Sleep Hygiene

When we feel unwell the only place we can feel truly comfortable, the place where we can cocoon ourselves away, where we can rest and, maybe for some, feel sorry for ourselves, is our bed. It is a welcoming, soothing and safe place to be and when we are ill, we really push our bed to its limits. We have fever sweats, we sneeze into our pillows, we cough into our sheets, we sniffle, we throw tissues anywhere hoping they land on the floor but don’t really care, we slop water or juice from the nightstand over ourselves and the bed sheets.

We are a mess, we are sick and we just want to sleep until we feel half human again.

And then, finally, we recover.

Our bed returns to being a tool, an apparatus, a means for the evening, the final destination at the end of a long day, just a place to drop, sleep, wake and repeat.

But what’s left after you have raged a “cold war” on your bed? Sure you changed the sheets, you’re not an animal. You may have even washed them on the highest temperature to make sure you removed all the bacteria and nasty germs, but what about your pillow? How did you sanitise your pillow… and mattress? You spent days cuddling that pillow, breathing into it, coughing, sneezing, spluttering, sweating into your mattress. How do you rid yourself of the bacteria and germs from these necessities after the “cold war” offensive?

Hopefully you have invested in a good quality waterproof mattress and pillow protectors; it’s only when you need them that you understand the value of your investment! Premium protectors can be washed at high temperatures for a robust clean. By their very nature they do take longer to dry than your sheets which is why I believe in having an extra set so your bed can be made up with the same level of security and protection with which you started. Most of us have more than one set of sheets, so it makes sense to also have an extra waterproof mattress and pillow protector set.

Premium protectors will also keep you and your family safe from dust mites, mould and bacteria allergens. Our Cumulus mattress protector from Protect-a-Bed features Fresche® a naturally derived antimicrobial. Highly effective against bacteria, fungus, mould, mildew and odour (for more information regarding our full range of protectors visit us in-store).

In addition to the mattress and pillow protectors, you should also consider what your mattress is made from. For example, some foams in beds are treated with Ultra-Fresh, an antimicrobial additive, which inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi. To reinforce these protection tools, you could also consider using tencel sheets on your bed. Made from botanic fibre, tencel has antibacterial properties, with a bacteria multiply rate 200 times slower than on Polyester, tencel is an eco-friendly and sustainable choice for your linen needs. At Sleepy’s, you can rest assured that our mattresses are made in Australia and we proudly support local Australian manufacturers and suppliers. See our full range of Australian Made mattresses here.

And finally how about good old-fashioned hand sanitiser. We have one with 24 hour protection (see here for more information), as well as, a 30 day Textile Sanitiser. As we start to move into cold and flu season these are just a few tips which might have you loving and respecting your bed as a sanctuary of comfort, security and hygiene.

Melissa Martin,
Product Manager at Sleepy’s