Hit the hay in a better way
- Lisa Baumann
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
It's time for a little pillow talk.
I wanted to write about buying a Turkish rug in Turkey. And I will. But I think with all the events in this country right now (love especially to Minnesota), finding peace and serenity in the midst of it all is more important. So pillow talk it is. Every single living being deserves a space for rest that is healthy, cozy and safe. Our bedrooms should be relaxing, comforting and free from the stresses of the world.
Too often we give time spent in bed the short shrift, which is different than the short-sheet or Saran wrap around the bed pranks and I digress, so quickly I know, but real quick picture me Saran wrapping the bed of a friend we called Mountain Man and realizing my mistake when he came home to find it and I awoke to upset Mountain Man towering over me as I slept on the couch. It was hilarious. Oh the good old days and RIP sweet Pete.
Anyhoo, mountain man was mad because I messed with his sleep. I would probably never do that to anyone now that sleep is harder to come by. The conditions of your sleeping space make a difference so get your bed situation into the sanctuary shape you deserve. The rewards and benefits are well documented and well worth the money. Nothing like a holiday to do it too, looking at you Presidents Day, the sales are on!
In 2020, our mattress died after 10 years of use. And I mean it died. It was over. It caused me pain to sleep on it so much that I turned to the Ikea sleeper sofa instead. Down the rabbit hole I went with a few things in mind – I was closing in on 50, allergies and asthma (and lately sinus? really? c'mon) were in the mix, and in addition to needing a mattress, our bed frame was one more wobble away from a crash.
I looked at Consumer Reports, checked out all kinds of foam and coils and other bed ingredients and eventually found an organic no-chemicals lots-of-certifications (GOTS, GOLS, MADE SAFE® to name a few) mattress at Naturepedic made by the Amish. Sounds a bit extreme, right? But while it wasn't cheap, it won because it was made of things actually found in nature, is hypoallergenic and supposedly will last more than two decades?!. How many toxins do we need surrounding us while our faces and bodies are literally up against them? We have to deal with them all day everywhere – in everyday things and even in some people – how about hopefully eight hours of not in my bed, thanks.
As the old saying goes, I had stuffed all my money into my mattress. That's not exactly what it means (or is it?!) but this is one place to invest. Five years in we can say it's been a haven through the pandemic, perimenopause, increasing traffic noise and other stresses. You don't have to break the bank to find healthier rest, but you do have to do a little homework.
One easy way to research is to look for certifications that can quickly indicate that a mattress (and bedding) is worth considering. Certifications generally convey the message that a product has been certified for using safe materials and environmentally friendly construction. Avocado, for example, has run away in this category and is one to check out. Also, watch out for the use of lingo like "clean" or "natural" because those words often mean exactly nothing. We want proof of something more than hey, we use recycled cardboard to ship, for example. Won't name names but I saw that earlier this week. That's not enough.
The Good Trade has a well-researched article on non-toxic mattresses here.
When it comes to bed frames, I wanted wood and something that didn't move when I did. That meant a lot of wonderful vintage options were not for me because finding one fast that was solid at a decent price wasn’t happening. I won’t talk much about how my friend Margo gave me her parents’ gorgeous Mid-Century platform frame a couple decades ago complete with the coolest headboard but, because I moved so much, couldn’t fathom putting it together one more time and, sadly, out it went for good.
In my latest quest I nearly got a popular bed frame from IKEA with built-in storage but then found Thuma and couldn’t look away. They started their company with one product – a bed frame. It could not be more solid. I appreciate this as I've been known to take occasional flying leaps onto beds. And even this cannot-follow-written-instructions (just show me how people) person (me) can put the frame together. No screws, no nothin. Japanese joinery and upcycled rubberwood. They have a Greenguard Gold certification too. (*a note that I understand we have to pick and choose and do what is best for us with our purchases in order to make it and try to live well, but the more we demand better things, the better off we all shall be.) The pillow headboard is soft, too, absorbs some sound and the cover is washable!
Our organic bedding basics, from mattress protector on up, come from Coyuchi in California, which is another company with the certifications to prove what they say. They have sales quite often (including now!) or check back around any holiday. This is more of a splurge-level brand but their down duvet inserts, mattress protectors and pillows have lasted for years around here.
Where I really have had a ball (is that even true - sadly yes it is) is sheets and blankets. Organic cotton and linen top my list and can we throw caution to the wind please and welcome patterns, texture and color. Some of my favorites include a checked green flannel, white with orange dots in cotton and a linen charcoal gray with pinstripes. My favorites are black/white cotton with a repeating pattern that reminds me of bike parts.
Maybe I’m easily irked but not being able to tell my off-white sheets apart led me to more fun in this department. Also I know you’re wondering, and why yes, I do use a top sheet, partially to extra protect the fancy-pants down duvet inserts. I also sometimes put the top sheet pattern side down so it seems like you’re entering a pattern sandwich when you get into bed. Sure it also looks cool when you make the bed and pull the sheet over the duvet cover. But I'm not here for fussy bed making perfection.
Most importantly maybe, get that nature into your the bedroom because of the well documented well-being boost to all of us. Bring it in through art, plants, soothing sounds (meditation apps anyone?), orienting your furniture to any views, finding items with textures and patterns that mimic those in nature and opening the window whenever possible.
Our room has over time become a kind of surf/island/sailing space and I most recently added to it with a vintage Hawaii surf poster from an estate sale. Do what you have to do on this front to surround yourself with peace and calm. I hear flower patterns are in this year. Bravo.
"Where flowers bloom so does hope" -- Lady Bird Johnson
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