Scientists have found a direct correlation between air quality, temperature, and sleep quality. From plants to airflow, we unveil the importance of natural, sustainable materials and how they can help you get a good night's sleep.
As experts in handcrafting the finest beds that provide the ultimate support and comfort, we understand the importance of natural materials in aiding sleep and improving your well-being. However, there are other aspects within your bedroom that can influence your ability to achieve a restorative night’s sleep. Recent research shows a direct correlation among air quality, natural materials, temperature, and your well-being. From plants to airflow, we unveil natural ways to improve your sleep quality.
Temperature control
Temperature is one of the most crucial aspects of a healthy night’s sleep. Your sleeping surface is key to staying in a thermal neutral range. It’s where we ideally spend a third of our lives. So, it’s important that it helps regulate body temperature and prevents us from overheating, which can disrupt sleep.
Choosing a bed, mattress, and bedding made from breathable, thermoregulating materials is optimal for maintaining a cool body temperature. Natural materials help maintain normal body temperature at the sleeping surface by channelling moisture away. This is why we continue to use only the finest natural materials. Their ability to wick away moisture helps regulate body temperature year-round. Which, in turn, improves the quality of your REM sleep.
A natural sleeping surface also allows airflow. Keeping you cool during the warmer nights. This is very important considering a recent report in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep revealed that maintaining a cool body temperature can help you sleep longer.
A mattress that retains heat will also limit the quality of your sleep. A heat-inducing sleeping environment and surface can really set us up for failure, such as fragmented sleep.
Natural Materials
Synthetic fibres, like latex and memory foam, may cause overheating and deteriorate over time. Natural fibres, such as cotton and horse tail, offer longer-lasting comfort and support. South American horse tail is perhaps the most luxurious, breathable fibre. At Savoir, we use it at the heart of most of our mattresses and toppers. This premium filling cushions and supports every contour of your body. And because horse tail, like wool, is naturally hollow, it has a greater surface area to wick away moisture, helping regulate your temperature and keep your body in a thermally neutral range.
In addition to improving the quality of your sleep, a natural bed also offers a sustainable option. Natural fibres are much more in sympathy with the environment. Compared to the alternatives such as synthetic fibres and oil-based plastics, which can end up in landfill and take decades to decompose. Whereas the natural components that create our beds are biodegradable, and the steel springs are recyclable.
Air quality
Good air quality is crucial for our health and well-being. With the bedroom being the space where we spend a third of our lives, it’s vital that the air quality in the room sets us up for restorative sleep. Recent studies have shown that both sleep quality and next-day performance improved by increasing the amount of clean outdoor air within the bedroom.
Given the direct correlation between sleep and air quality, it’s important to consider the role of furniture and textiles in the bedroom. The European Environment Agency reported that synthetic fibres, such as polyester and nylon, account for around 70% of household textiles. To achieve better air quality, we must consider the materials that surround us.
Furniture and textiles made from natural materials can help reduce the number of microplastics in your home environment. They can also encourage fresh air to move freely through the room, due to their construction and low heat retention.
