How to Keep your Cool and Sleep Like a Baby
“This is What Happy Feels Like!”
(First in a Series of articles for finding cool comfort for sleep during menopause)
One of the more common symptoms of peri/menopause are the night sweats or hot flashes caused by fluctuating hormones during this time of a woman’s life. Although common, symptoms are definitely not normal. For many women these can lead to anxiety or insomnia, making a good night’s sleep nearly impossible. In turn, lack of sleep can lead to other hormone imbalances and accompanying symptoms. Quite often these symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable or even debilitating.
Finding hormone balance is really the first step in reducing or even eliminating these “hot” moments that creep up on us. A healthy diet, moderate exercise and stress reduction techniques should be at the top of your list of course. However, in the meantime while you discover ways to navigate this menopausal journey (I’m your guide for the ride!), you’ll want to stay as cool and comfortable as possible while also being able sleep like a baby.
As a menopause advocate and coach, much of my time is spent researching holistic, safe, non-toxic, and non-endocrine disrupting products that will support my “magical ladies”, while guiding them on ways to “Get Their Happy Back!”
Recently I was introduced to this absolutely fabulous company, that embodies so much of my ideals. That company is The WoolRoom. Their tag line: “THIS IS WHAT HAPPY FEELS LIKE” is the absolute truth when it comes to their bedding products. When they reached out to ask if I would like to experience their products, I couldn’t resist! Especially when they described them to me as “a natural bedding company that offers a range of ethically sourced wool products that work with your body instead of against it and are extremely effective for women at all different stages of menopause.
Woolroom bedding products:
- Regulate temperature naturally
- Wick away moisture effectively
- Target the root of sleep issues – are not a “band-aid” fix
Creating a true sleep environment is exactly what the Woolroom has set out to do. Wool helps you stay at a stable temperature all night long, naturally absorbing moisture and releasing it back into the air. This reduces the effects of hot flashes in an effective way, creating significantly better sleep for menopausal women.”
Natural bedding, ethically sourced, works with your body and is extremely effective for women at all stages of menopause. This is exactly what I look for in a product for my ladies!
I of course said “YES!!” and was I ever glad I did!
The day my bedding arrived felt like Christmas morning! Ha-ha! Two pillows, a wool mattress pad and comforter arrived in the cutest protective carry bags (which I LOVE, as we can take our bedding with us when we go away for the winter!) You can even purchase extra wool filling for your pillows if you like them plumper! I did not waste a moment putting them all on the bed.
That evening as I climbed between the sheets, I knew this was something special. I was reminded of visiting my grandparents’ cottage when I was a child, all snuggled up cozy, safe and comfortable in my bed. Each and every night since then I can’t wait to complete my evening rituals, grab my book, and hop into my cushy restful bed. I’ve slept comfortably and cool every evening since. My husband agrees! It’s almost well…Magical!
What makes wool a great choice in bedding?
Here is info straight from the horse’s (I mean sheep’s!) mouth!
The Woolroom shares this info on their website:
“It’s no secret that wool is a luxury, magical (you know I love THIS word!) fabric that offers a whole host of benefits. But what is it about wool that makes it so special? And why is wool better than alternative fibers?
It’s cool when it’s hot, and warm when it’s not!
Not only is it the comfort element of wool which sets it apart from other types of bedding on offer, but wool is also a natural insulator. This means you’ll be kept warm in winter, and cooler in the summer – thanks to its temperature regulating capabilities and its naturally breathable fabric. Wool fiber helps to keep your body at the optimal temperature zone for the right level of comfort and rest. The alternatives, such as synthetic fibers, down and cotton, do not breathe in the same way as wool does, and are more likely to trap heat in your bed. Wool buffers the extreme cold or hot air on the outside, keeping your body in the ideal comfort zone. The perfect temperature for the perfect snooze.
It’s naturally absorbent!
It’s easy to say why wool makes for great bedding when its packed full of health benefits – such as being naturally absorbent. Wool fiber is the original wicking fiber, and wool fabrics can absorb up to 30% of their weight without feeling heavy or damp. To put that into perspective, cotton fabrics begin to feel damp after 15%. The fibers ‘breathe’ by absorbing moisture away from the body and releasing it into the air. It’s just like magic! (oh how I love MAGIC!!)
It’s hypoallergenic!
First of all, what does ‘hypoallergenic’ actually mean? The Oxford dictionary quotes: “relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction.” ‘Anti-allergy’ or ‘anti-allergenic’ are terms thrown about a lot by marketing campaigns, however these expressions are completely nonsensical, as nothing can be guaranteed to cause no allergic reaction in any way. So, what we’re trying to say is that ‘hypoallergenic’ is the right word, and it’s the best you can get when fighting allergies.
There is a myth going around that wool is a common allergen. Nothing could be further from the truth! People who have a genuine allergy relating to wool are actually allergic to lanolin, the oil found in wool which is washed out of most woolen products to go into hand creams, lip balms and moisturizers. So, if you have a bad allergic reaction to many cosmetics and creams, you are sensitive to lanolin. An allergy to lanolin is always a skin reaction. Wool and lanolin will never cause any type of respiratory allergy. Wool is actually naturally hypoallergenic! The lanolin found in wool is a very expensive commodity, it’s true some people can be allergic to this oily substance, but for everyone else it’s a fantastic natural ingredient in your favorite moisturizers, lip-balms and makeup. For this reason, you’ll find that woolen garments retain very little lanolin, if any at all! Our bedding is lanolin-free due to our cleaning process.
Now, on to the actual wool fibers, how are they so hypoallergenic? Well wool fibers have evolved over centuries to keep sheep in tip-top health, no matter what the weather may throw at them. Sheep are exceptionally hardy animals and can live outdoors year-round – this is partly thanks to their wool. Wool fibers have an amazing quality – they absorb and desorb moisture whenever necessary to keep the sheep dry and healthy. The dry environment created by the wool fibers inhibits bacteria, fungus and dust mites, amongst other things!
We suspect that most people who think they’re allergic to wool have experienced a skin irritation in the past. The most common of which would be to low quality, cheap wool jumpers, scarves and gloves that will have traumatized many of us as children. The truth is that coarse, cheap wool, which was used in these products, can irritate delicate skin. Today it is better understood that we have many types of wool available, and the finer wools should be used in products next to the skin, whereas coarser wools should be used in hard-wearing carpets and insulation. Use the right wool for the right product and you’ll have no problems at all.
It resists mildew and mold!
Wool’s natural resistance to mildews and molds comes from the way it repels moisture, and lets moisture pass through its fibers without trapping it. Mildews and molds require moisture to live, and grow, which is why wool is the perfect material for bedding.
It’s clean!
Wool resists static, dirt and dust. This makes it easy to clean, because any dirt will sit on the surface of the fiber. The outside surface of the wool fiber consists of a series of overlapping scales, similar to the feathers on a bird, making it easy to brush off and for stains to lift out.
It’s durable!
Laboratory tests have shown that wool fibers resist tearing and can bend back on themselves more than 20,000 times without breaking. Cotton breaks after 3,200 bends, silk fibers break after 1,800 bends and rayon fibers break after just 75 bends. That’s why wool lasts, giving your bedding a longer, happier life. It’s also machine washable!
It’s naturally wrinkle resistant!
If you’re wondering why wool will naturally resist the wrinkles in your bed sheets, it’s because wool is the most resilient fiber. It has a natural crimp that helps it keep its shape, and will bounce back to its original shape even if it’s stretched.
It’s fire retardant!
Wool is safer to wear because of its natural fire-retardant properties. It can resist flame without the chemical treatment involved in fireproofing. Most synthetic fibers ignite easily, burn fiercely and melt at an alarming rate.
It’s renewable and sustainable!
Wool is a renewable resource that can be shorn from sheep annually. It is biodegradable and kinder to the environment than oil-based synthetics, which contribute to global pollution.
AND…you can even trace your wool back to the farm and sheep that it came from! How cool (no pun intended!) is that??
British sheep are happy sheep! Sheep in the UK are very well cared for, and have some of the highest standards in the world.
Oh…and at The Woolroom they know the importance of a good night’s sleep. The average person spends more than a third of their lives (26 years!) in bed. With that in mind, can you afford not to be entirely comfortable and well rested?
So in a nutshell, Wool is a fantastic fiber that can enhance your sleep immeasurably. This is achieved largely because of its incredible ability to regulate your temperature – naturally.
In addition to this, wool promotes an environment so dry (because it can desorb moisture back into the environment) that dust-mites simply will not inhabit it – Great if you suffer from a dust mite allergy (a staggering 20% of us will in our lifetime!), eczema or Asthma.
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
The Woolroom are so confident that their wool bedding can enhance your sleep that they will give…
- a 30 Night Sleep Trial on any individual bedding item which includes the following; comforters, pillows, mattress protectors and mattress toppers
- 60 Night Sleep Trial on bedding sets which consist of the following; comforter, pillow(s) and a mattress protector or topper
- 100 Night Sleep Trial on The Wooly Mattress and Topper when purchased with a Deluxe Wool Mattress Protector
So, what have you got to lose? Well…sleep, if you don’t give The Woolroom a try!
To see all of their Magical products click here: The Woolroom
Stop counting sheep (except for the ones providing your bedding)
and start counting your ZZZZ’s.
Here’s to your Best sleep & Magical Menopause!
To discover even more fabulous products I’ve curated to support you on your Magical Journey, check out my Menopause Market!
