You may be familiar with ads for detergents and fabric softeners that portray someone sniffing their fresh pillow and getting an apparent high. Despite all the false advertisements in the world, this one is a beacon of truth that we can verify from our experiences. What exactly makes sleeping in clean sheets so euphoric?
Clean sheets feel so good because they’re free from the gunk they accumulated as we used them, offering a clear, pleasant-smelling slate upon which to catch some zs. Researchers have found that clean sheets feel so good that they improve the sleep of about 73% of informants.
If you’re one of those 73% wanting to know why you sleep so much better on clean sheets, you’re in the right place. This article will explain why that is, the advantages of regularly changing your bed sheets, and the secret to replicating that freshly laundered hotel sheet sensation in your home. Try not to jump into your bed before you finish reading!
Why Do Clean Sheets Feel So Good?
Our senses have helped us interact with the world around us since the dawn of time. Everything that we find appealing is informed by the intricate communications our senses make with our brains; the appeal of clean sheets is no different.
Many commonly used sheets are made from absorbent materials, particularly cotton. We prefer these materials because they direct the sweat and oils from our bodies as we sleep, thereby keeping us dry and cool throughout the night.
However, a build-up of these absorbed substances will do the exact opposite of helping us fall asleep and stay asleep. This distraction isn’t easy to notice as you can’t see the accumulated fluids your sheets have been absorbing over time. But you sure will notice when you trade the musty old sheets for pristine ones.
Our brains will instantly recognize the improved state. Your skin will perceive the newly crisp sheets and do the next best thing to sighing in relief: sending happy hormones to the brain.
If you use a pleasant-smelling detergent or fabric softener, your sense of smell will also let the brain know that this is a comfy place to rest for the night. And as we know, this feeling is unmatched.
The brain associates cleanliness with safety, well-being, and health, which is one reason clean sheets are heavenly to lie in and a catalyst for sleep.
How Often Should You Change Your Bedsheets?
An Instagram poll by the French Bedroom Company revealed that many people change their sheets weekly. However, it’s important to remember that your ideal schedule hinges on your specific circumstances. So how often should you change your sheets to ascertain that you’re constantly sleeping in a fresh set?
You should change your bedsheets at least once every two weeks. This frequency should increase weekly during hot months, if your pets sleep in your bed, and if you suffer from asthma or night sweats. Doing so will allow you to enjoy your periodic hit of that irreplaceable clean sheets experience.
Changing your sheets often has significant aesthetic benefits, but clean sheets are essential for much more than that.
The accumulated secretions your sheets attract can act as comfortable breeding grounds for dust mites, the public enemy number one of people with asthma. Let’s not even get started on the ickiness factor.
When we launder our sheets, it’s easy to forget the other items that constitute our beds. According to Good Housekeeping, here’s how often you should give the different articles in your bed a wash:
- Duvets and pillows: Twice a year.
- Stuffed animals: Monthly.
- Mattresses, bed frames, and the surrounding area: You should vacuum these every couple of months. Only vacuum mattresses if the manufacturer has okayed doing so on the label.
Speaking of vacuuming, have you ever considered buying a Dyson? I looked at four reasons why they are worth the money in this article.
How Do You Wash Sheets Like a Hotel?
Hotel sheets are laundered expertly because the sleeping experience is one of the foundational aspects they have to get right to keep customers coming in. Ever wondered what formula hotels use to achieve those super crisp, blinding white sheets?
If you want to wash sheets like in a hotel, use cold water for linen sheets. Apply washing detergent, fabric softener, and then bleach to bring out the white in your sheets. For sheets with high thread counts, spin them in a gentle cycle to attend to each thread.
A common mistake people make when trying to replicate the whiteness of hotel sheets is dousing them in bleach and cranking up the heat of the water in the washer.
Not only will these methods fail at helping you achieve your goal, but they can also damage your sheets irredeemably.
You want to save the bleach for the end of the cleaning process after the washing detergent and fabric softener have done the heavy lifting. Cold water is the best for preserving the texture of linens; you can use hot water if you’ve got percale sheets.
Hotels wash their sheets with every guest change, but once a week will suffice for you.
Why Do I Sleep Better in a Clean Bed?
Sleep is as crucial to our health and wellness as a healthy diet and exercise. If you’re keen on improving the quality of your zs, you may want to prioritize having a clean bed.
You sleep better in a clean bed because it’s free of allergens that degrade sleep quality. A clean bed also puts our minds at ease because it associates cleanliness with safety.
How much can you expect your sleep to improve in a clean bed? Researchers from the National Sleep Foundation discovered that people’s sleep quality increased by 19% after they swapped dirty sheets for a fresh set.
Should You Wash Your Sheets Every Week?
How often you wash your sheets depends on your unique situation.
You should wash your sheets every week during hot months, if your pets sleep in your bed, and if you suffer from asthma or night sweats. This cleaning frequency will augment your comfort and sleep quality and prevent exacerbating underlying conditions.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know all about cleaning your sheets, go ahead and do it! After all, why should you wait one more night for a good night’s sleep? Clean those sheets, and crawl into a warm cocoon of comfiness.
