Luxury Bed Linen and Health – Where Comfort and Convenience Combine

There can be more to luxury bed linen than simple comfort. It has properties “lesser” bed linen may not have, beyond the fact that it looks good, or feels nice to sleep on and in.

Really luxurious bed linen is made from Egyptian cotton, which wicks sweat and moisture away from the body and so reduces the risk that a person can develop chills or aches during the night. It also keeps the sleeper cool when the air is warm and allows a passage of air current around the sleeping body.

In some cases, luxury bed linen may be more suited to sleepers who suffer from allergies. This is true where irritation is caused from the rougher surface of non-cotton bed sheets, or where cotton is mixed with a substance that fails to move moisture away from the sleeper (and so provides a breeding ground for microorganisms that may cause allergic reactions).

It should be noted there is also a direct correlation between the use of box sprung mattresses, and pocket sprung mattresses, and allergy reactions, This is because the buttons and dimples that demarcate the spring sections are very difficult to keep clean. Over the years, dust particles and microscopic bits of skin and dried sweat accumulate in this dimples and depressions – they may be breathed in directly, if they are puffed up into the air when the mattress is turned; or they may again create breeding conditions for tiny organisms and fungi whose spores can irritate the respiratory tract and nasal passages.

Frequent allergy sufferers may therefore find it advisable to switch mattress to a memory foam version, or to put a memory foam topper on the mattress itself. Memory foam has a smooth surface, into which particles cannot sink.

If a person suffers from poor sleep, or discomfort on waking, all the elements of his or her sleeping place should be considered. The mattress is the most important, providing not only comfort but support. Again, memory foam is often recommended for people who have postural problems or who find it hard to get comfortable – the foam “remembers” what it was like before weight was put on it, and springs back into its original shape every time a person gets up off it.

Luxury bed linen can reduce the risk of rashes, infections or simple discomfort caused by harder fibres and less delicate stitching. It is also possible that the moisture wicking ability of luxury bed linen may make the bed a less attractive place for mites and bedbugs, which actively seek out the moisture in the seams of bed linen in which to lay their eggs. 

The Egyptian Cotton most often used in luxury bed linen is formed from the Egyptian Giza plant – a member of the Gossypium family. The plant family is named for its chemical makeup – it contains gossypol, a compound known to actively repel insects and fungi (hence its potential health benefits). All Gossypia produce cotton with what is known as an Extra Long Staple (ELS) – the “staple” being the individual, indivisible length of fibre gathered from the plant. The longer the staple, the smoother the feel.

Kevin Cortes is a plant scientist. He is researching an article about the use of cotton plants in luxury bed linen.