Archive for the ‘Pillows’ Category
Finding the Perfect Feather Pillow
By Mary Donlan
Have you decided that you would like to try sleeping on a feather pillow? Maybe you recently slept on one at a friend’s house or a hotel and now you’re hooked? Well, there are a lot of choices out there. To find the perfect pillow it’s a good idea to know some of the key factors involved. The highest quality feather pillows are those made from goose down. Geese provide the softest, most resilient feathers. Goose down pillows will also be the most expensive on the market, but can last for years if you take care of them. Less expensive pillows will be stuffed with duck down or a blend of duck and goose down.
Some shops will advertise that their down feathers come from geese in Canada, Hungary or Siberia; where the winters are coldest and the down is the warmest! Gooses down feathers do not have quills to poke through the casing as other types of feathers do. They rarely give off any type of odor and can be fluffed up so that your pillow retains its loftiness even after years of use. Hypoallergenic down pillows are also available for people who are allergic to feathers.
The next factor to consider is the firmness of your pillow. If you prefer a firmer pillow, you will want to look for a feather pillow with a fill power of 700 to 800. If your idea of the perfect pillow is a little softer, then you can get away with purchasing a pillow with a lower fill power.
You want to look for a pillow with a high quality encasing. The pillows with coverings that have a higher thread count will be better protected over the years. Lower quality pillows may have issues with feathers coming out or seams breaking after extended use. To extend the life of any feather pillow, it’s a good idea to use a pillow protector as well as a pillowcase. Once you’ve made a few decisions you are ready to begin your quest for the perfect pillow. You can find many options at department stores, shops specializing in down products and of course, online. Good luck!
Staying in a 3 Star Hotel
Last week I had the opportunity to stay at a 3 star hotel. I was going to a small conference in a city not far from home but knowing it would be late at night to drive home I decided to book a room. I book the hotel on line and some times you wonder if the rooms are as nice as the pictures.
When I walk into the hotel it was every bright and clean and well kept. The room I had was just like the picture on the website.
It had a mini kitchen with full frig, 2 electric burners to cook on, a microwave oven and a dish washer all the amenities of home. There was chesterfield on one side of the room and the bed on the other.
The bed was made up with nice white cotton sheets and lots of pillows. The comforter was a chocolate color with a white design through it. There was also a matching pillow to go with the down comforter.
This room was all that I hope it would be well maintain ,clean, bright and with all the luxuries you look for when you book a hotel room away from home.
This hotel was to me a 3 + more and I would look to stay at this hotel again if it was in the area I was going to in the future.
The Most Comfortable Pillows in the World
By Brenda Pastore
Deciding on the most comfortable pillow in the world is pretty subjective. Some folks swear by their synthetic fill ones, claiming they are better than down ones because they have more support or are less expensive or they are hypoallergenic.
There is another group of people that would never consider buying anything but a memory foam model for their bed. Foam ones are known to provide a lot of support and can actually shape to the contours of your neck, preventing aches and pains from sleeping in a bad position. This is also a good choice if you are allergic to feathers.
But probably the first choice for most people would be the down version. Laying your head on a down pillow is like sinking into a cloud. If you are the type that looks forward to the comfort of your bed after a long, busy day, then you owe it to yourself to try out one of these. When properly cared for, down pillows can last for many years, so it is often a good investment to purchase a high quality pillow.
The next big question is how much to spend on a down product. You will find choices from $20 to $200. Watch out for the ones that are very inexpensive. They are often filled with mostly regular feathers with a little bit of down included. You should be able to see the percentage of down in the product before you purchase.
Down feathers are the small, silky feathers that make a pillow soft and fluffy. They do not have quills that can poke through the ticking. More expensive pillows will often be stuffed with only down feathers. While some people believe that you must spend over a $100 for a quality down product, you could probably find a very comfortable model in the $50 – $60 price range. If you want to spend less than that, look for a good quality down alternative version.
Considering how much time we spend sleeping, it is well worth the time and expense to find a great pillow that will help us get a good rest at night. Many people will spend a lot of time and effort shopping for a new bed. It is a good idea to take an inventory of your bedding at the same time. Why not upgrade that pillow and comforter at the same time? You deserve to be sleeping on the most comfortable pillow in the world.
Relieving Morning Neck Pain
Whether from heavy lifting, exercise, previous injury, or just sleeping crooked, millions of Americans wake up with sore necks in the morning. Luckily there are several methods to relieve your neck pain; the simplest being just rolling your neck, stretching it out, and taking a hot shower. More complex changes might include consulting a chiropractor who might be able to fix your neck through massage and offer exercises that will help to relieve future pain. You might also consider changing pillows or mattresses; a goose down pillow contours to the shape of your head and offers a great deal more support than a standard stuffed pillow. Modern spring mattresses can still be rough on people with sensitive joints or muscles, and a foam mattress might offer better support.
In addition to these changes, there are of course medicinal supplements like Tylenol or Aspirin that can help to relieve your pain… but who wants to start the day off by taking pain relievers? Strive for a more long term solution!
Eliminating Allergens from a Sleep Space
For months I had been struggling with sniffles and sneezes around bedtime, utterly clueless as to the reason why. I couldn’t remember dealing with allergies at any previous point in my life. In fact, when many of my friends were coping with ragweed and pet dander allergies growing up, I was always immune. As it turned out, my immunity did not extend to dust mites.
The tiny critters often make their home in soft bedding materials, dining on the tiny bits of organic matter that humans naturally shed. While imminently comfortable, a down pillow can be a breeding ground for microscopic mites in some cases. I went online and purchased a down alternative pillow. The difference was drastic and immediately noticeable. My sniffling and sneezing are now a thing of the past.
Winning the Battle with Insomnia
Insomnia is a chronic disorder that shouldn’t be taken lightly. From my own experience, I know that the inability to sleep well through the night can disrupt mood, work performance and even one’s social life. For years I lived life in a blur – sluggish and only half awake during any given point of the day. Needless to say, this is no way to live. No matter which medical professional I turned to, the recommendations were always the same: prescription drugs.
I’ve always been wary about habit-forming substances, so that solution didn’t seem viable. Instead, I started exploring holistic medicine and aromatherapy. Each night I would inhale lavender oils from a diffuser, and the aroma would soothe me. Still, it wasn’t until I traded in my lumpy old excuse for a pillow that I noticed a real difference. Who would have thought that upgrading to goose down pillows could bring me the slumber and satisfaction I’d been missing?
Cottage Decorating
Summer time is here; time to open up the cottage for a relaxing summer vacation. Looking around you notice the cottage could use a sprucing up. The trees have grown taller you notice that you need to add light and comfortable items to make that relaxing and unique charm of style making it feel like a vacation cottage.
Paintings and prints add charm to your walls. Put beach and flower print in light frames. Seaside artwork along with some seashells will add to your cottage decorating theme.
Decorative pillows add a soft touch to any room. Pillows can add softness to the bathroom or kitchen placing one on a hamper or on kitchen chairs. Pilling pillows up on your bed with your goose down pillows can be a comfortable enhancement to the bedroom. Made with vintage bark cloth or chenille fabric adds appeal to your cottage décor.
Looking around at yard sales in the area your cottage is in you may find just the items your looking for to give your cottage that extra warm appealing look.
Pillows for the Bed
To get a good night sleep one must in vest in a well constructed pillow.
There are different choices that come down to fill, support and size.
To get a light support you would choose a soft fill like down alternative, goose down feathers or silk.
Organic cotton or wool gives you a firmer support. Added support I would pick a gusseted pillow with side walls that help it keep and maintain the pillows shape.
Latex natural foam helps to relieve pressure on your body as it molds to your neck, shoulders and spine.
Whatever your pick out for your style of pillow, take some extra money and in vest in a pillow protector for hygiene buffer. It is a good practice to find out when buying pillows if they are washable or have to be dry clean. Replacing old pillows with new ones over a few years is good practice too as pillows break down and get uncomfortable to sleep on.