The bed is a very important part of our physical and mental well-being, as we spend about a third of our lives there and the quality of sleep is crucial to our health. But it is not only the base and the mattress that determine its good quality: the bed must be dressed and it is also the linen that we put in to contribute to the quality of sleep. Sheets, blankets, duvets, duvet covers: the choices to dress the sleeping area are different according to the seasons and also the needs of each of us.
Bed linen, such as bedspreads, sheets, blankets, pillowcases, blankets, plaids
The elements used to dress a bed are different; from the closest to the mattress to the most superficial:
Mattress cover
Sheet with corners
Sheet without corners
Pillowcases for cushions
Blankets
Down jackets
Bedspread
Plaid
These elements can all be combined together, or only a few can be used, even depending on the season, combined together or individually.
SIZES OF BED LINEN
Each of the elements listed above is usually available in the standard sizes of the various types of bed:
Double, 160 or 180 cm wide for the bed, about 2 meters wide for the linen
One and a half squares or French style, 130 or 150 cm wide for the bed, about 170 cm for the linen
Single, 80-90-100 cm wide, approx. 120 cm for linen
For the measurements of the smallest, it depends on the age and the resulting measurements of the cot.
The length of the beds ranges from 190 to 200 cm, so the bedding must be longer so that it wraps around the body completely and never leaves it unnoticed.
When choosing items for bedding, you should carefully check the measurements usually written on the packaging and on the price label: we must first know the measurements of our bed, however, if we do not have a standard.
COVERING
The mattress cover is an element that must be inserted directly on the mattress, before the sheets, and serves to protect the mattress from dust and bacteria, but also from sweat and other substances that could penetrate and damage the mattress itself.
Usually the mattress cover is made of sponge and is equipped with the so-called corners: the corners are the points where the mattress cover through a system of elastics, remains adherent precisely to the corners of the mattress, so that all the mattress cover remains taut and attached in a homogeneous way to the whole mattress.
Alternatively, the mattress cover can also be made of cotton and closed with elastic ties, tied under the bed.
In addition to the mattress cover, on top of the mattress you can also place a rectangle of waxed canvas, held together by ties tied under the bed: the waxed canvas, in the case of the bed for children or the bed of elderly people, can prevent the absorption of urine by the mattress in the event of "accidents" at night.
WOOL
Sheets are the most important dress of the bed, because they are those elements that will be in direct contact with our skin and will contribute most to our well-being during the night.
Sheets are sold in two ways:
Separately, the sheet with the corners separated from the upper sheet and the pillowcases;
Combined, the sheet with the corners together with the upper sheet and the pillowcases, with the same colors, patterns and fabrics.
The sheets can be mainly of four fabrics:
Linen
Cotton
Flannel
Acrylic
Wool and sweatshirts can complete the padding of the sheet. Obviously, when we talk about flannel, wool or sweatshirts, we are talking about the cold seasons, while cotton and linen are indicated for the hot seasons.
Silk can also be a summer choice, but of course very expensive.
The sheets of the past, of grandmother or great-grandmother, were made with raw fabrics, such as raw cotton or hemp. There are still fabrics of this kind in the kits, but the advice is to use them only for the aesthetic effect they create (retro, rustic) and not for comfort: in fact, these fabrics are very rough and uncomfortable in contact with the skin.
It goes without saying that artificial materials can cost less than natural ones, but the comfort of natural materials on the skin is unquestionable: they let it breathe and breathe in a natural way and provide a pleasant and healthy contact, while artificial materials, such as acrylic, give back a feeling that is often stoppery and suffocating.