• Keep your linen closet organized at all times by using our tips, and don’t forget to stuff your bed sets in an unfolded pillowcase to avoid mixing up.

Finally, if you feel like all your sheets are worn out and you need some new ones, check out our guides on how to buy the perfect sets. We have reviewed and written many pieces on all bedding products, so be sure to look around for anything you need. 

Preparing yourself for a surprise hiccup in life is a smart move for everyone. I’m not hinting at going all out like those folks who construct underground hideouts and hoard supplies as if the world might run out tomorrow. Instead, it’s about simple steps that keep you covered for a few days when something out of the blue strikes. True, emergencies don’t come knocking often, but getting blindsided, particularly in your sleep, isn’t a picnic. So, staying one step ahead is never a bad idea.

Natural disasters like hurricanes are frequent on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, while earthquakes are more common on the West Coast. Snow blizzards are most likely to happen in northern states, while fires and floods can happen anywhere.

The essential part is to educate yourself about emergencies that can happen in the area where you live. That way, you know what to prepare for exactly. Since you spend so much time resting in your bedroom, it is a place where you’ll most likely be when the emergency strikes. Read on to learn how to make your home safer, how to prepare, and what to do in case anything unexpected happens. Remember that preparation is vital to staying safe during any crisis.

General Tips for Emergency Preparedness

Here are some things that can be useful during an emergency, before we dive in into specific types later:

1. Prepare an emergency kit

There is an increasing trend of natural disasters around the globe due to climate change. Weather extremes appear to be more frequent in recent years, and it is only going to get worse if we don’t take any steps to stop the pollution and try to lessen the consequences of our actions. Natural disasters cost the US $91 billion in 2018, and as much as 80% of Americans live in an area that has recently been struck by a weather-related incident. However, only one in three people have a prepared emergency kit for those situations. It seems only logical that you should be ready in case anything happens, so here are some essentials you can include in your disaster bag, and keep it nearby just in case:

• Flashlights and lanterns
• Batteries
• A map of your area
• Portable phone batteries (desirably solar powered)
• First aid supplies
• Canned food and enough water to last for at least five days 
• Swiss army knife
• Emergency whistle
• Moist wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Extra cash
• Baby supplies if you have an infant
• Extra pair of glasses if someone is visually impaired since they can easily break in the state of panic
• Emergency contact information
• Backup of all essential financial information like home ownership, insurance, and list of all valuable items in your household. You can also include photocopies of birth certificates, passports, social security cards, and any other important documents. You can also include cherished family photographs, or you can store all this stuff on a hard drive and include it in your kit to take up less space.

Keep all these things in a container that has handles, and that’s easy for you to carry on your own. It is best to look for something waterproof and fireproof so that your things can be safe no matter what. Put the container in an easily accessible place somewhere in your bedroom. 

You should look through your emergency kit every year to see if all the things are in a working condition, and that your supplies haven’t expired. Replace anything that isn’t working or the food that’s gone bad. You can also do a practice run to see how efficient your kit is, and if you have everything you need. You can simulate power outage by turning off all lights, and see how everything performs, and if there is anything else you can include.

2. Sign up for emergency notifications

Knowing when the emergency is about to happen is essential to staying safe during it. You can download apps like FEMA or Red Cross Emergency App that are available both for Android and iOS, and turn on the alerts on your smartphone. They can tell you when there is a dangerous event approaching, and also give you some tips on how to be prepared for it. 

You can always listen to the weather forecast on radio stations or TV to see if there are any pending emergencies in your area. Also make sure to educate yourself about the events that have happened there in the past, and what to do during them. Read your local Red Cross informational pamphlets, and find out where the nearest emergency center is.

3. Keep emergency information nearby

If you are discovered unconscious, you want to be identified by medical staff and first responders, and you want them to have the right information essential to further recovery steps. 

You can take a piece of paper, add title “In Case of Emergency,” keep it nearby, and include the following:

• Names of all household members, including pictures if possible
• Names, relationships, and phone numbers of chosen emergency contacts
• Information about medical conditions, medications, and allergies

If you always have your wallet nearby, you can keep this paper in it. 

4. Store additional necessities in your bedroom

Your emergency kit and ICE list will be essential during an unexpected event, but there are some more things you can keep nearby to help you out. For instance, you always want to have a flashlight on your nightstand to guide your way to your kit if the power goes out. 

One more important thing to have nearby are sneakers. Make sure you have an extra pair under your bed or nightstand so that you can quickly put them on when the event breaks out. Do not put them somewhere where they’ll pose a tripping hazard, as people tend to panic in these types of situations, and tripping over can drastically slow you down. You can also keep extra blankets in your bedroom, which can be useful in protecting you during an emergency, by putting these soft layers on top to prevent any potential injury. You can always use them as additional cover during winter months, or when the power and heating run out. If there are high wind conditions, you can put them on your windows for extra protection.

5. Charge your phone

Even though we usually suggest removing all the electronics from your bedroom, as they can distract you and interrupt your sleep, you might want to consider charging your phone somewhere in your bedroom. Screens emit blue light that can trick your brain into thinking that it is daytime, which makes it harder to fall asleep. But if you plug in your phone, put it on silent, and cover up the charging light, you should be okay.

That way, you will have a fully charged phone if a disaster strikes, and that can be essential. As much as 40% of people reported that having a working cellphone during an emergency significantly helped them overcome the situation. With extra portable phone batteries in your emergency kit, you should have enough days of battery life until everything resolves.

6. Make an escape route

Plan at least two escape routes from any room using doors and windows, as you never know what the situation will be like. If you live in a building, know where all the exit staircases are located, and never use an elevator during an emergency. 

You can practice an escape route with your household members by having a test once a year. You should set up an outdoor safe spot when everybody meets in case of any catastrophic event. During the drill, always remember to grab your emergency kit, as it is vital for the oncoming period. Keep your car’s gas tank at least half full at all times so that you can drive away quickly if needed.

7. Hurricanes

Hurricanes are a type of massive storm that starts over a body of water and then move toward land. They are accompanied by many conditions such as strong winds, heavy rain, tornadoes, and flooding. In the US, the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico are at highest risk of experiencing hurricanes. They usually appear between May and the end of November, and here are some things you can do to prepare and stay safe during these events:

• Prepare your home before the hurricane season arrives. Pre-drill the holes around your windows so that you can quickly install plywood boards when the time comes. Secure your roof, check and clean all the rain gutters to make sure there isn’t any blockage. Regularly trim the trees around your house and remove any old branches that can fall through your windows and cause damages or injuries. You can also consider investing in flood insurance.
• Use a hurricane watch to get ready. When this alert is active, it means that severe weather conditions are likely to occur in the next 48 hours. This time is crucial to prepare. Keep your emergency kit nearby, go over the evacuation routes with your household members, and keep your gas tank full in case you need to evacuate. Secure your doors and windows, and try to stay away from them, preferably somewhere towards the central structure of your home. You can also consider moving your valuables upstairs in case of floods. Stay in your secured home until officials order evacuation, or until the danger passes. 
• If there is an active hurricane warning, it means that the hurricane-like conditions are likely to happen in the next 36 hours. Put in any outside furniture that can fly and damage your windows. Seal everything and stay at the designed safe place, away from the doors and windows. Also, follow the news and be ready to evacuate if the officials give out the order.

8. Tornadoes

Tornadoes are rapidly spinning columns of air that are connected both with the ground and clouds in the atmosphere. They are very violent and often destroy everything in their way. Although they can happen at any place at any time, they are most common in the Midwest and the Southeast. Powerful thunderstorms accompany tornadoes, as well as extreme wind conditions. They create clouds of flying objects and debris that wreck everything on their path. Here are some things you can do to prepare for these conditions:

• Secure your home to prevent the tornado damage. Regularly trim all trees in your yard, and make sure to remove any dead branches. Also, take inside any outside furniture and trash cans that could potentially fly through your windows. Consider installing impact-resistant windows or permanent covers for additional safety.
• Turn on emergency alerts, and make sure to watch the news and look out for sirens indicating a tornado warning. If there is an active tornado warning, immediately get to a safe place and wait for the officials to give out other safety instructions.
• Design your safe space. If your bedroom is located upstairs, go in a room downstairs, preferably a basement or a storm cellar. If you don’t have these in your home, go to the smallest room as far away from windows as possible. If you live in an apartment, go to the lowest floor, or a hallway somewhere in the center of the building. Make sure to stay close to the ground and cover head and neck with your arms, and also keep as many blankets and cushions nearby to buffer yourself from any potential injuries.

9. Earthquakes

Although earthquakes can happen anywhere at any time, they are most frequent in Alaska, California, and Mississippi Valley. Depending on the intensity, they can cause your household items to fall, and brake, damage roads, or even make buildings collapse. Earthquakes can be followed by floods, fires, tsunamis, landslides, and avalanches. Here are some tips to prepare for these natural disasters:

• Remove all items that are hanging on the walls and ceiling since they can fall and hurt you. Strap big pieces of furniture and remember to store all heavy objects on the lower shelves and closer to the ground. 
• Repair any cracks in the home foundation, walls, and ceiling you observe. Get a safety film and apply it to your windows in case they shatter. Check if your insurance covers damages from earthquakes, and consider renewing it if it doesn’t. You can also think about flood insurance if you live near water.
• Design a safe spot in your home. Usually, if it happens during the night, you are best off staying in bed and covering your head and neck with pillows and blankets. If there is something above you, like a bedroom fan, it is best to drop to the floor and cover your neck and head with your arms. Crawl to a safe space where nothing can fall on you, preferably near an inside wall, away from doors and windows.

10. Floods

Floods commonly appear after all mentioned natural disasters, but they can also be a result of heavy rainfalls. They can happen anywhere but are more common in areas near water and with long rain periods. Here is what you can do to prepare:

• If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, get the insurance that covers damages caused by these catastrophic events.
• Check for any cracks in your walls or home foundation, as this is where water gets in. Repair them as soon as you see them. Also, be ready to protect your home when floods strike. Buy sandbags, shovels, plastic garbage bags, and waterproof sheets to protect any areas of your bedroom and home susceptible to flooding. Relocate your valuables to upper levels to prevent them from getting damaged. 
• Watch the news, set notifications, and immediately react if you see an active flood warning. 

11. Fires

Wildfires are most common in areas with dry, hot climates, such as in the Western US, especially California. It appears that human actions cause 90% of these catastrophic events, and they spread so fast that you have very little time to react. Fires can also start in your home, and bedroom is the most common place for that according to National Fire Protection Association. Here are some things you can do to prevent that from happening:

• Make a fire escape plan with multiple exits, and make sure your family members have it. You can schedule a drill to make sure that everyone is prepared in case of an emergency. Many people don’t realize how much smoke there is when a fire breaks out, so maybe put a bandana over your head, or close your eyes to see if you can still found an exit. 
• Maintain your smoke alarms and make sure that each one works correctly. Keep one in every room, test and clean them once every couple of months, and change batteries yearly. 
• Remove any fire hazard. Don’t leave space heaters unattended, don’t smoke in your bedroom, and don’t light any candles. Regularly check the cables of electronics in your bedroom, and avoid placing wires under a rug. 
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby so that you can quickly react and prevent a fire from developing right away.

12. Winter Storms

Blizzards are more common in northern areas, and they can be very dangerous. They usually last for hours or days during which there are extreme winter conditions such as strong winds and unstable snow conditions. Here are some essential tips to keep your bedroom safe during winter storms:

• Seal and cover your windows to prevent them from breaking and keep the cold air outside. 
• Blizzards often go hand in hand with power outages, so have extra coats and bedding in your bedroom to help you stay warm. Consider investing in clothes that trap body heat to keep you warm for longer. Also, make sure you eat right, as your body needs fuel to keep the temperature up. You can also keep an extra electric space heater in case the power doesn’t go out, as it can be beneficial during these cold periods.
• Keep an eye on official alerts and warnings, and act accordingly. 

Getting a good night’s sleep remains an elusive goal for many, and selecting the perfect mattress can turn that goal into reality. To achieve the pinnacle of sleeping comfort, you should focus on finding a mattress that not only ensures your body and spine are well-supported and remain in alignment throughout the night but also offers ample comfort to promote deep, restorative sleep.

Foam is a crucial part of most mattress models. Innerspring and hybrid ones usually have comfort layers made of foam and a coil core that provide enough support for the sleeper. All foam mattresses have multiple layers that generally vary in density. The base is usually made from high-density foam to give the bed more sturdiness and the ability to carry more weight without deteriorating quickly. We can say the same thing about the perimeter of a mattress, as edge support is essential for utilizing whole sleep surface and preventing sagging. 

But what is foam density, and how do we measure it? Read on to find out, while also learning how it affects the whole mattress, and how to pick the right density based on your body weight and sleep position preference.

What Is Foam Density?

Density, in general, represents the relationship between substance mass and volume. In the world of mattresses, it refers to how much weight a cubic foot of foam is carrying, and it is expressed in pounds per cubic foot (PCF). For example, if something weighs 80 pounds, and measures 20 cubic feet, it would mean that its density is 4 PCF, meaning that every square foot measures 4 pounds if it has a uniform consistency.

Foam density falls into three main categories: low, medium, and high. High-density foams are primarily used in mattress support cores and foundation layers. They offer enough sturdiness to hold the whole construction and all the potential sleepers that might be using the bed. Sometimes, high-density foams can be found in comfort layers, and it usually means that a mattress has a firmer feel. In contrast, low and medium density foams are mainly used in the comfort system of the bed, since using them in the support core would lead to uneven support and excessive sagging, which would have a massive impact on mattress’ durability. However, they are perfect for comfort layers. They usually offer some level of conforming, which is essential to take the pressure of critical body points and ease the pain a sleeper might be experiencing due to improper body positioning during the night.

Different Types of Foam

The saying “It’s what’s inside that counts” is especially true for mattress construction. Quality materials need to be used to get increased comfort and exceptional durability, and the manufacturing process also plays a significant role in that. When we talk about foam materials, there are several different types: latex, gel-infused, and some others. But for now, we will concentrate on memory and polyurethane foam.

Polyurethane or polyfoam is a highly flexible synthetic material made from polyol and isocyanate chemicals derived from petroleum. The use of polyfoam began in the 1950s as an alternative to natural fibers like cotton and wool. It is not expensive to make, it conforms nicely, and returns to the original shape a lot quicker than natural fiber. It is also flame resistant, resilient, and it sleeps cooler than other foam types. Polyfoam is most commonly used in bases and support cores, transitional layers, and less often in top cushions. 

Memory foam is probably the most famous mattress material in use. It was first developed by NASA in 1966 to decrease the levels of stress astronauts were subjected to, due to high G force. The applied pressure and body heat soften memory foam, and as a result, it conforms closely to the sleeper’s body. That is important as it takes off pressure from the shoulders, back, hips, and joints, and it prevents the development of pain in those areas. It is called memory because it “remembers” the contours of the sleeper’s body. You must have seen one of the commercials where a person would press down on this material with their hand, and it would leave the print that would stick for a few moments and then slowly disappear. Memory foam offers great comfort and is also excellent at isolating motion, which made it one of the top picks for people who share their bed with a partner. Since memory foam is too soft, it is not used in the support cores, but all the characteristics made it perfect for comfort layers. 

Density is used to describe both polyurethane and memory foam, but the PCF ranges are different for them. Low-density polyfoam is considered to have less than 1.5 PCF, medium from 1.5 to 1.7 PCF, and high-density is that of 1.7 or higher PCF. When it comes to memory foam, less than 4 PCF is considered low-density, 4 to 5 PCF is medium-density, and over 5 PCF is classified as high-density memory foam. 

Most mattresses are made from different materials, and products made from just one type of foam are extremely rare. Every separate layer serves a different purpose, and choosing the right mattress depends on many factors like your sleeping style, budget, as well as temperature, firmness, motion, and many other preferences.

The Difference Between Density and Firmness

Some manufacturers use the terms density and firmness interchangeably when describing their products, but that is not correct. While the first one is used as a measurement for weight/volume, the second term refers to how soft or firm the whole mattress feels, and how closely it conforms to sleeper’s body. Firmness is usually rated on a 1 to 10 scale, with ten being the firmest and one being the softest option. However, most of today’s models fall somewhere in the middle, from 3 to 8, and it appears that medium firmness is the option that most people prefer, and the one that comes with the most benefits.

Besides this 1 to 10 scale, firmness can also be measured in indentation load deflection (ILD). To determine ILD manufacturers would put a circular disc with 1 foot in diameter on an area of foam about 4 inches thick. Then they measure the weight that is needed to compress the foam by 25%. The results are represented by the applied pressure, so if the load were 10 pounds, the material would have ILD of 10. Most comfort layers fall somewhere between 10 and 20, while the support cores and transitional layers have higher ILD measurements. 

Even though there is a difference between density and firmness, there is a correlation between them. High-density foams tend to be firmer and to conform less, while soft and medium density ones fall on the softer side of the firmness scale, and tend to contour closely. That is why they are used in the comfort systems of most mattresses.

How Does Foam Density Affect Different Mattress Features?

The density of materials used in the construction of the mattress significantly impacts the overall features and performance. In this section, we review how it affects different aspects of a bed based on extensive research and numerous customer reports. 

1. Durability is probably most impacted by the density, and people need to pay close attention if they plan on using their new mattress for a long time. Low-density foams are more prone to sagging and are usually associated with a shorter life span. Medium-density foams are more durable but are still susceptible to some wear and tear, while high-density ones are associated with long lifespans. Picking the right density is particularly important for heavier individuals, as they need stronger support and more resilient material that won’t deteriorate quickly.
2. Conforming abilities depend on the density, but also the sleeper’s body type. While there is a trend of increased contouring with a more dense structure, we can say that high-density foams are better for heavyweight individuals, while the lighter people can find them too sturdy, and not suitable for pressure and pain relief. Low and medium density is a better choice for lighter and average weight individuals since they offer just enough conforming, while the heavier sleepers will find them less adequate. They sink in too much, and their bodies get out of alignment, which can lead to the development of discomfort and pain.
3. Temperature neutrality is a term that refers to how sensitive the material is to retaining heat, and it mainly depends on the ability of air to circulate and get rid of any excess warmth. Foams are generally known to trap a lot of emitted body heat, and because of that, they are not a great choice for people who tend to sleep hot at night. Low-density foams offer better temperature neutrality as they retain less heat, but they still can’t compare to innerspring and hybrid mattresses that have better ventilation and stay a lot cooler throughout the night. Heat retention increases with the density, and high-density foams are not recommended for hot sleepers.
4. Pressure and pain relief is closely connected to the conforming abilities of the mattress, so it also depends on the weight of the user. Heavyweight individuals will find more benefits with high-density layers, while lighter people should go for low- and medium-density for optimal pressure and pain relief.
5. Motion isolation refers to the ability of a material to stay still even when there is motion happening on top of it. That is crucial for everybody who shares a bed with a partner, as you don’t want to be woken up every time they move, switch positions, or get up to go to the bathroom. Motion isolation is excellent with all foams, but low-density ones perform slightly worse in this department, while medium and high-density ones are superb at neutralizing any movement that appears.
6. Noise potential is another critical item for couples, as movement isn’t the only thing that can wake people up, so is the squeaking noise that some mattresses make. Luckily, that is mostly the case with beds that have coils in their construction, and all foam mattresses are silent when bearing weight, no matter the density.
7. Off-gassing refers to a specific rubbery odor that a new mattress might have at first. It is usually the case with models that come in a box, and since they haven’t been able to ventilate properly, they emit some smell. Although there are some indications that the higher the quality of materials used, there will be less odor, you can certainly expect some degree of off-gassing with all foam mattresses. 
8. Sex is an essential part of every relationship, and choosing the right mattress can partially impact it. Bouncier, more responsive surfaces are better for intimacy, and that is why latex, innerspring, and hybrid beds are best for sex. Foam is considered less suitable since it is not responsive, and people may feel stuck inside. Low-density ones are a better choice of all three since they offer some springiness, which should be enough for most couples. Higher density means more sinking, and people may feel like they are fighting the mattress, to stay on top. If you keep in mind that foam responds to heat, it is clear that you can expect even more sinkage during sex than while sleeping. 
9. Mattress weight is directly connected to the density of materials used in the construction. All-foam models are usually heavier than innerspring and hybrid ones. The weight varies with different models, and low-density ones are generally about 50 to 65 pounds, medium ones are 60 to 75 pounds, and high-density ones are typically 75 to 90 pounds. 
10. The average price also corresponds with density, as it affects features, performance, and general longevity. Inexpensive lower-density models cost between $500 and $700, medium-density ones go for $700 to $1000, and high-density ones are usually between $1000 and $1400. Keep in mind that this price is for Queen size mattresses and that it is different if you select another size.

How to Choose the Right Foam Density

Now that we have established how foam density affects different aspects of a mattress, it is time to figure out what is the best choice for you. You need to ask yourself what qualities you must have, and what things you can compromise on. For instance, if you are a particularly hot sleeper, you wouldn’t want to get a mattress that retains a lot of heat, since you won’t be able to enjoy it, and you will find sleeping on it extremely unpleasant. 

Your weight is one of the most important factors when considering what foam density to choose. Lower-density models seem to be a preferred choice of light individuals as they offer closer conforming and pressure relief. On the other hand, heavier people should go for models that are constructed from denser material, as they offer enough support and the right amount of conforming for their body type. 

Another important factor to take into consideration is your sleeping position. Some people like resting on their back, some prefer sleeping on the stomach, but it turns out that most people prefer sleeping on the side. Your mattress should provide the right support for your body, and keep your back aligned through the night. Foam is excellent because it helps keep the pressure of your hips, shoulders, and back, which leads to fewer aches and pains. Back and stomach sleeping positions allow a person’s spine to align naturally, but if the surface is too soft, it can become uneven after some time. That can lead to heavier body parts sinking in, and the spine can fall out of alignment. Some manufacturers have decided to tackle that problem by providing zoned support in their products. They use higher density materials in the lumbar area, which usually sinks the most, and that adds to the durability and proper body positioning. 

When we look at the sleeper’s body weight and their sleeping style, we see some general trends in preferences. On average, most people like medium density and moderate firmness levels of a mattress. It is the top pick of most average-weight individuals, although stomach sleepers may prefer a firmer surface. Lightweight back and side sleepers usually go for softer models, while people who like resting on their stomach need a little more support, so a medium would better suit them. Heavyweight individuals enjoy sleeping on firmer, high-density surfaces, although some of those who prefer sleeping on the side might like medium ones better, as they are softer, and eliminate hip and shoulder tension better.

If you are looking for a new mattress, there are many things to consider besides foam density. We have created numerous guides to make the choosing process easier, so check our guides and reviews to find the perfect sleeping product for yourself. 

Often, when individuals consider the reasons behind their inadequate sleep, the mattress quickly comes to mind as the primary suspect. Many older mattresses develop dips and sags, preventing your spine from naturally aligning, leading to potentially harmful sleeping positions. If your body doesn’t maintain a correct posture throughout the night, certain areas may endure increased pressure and result in soreness upon waking. This commonly leads to discomfort in the neck, shoulders, and back pain. Therefore, choosing a mattress that provides adequate support and closely contours to your body shape can significantly improve the quality of your sleep.

Latex beds have become very popular in recent years for several reasons. When people think of mattresses, the first thing that comes to mind are innerspring models, with their classic bouncy feel, and top layers that provide a certain degree of comfort. They are the most popular choice ahead of memory foam mattresses. However, both of these options have their downsides, and latex seems to come with fewer drawbacks and combines all the features that sleepers love.

One of the things that describe the quality of latex is its density. It can be useful for shoppers to understand what it represents, how it is measured, and how it affects other aspects of a bed. Keep reading if you want to learn about those things, and why you should consider getting a new mattress.

What Is Latex Density?

Density is the characteristic property of substance, and it refers to how much mass there is in a certain amount of volume. It is expressed in pounds per cubic foot (PCF), and it is relatively easy to calculate. For instance, a layer that weighs 80 pounds and measures 20 cubic feet has a density of 4 PCF, provided that it has a uniform consistency. That means that every cubic foot will weigh four pounds each.

Latex mattresses come in three main density categories. The low-density products are those below 4.3 PCF, from 4.3 to 5.3 PCF is medium-density range, and anything above 5.3 PCF is considered high-density. Keep in mind that most manufacturers don’t share with customers the density of each individual layer in their products. It is more common to use firmness or ILD (indentation load deflection) as a representation of how sleeping on a mattress feels. Although these terms are somewhat connected, there is a difference between them, so let’s see how they compare.

Density, Firmness, and ILD

Although some bedding brands use the terms firmness and density interchangeably, we must state that it is not correct to do so. The first one represents a link between weight and volume, while the second refers to how soft or firm the whole mattress feels. It is usually rated on a 1 to 10 firmness scale, while most models fall between 3 and 8.

Indentation load deflection (ILD) is another measurement used to describe the firmness of the bed, and it shows the amount of weight needed to compress the material. It is calculated by putting a metal disc with 1 foot in diameter on a 4 inches thick area. The ILD is expressed in numerals, and it is the amount of weight needed to compress the material by 25%. If it’s 20 pounds, then that product has an ILD of 20.

Here is how ILD for latex affects the overall feel of the mattress:

1. ILD 12 or lover: ‘Extra soft’ feel with an average 1-2 rating on a firmness scale. A sleeper sinks significantly, and a mattress closely conforms to the body’s contours.
2. ILD 13 to 17: ‘Soft’ with a firmness rating of 3. The material conforms closely and sinks noticeably. 
3. ILD 18 to 22: ‘Medium Soft” rated 4 for firmness. It conforms closely but sinks a bit less than mattresses with lower IDL.
4. ILD 23 to 26: ‘Medium’ firmness with a rating of 5. It offers moderate conforming, and a sleeper can expect a degree of sinking.
5. ILD 27 to 33: ‘Medium Firm’ and a rating of 6. The sinking is minimal, while it still offers a moderate level of conforming.
6. ILD 34 to 38: ‘Firm” feel and a rating of 7 or 8 on a 1-10 scale. The latex with this ILD range offers minimal conforming and almost no sinking.
7. ILD 39 or higher: ‘Extreme Firm’ with a 9 to 10 rate. It typically provides minimal to no conforming, and no sinking whatsoever. 

There is a clear correlation between latex density and ILD and firmness measurements. While less dense mattresses often offer a softer feel and more conforming, denser ones are usually recommended for those who like a firm surface and no sinking. Keep in mind that the manufacturers typically disclose ILD or firmness measurements, but you can figure out material density using our instructions.

Dunlop vs. Talalay Latex

Latex is a natural liquid derived from the sap of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis). Because of its physical properties such as excellent durability and flexibility, it has found many purposes in today’s industries. In recent years, it has also become one of the favorite mattress materials. There are two types of latex: Dunlop and Talalay, and the differences mostly refer to a processing method, which later affects consistency, breathability, weight, and other characteristics. 

The production of Dunlop latex resembles baking a cake as the sap is first mixed into a froth so that a lot of air bubbles can enter the liquid, and then it is injected in a mold, and baked in an oven. After that, the latex is thoroughly washed to remove all the proteins that are responsible for triggering allergies in people. Then the mattress is thermally processed once again to remove any excess moisture from the material. The end product is heterogeneous as the heavier sediment falls to the bottom while the fluffy foam material sits at the top. Because of this, the bottom half usually carries more weight, but it provides excellent support. Although people often think of Dunlop latex to be firmer than Talalay, this is a common misconception. It can be engineered to any firmness level, but it is usually used in support cores and therefore made to be sturdier. 

First steps of the Talalay process is similar to Dunlop. The sap is mixed into a froth and injected into the mold, but it has small tubes that should allow more air to stay in and make an even sleeping surface. After molding, the product is vacuum sealed to induce full expansion of the material. It is then frozen to push out all the carbon dioxide and form air pockets, that make these mattresses highly breathable and suitable for most people who need a cooler surface because they struggle with sleeping too hot. After thermal processing, latex is removed from the mold and washed to remove all the proteins, and then dried. Because of the evenly distributed air pockets, the material is homogenous, and it has fluffy consistency throughout the whole mattress. That makes it a bit more on the softer side, which is why it is usually used for comfort layers rather than support cores. Talalay latex also tends to be lighter due to numerous air pockets in the material. 

Natural vs. Synthetic Latex

Natural latex is harvested from rubber trees, and then treated and processed to give that signature foamy feel. It is important to state that harvesting is not harmful to the trees and that the sap is a reasonably renewable source. The manufacturing is also relatively clean, and if you want an eco-friendly mattress, this is the best pick. Keep in mind that some brands advertise their products as 100% organic, which can be very misleading since the term requires that no chemicals are used in the manufacturing process. However, the label mandates that a product contains at least 95% of natural latex, which still leaves room for chemical usage. Don’t fall into this marketing scam, there is nothing wrong with synthetic materials, and just because something is natural, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is better.

Synthetic latex is made from chemicals derived from petroleum such as styrene and butadiene, which are later treated to get the desired characteristics. The end product is very similar to natural latex in terms of feel, density, and that signature bounciness, but it appears that it is slightly less durable and to trap heat more. While people usually get scared when they hear the word ‘chemicals,’ synthetic latex is much cheaper to produce, and the manufacturing process is not that bad. 

However, most mattresses are made from a blend of synthetic and natural latex, and this ratio varies between models, but it must contain at least 30% of rubber tree sap component; otherwise, it is labeled as ‘synthetic.’ These products cost less, and they bring excellent features and long durability.

How Does Latex Density Affect Different Mattress Features?

What material is used and a whole manufacturing process are essential for the quality of the mattress and its features. Here is how latex density affects different characteristics of every product:

1. Durability is excellent for all latex beds. Generally, low-density models are the least durable, but they still have an average life span longer than most foam mattresses. Denser models have exceptional durability, and high-density latex is one of the most durable materials available. You should expect your mattress to last at least eight years before starting to deteriorate.
2. Conforming is a signature feature of foam beds. Although latex provides less overall contouring than memory foam, these models are still good. Low-density ones usually sink without too much conforming, while increasing density also increases the mattress’ ability to hug you tightly. 
3. Pressure and pain relief are closely connected to a material’s conforming properties. Depending on how we sleep, there is a pressure buildup in certain body regions, which can lead to discomfort and pain, usually in the neck, shoulders, hips, or lower back. Latex is excellent at alleviating pressure and allowing you to spread your body weight evenly over the surface so that you don’t wake up sore in the morning. Low-density models generally offer enough pressure relief for average sleepers, but those who have chronic pain and discomfort should go for a denser option. Medium and high-density models provide an equal amount of pressure relief, and they are excellent for anyone who regularly experiences pains and aches.
4. Temperature neutrality refers to the ability of a material to get rid of excess heat. Most foams trap heat and are not suitable for hot sleepers. While innerspring and hybrid models are best in this department as they have enough space for air to circulate freely, latex is pretty good as well. It allows natural ventilation, and some manufacturers even have holes in the material for higher breathability. Because of this, latex mattresses are suitable for anyone who likes a colder surface, and people will experience fewer night sweats with these models. Low and medium-density products usually perform better, while high-density ones can retain a certain amount of heat.
5. Off-gassing refers to the initial smell of a new mattress. Latex emits the recognizable rubbery smell that often dissipates in a matter of hours or days. The general rule is that higher density models produce more odor, so if the initial unpleasant scent is a dealbreaker for you, go for the low-density product.
6. Motion isolation is a term that refers to an ability of the material to absorb any surface movement, and not spread it around. Latex is a responsive material that has a certain amount of bounciness, but it still offers excellent motion isolation. Lower-density models perform worse, while medium and high-density ones are so good that they come close to memory foam mattresses. Models with excellent motion isolation are usually preferred by couples who are often awakened by the nocturnal movement of their partner. While switching positions or getting up to go to the bathroom doesn’t seem like much, it is enough to wake up a light sleeper and disrupt their rest.
7. Noise is usually a result of an innerspring core, and it can be as much of a distraction as a nocturnal movement. The good thing is that all latex mattresses are virtually silent no matter the density, so they are always a suitable pick for couples.
8. Sex is a part of any healthy relationship. While some materials like memory foam are not the greatest for sex, latex is naturally responsive, and most couples will find it perfect for intimate activities.
9. Mattress weight affects how easy it is to move and maneuver it. Heavier models require additional help, and latex falls into this category. Low-density is the lightest, and it still weighs 90 to 105 pounds in Queen size. Medium-density ones are 100 to 115 pounds, while high-density Queen models fall between 110 and 125 pounds. This makes them exceptionally heavy, and you will need to ask your partner or a friend to assist you when setting up a new latex mattress.
10. The price point of latex products is high, but considering all the features and excellent durability, they are some of the best choices on the market. Although it depends on many factors like the composition, low-density models usually cost between $900 and $1,300. Medium-density ones go for $1,200 to $1,600, while high-density ones will cost you from $1,500 to $2,000. Keep in mind that certain things like an organic label can drive up the price significantly, so think if it’s worth it to pay that much for an organic product.

How to Choose the Right Latex Density?

There are several things to consider when choosing the density of the mattress. The most important things that a bed should provide are strong support, and an amount of conforming that keeps your whole body aligned during the night, to prevent pressure buildup that leads to discomfort and pain. The choice comes down to your body weight, resting position, and sleeping preferences.

Lighter individuals (those who weigh under 130 pounds) usually prefer beds that are less dense and have a softer feel. Their petite build might not be enough to feel all the benefits of high-density material, as the mattress doesn’t conform and they end up sleeping on top. It can even lead to pressure, especially for side sleepers who need a soft surface to remove the tension from their shoulders and hips. 

On the other hand, heavier individuals can feel all the benefits of high-density material, and they often go for firmer options. Softer models don’t seem to provide enough support for them, especially in the areas that carry a lot of weight. While side sleepers require extra cushioning under the hips and shoulders, back and stomach sleepers need a flat surface that allows their spine to stay aligned throughout the night. Average weight individuals usually prefer beds that offer proper support with a nice amount of body contouring.

If you need more help to choose the right bedding product, be sure to check our guides and reviews and get the best information available.