Winter is here, but high fuel costs are too. When the thermostat goes down, a good night’s sleep can be elusive if you feel cold. Electric blankets are an option, but personally, I’ve never felt good about sleeping under an electric field. Here are three simple, do-able ways to winterize for a warm and cozy bed. Now, what’s old is new again in making a warm and cozy bed for these cold winter nights.
Solutions for a Warm and Cozy Bed
Simple, Green solutions from our ancestors and modern Europeans show us how to make a warm and cozy bed for these freezing winter nights.
- Hot water bottles -what’s old is new again.
- Flannel Sheets – with recommendations for the best brands.
- Duo Duvets – one each for you and your partner.
1. Hot Water Bottles
You may think of hot water bottles as a joke, something an old spinster aunt in a British mystery would use. Don’t laugh; they can be more effective than a pile of blankets. Any outdoors person knows: When your feet are warm, your whole body is warm.
You can get a standard rubber model or one of the new recyclable thermoplastic ones in a bright color. They are available at most drug stores or online.
A hot water bottle cover is a good idea as it lets the heat disperse slowly and keeps you warm all night. The covers come in many colors and patterns, some with fanciful decorations, and others look like little turtleneck sweaters for your hot water bottle. Find these on Etsy.
Tip: Never place a hot water bottle in a microwave.
2. Flannel Sheets
If you’ve ever slipped between flannel sheets, you know the warm and cozy bed welcome they provide.
My experience with flannel sheets is with LL Bean’s Ultrasoft Flannel Sheets. No bedtime shock from cold sheets, just warmth, and coziness. Named by The New York Times’s “Wirecutter” product evaluation team as their #1 choice. “Wirecutter’s” budget pick is Target’s Threshold Flannel Sheets, judged better than some of the more expensive brands.
LL Bean also has flannel duvet covers which can help with the next solution.
3. Duo Duvets
Suppose a nightly blanket tug-of-war with your partner makes good sleep impossible, or you have the dilemma of your shared bedcovering being too hot for one partner and inadequate for the other. The Danish Duo Duvet is the answer.
The Danish Duo Duvet is two twin-size duvets for a Full or Queen bed. (If you have a King-size bed, you may need two Full-size duvets.) Each one is for the temperature preferences of each partner. One duvet can be lightweight and cool, while the other is heavier and warmer. The Duo Duvets make for a warm and cozy bed like Goldilock’s: “just right.”
Take two duvets and fold them in half the long way and place them lengthwise on the bed with the folded sides next to each other in the center of the bed. Or, you can lay them out flat and overlap each other in the center of the bed.
If your duvet covers are plain, you can cover the bottom half of your bed with a colorful spread or comforter, as shown above.
At bedtime, shake out your own duvet and snuggle underneath.
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If you have tried any of these solutions, let me know how they have worked for you in the comments below.