Blankets, Sheets, & Mattress Protector Guide
Why Are Blankets, Sheets, and Mattress Protectors Important?
Blankets, sheets, and mattress protectors are crucial parts of any sleep setup. When used and maintained properly, these sleep essentials promote a healthy, comfortable, and supportive sleep environment. While choosing the right blankets, sheets, and mattress protectors is largely based on personal preference, everyone should take advantage of the range of available options to find the ones that are best for their individual needs.
Features to Look for in a Blanket
Blankets are a necessity for sleepers of all ages. Whether you prefer a thick, fuzzy blanket or something simple to wrap around you on chilly nights, everyone loves the cozy layers when they crawl into bed. While comforters and duvets are intended to simply keep you warm at night, sometimes the added weight and warmth of a blanket makes all the difference in the quality of your sleep.
A specific type of blanket, the weighted blanket, has become more popular in recent years. Used for both comfort and therapeutic purposes, weighted blankets can help create a more relaxed sleep environment and are highly recommended to help manage anxiety and stress. Usually between 5 and 30 lbs., weighted blankets use deep pressure stimulation (DPS) to relax the nervous system and increase the amount of dopamine and serotonin in your brain to help you feel calm. While they are generally more expensive than standard comforters, weighted blankets, such as our 15 lb SlumberShield® Weighted Blanket, come with many health benefits that make them a popular choice.
Features to Look for in Sheets
When looking for new sheets, consider not only the material and pricing, but also their construction and your personal comfort preference. High-quality sheets are built to last for years, while low-quality sheets may last only a couple years—or even a few months. However, don’t assume that a higher price tag equals more comfort. There are plenty of affordable sheets that have stood the test of time without breaking the bank. For example, our BedInABox® Brushed Fiber Sheets are high quality, low maintenance and affordable linens that provide soft, breathable layers of comfort. The BedInABox® Bamboo Sheet Set comes with a higher price tag, but provides more luxurious layers with a bamboo viscose blend with temperature regulating properties. Both BedInABox® sheet sets are constructed with deep pockets, so that they can comfortably accommodate any mattress depth.
Features to Look for in Mattress Protectors
The most important feature of a mattress protector is how well it protects your mattress from spills, allergens, dust mites, bed bugs, bacteria, and general wear and tear. A quality mattress protector should securely fit your mattress or completely encase it to maintain a clean, healthy sleep environment and extend the life of your mattress.
BedInABox® offers a wide selection of mattress protectors that vary in materials and levels of protection to provide an option for every sleep preference. Our most popular mattress protector is our BedInABox® Cooling Protector, which is designed with SLUMBERCOOL® fabric to add an extra layer of cooling technology to your sleep setup.
Care & Maintenance
By keeping each part of your sleep setup clean, you can promote a healthier and more comfortable nighttime environment. Blanket, sheets and mattress protectors are generally low maintenance. Most will do well on a delicate cycle with a gentle laundry detergent, which may help avoid pilling or additional wear that might result from a rougher wash cycle. We recommend cleaning sheets as often as every other week since they are in direct contact with your skin each night. Mattress protectors can go longer without a wash, usually once every two months. However, you may want to clean them more often if you have pets, notice stains, or experience a cold or similar illness.
We recommend drying your sheets and mattress protector on low heat or air drying them in a warm or sunny spot. Always check the label for specific care instructions, since recommended care does differ with materials. All of our BedInABox® sheets and mattress protectors were designed to be easily machine washable and come with full care instructions.
Blankets, particularly weighted blankets, require a bit more care to stay clean. You should always check with your manufacturer for specific cleaning instructions, as each type of material varies. For example, our SlumberShield® Weighted Blanket can be hand washed only and must be air dried.
BedInABox® Sleep Essentials
If you notice pilling, rips, or other wear and tear in your sheets, blankets, or mattress protector, it’s probably time to look for something new. Whatever you’re looking to upgrade, you can rely on BedInABox® to provide high quality sleep products for every step of your sleep experience. Choosing the right blankets, sheets, and mattress protectors that keep you sleeping cool and comfortable is crucial to staying well-rested. If you have any questions throughout your search, our dedicated team of sleep experts is here to help.
