Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect Bed Sheets Everytime

There’s nothing quite like crawling into your bed at the end of a long day.

Imagine sinking into bed with your favorite book or movie. The luxurious feeling bedding enveloping you as you drift away into sweet slumber. Is there anything more perfect than that?

But just how comfortable is your bedding? Have you had the same sheets since you were in college? Or, worse yet, are they hand-me-downs that have never been replaced?

The right bedding can help you get a good night’s sleep. If you’re anything like 50-70 million Americans with poor sleep habits, you need all the help you can get. But choosing sheets can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

Keep reading to learn how to pick bed sheets that’ll help you get a good rest every night.

Think Thread Count

The thread count of your bedding is how many threads are in a square inch of fabric. A common myth is that the higher the count, the more comfortable the bedding will be.

A higher count may not automatically translate to softer sheets, though. Manufacturers can alter thread counts by enhancing their bedding with silicone softeners. It’ll feel great until you wash it, and all the softeners disappear.

While you can look at thread count when you’re shopping, don’t let it be the be-all-end-all. Low thread count bedding made with Egyptian cotton will feel more luxurious than high thread count sheets made from poorer quality cotton blends.

Consider Your Needs

It would be nice if we could definitively tell you the best material for bed sheets.

But the truth is that everyone is different. One might love classic cotton bedding, while others prefer the sustainability of linen.

We recommend going to a bedding store and feeling the difference between materials. What feels best on your skin?

You’ll also want to consider your unique needs. If you have allergies, you’ll want something hypoallergic. If you tend to overheat in bed, you need something that will combat your night sweats.

Research Materials

There are plenty of different material types on the market today. Let’s look closer at the three most popular options.

Cotton

Cotton is one of the most popular bedding choices. It works well to trap heat and let cool air flow through. This makes it an excellent material choice for most climates.

Some manufacturers blend cotton with other materials to adjust its weight and feel. You’ll want to feel the blends with your hands before buying them.

Bamboo

Bamboo blends are a material choice that has become increasingly popular as of late.

Bamboo sheets are very soft to the touch. If you like the softness of cotton, you’ll adore how bamboo bedding feels. It’s even softer if you can imagine.

This material is very breathable. So if you’re a night sweater, you should give it serious consideration. Bamboo won’t trap any heat underneath the covers, keeping you cooler longer at night.

They are antimicrobial by nature, perfect for people who have allergies. Dust mites, one of the primary allergy triggers, won’t want to live where there isn’t much moisture.

Linen

Like bamboo sheets, the unique filtering properties of linen can help reduce allergies. Because of its moisture-repelling capabilities, you’ll feel fresh and dry at night.

If you have sensitive skin, you’ll love how anti-static linen is. This feature helps your skin to maintain its natural pH levels.

Environmentally-conscious sheet shoppers will love how long-lasting linen bedding can be. The way these sheets are constructed is also easy on the environment. They’re made from flax seeds, a renewable resource, making them biodegradable, too.

Does the thought of wrinkled sheets make you twitch? You might want to consider another material type, then. Linen will need to be ironed to ditch the wrinkly look.

Don’t Forget the Fit

Have you ever tried to wrestle a fitted sheet onto a bed that the sheet’s too small for? Not only is it a workout, but it’s also darn near impossible.

You need to take proper measurements before choosing your new sheet set. It’s especially critical to measure if you have a foam or feather topper on your mattress.

These cozy comforts can easily add an inch or more. Measuring is essential to avoid a fitted sheet wrestling match.

Don’t forget about your pillows. If they aren’t sized for the bed you have, you may have to buy the pillowcases separately. For example, if you have king size pillows on a double bed, the pillowcases in your sheet set won’t fit.

In this case, it might be worthwhile buying your sheets and pillowcases separately. It may wind up costing you more, but it beats having too small or too big linens taking up precious space.

Consider Seasonal Sheets

If you live where there are four distinct seasons, you’ll want more than one sheet set. Your bedding needs will be different in the freezing winter temperatures than in the hot summer ones.

Flannel is a great winter bedding choice as it tends to be warm, soft, and lightweight. They’re also easy to take care of as you can wash them at home – no dry cleaning necessary. It’s worth mentioning that flannel tends to pill after a few washings, though.

Organic cotton sheets are an excellent choice for the summer months, too. With this material, you can cut out all the chemicals from your bedroom. It’s also helpful in promoting a healthier sleep.

Now You Know How to Pick Bed Sheets

With our full guide under your belt, you’re pretty much a pro at how to pick bed sheets. Choosing bed sheets that suit your needs can now be a fun endeavor you might even look forward to.

Check out our Miscellaneous section for more helpful blogs to help you live your best life.