Are you looking to upgrade your bed with some brand new fresh and crisp sheets? The seasons are changing, and it may be time to strip your bed of cozy flannel and instead throw on some cooler-for-sleeping bed sheets in a lighter cotton or linen material. Maybe you have narrowed down the type of sheets you want for your summer bedroom or perhaps you have an idea on color and even style but can’t decide on what will be the final decision. During your research, have you noticed a product that is available through both online and local retailers called a bed cover? Can it replace bed sheets altogether? Is this a product that can not only save the time and effort making the bed entails but change the way you sleep? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet!
Our bedroom is considered the window to the soul and the one place where a person can be 100% themselves. It is also the place where we retire at the end of the day to rest and refuel our bodies, along with our minds for the new day ahead or the month ahead and so on. We want our beds to be comfy enough to invite sleep and warm enough to make us feel safe.
So, let’s take a look at the most important part of a cozy and safe bed; the bed sheets and how it compares to its counterpart: the bedcover. What is the difference? How are they alike? Let’s find out below.
Bed Sheet
A bed sheet is simply a large piece of material or fabric that is cut to resemble a large square that is generally lined with a stretchy elastic band to fit over the mattress (if it is the fitted sheet) or a large piece of material that is stitched with a seam and is placed on the bed, directly on top of the fitted sheet. You would slide in between both of these pieces of fabric and then you are ready to sleep in your bedsheets!
- Protects the skin against potential irritants
- Easily washed and reused for extended periods of time before replacement is needed
- Can be purchased in a variety of sizes
Protects the Skin
Bed sheets can be a second barrier for the skin against common irritants that exist in every residence, such as dust mites or bacteria. Numerous people suffer from skin conditions, such as eczema but a sturdy set of sheets in a soothing breathable material, like cotton, find relief during slumber.
A breathable set of bedsheets can also help those who have continuous night sweats stay dry throughout the night. Check the material of your sheets before purchase to see what level of breathability they possess and also check to see if the material has natural or enhanced moisture wicking properties.
Easily Cleaned – Long Lifespan
Bedsheets are made from durable material, regardless if you chose to use flannel sheets, cotton, or even silk. Most sheet types can be easily cleaned at home, without the need for expensive dry-cleaning or special instructions. Higher-end sheets might require a particular laundry detergent, however, such as silk but it is always important to read the labels on your sheets before laundering them at home.
When taken care of properly, a set of bedsheets can last up to five years, provided they aren’t ripped or stained.
Available in a Variety of Sizes
Most bed covers only come in single sizes, without much room for variety. Bed sheets, however, can come in twin, double, queen, king or even custom. You can purchase sheets for round beds, square beds, hammock beds and more!
Bedsheets are more versatile than bed covers and once they have reached their life span for use on your bed, can be transferred into other items, such as a beach blanket or craft sheet.
Bed Cover
A bed cover is actually something that can go by different names. The most common bed covers are comforters, blankets, or duvets. It is a large piece of material that rests directly on top of your bed sheets, or if your mattress has a quilted mattress cover, can be used alone without a set of bedsheets needed.
Regardless of what you chose to use as a bed cover, it should be a material that is easily cleaned and possess some stain repellent properties to ensure longevity. Most people tend to use a combination of bedsheets and a bed cover to stay warm and dry, along with using it as an additional layer of protection for your mattress. The mattress is easily the most expensive part of your bed, which means you want to protect it against stains and rips at all costs.
- Protects the mattress against stains and rips
- Can be more decorative in nature to match or contrast with the color scheme of your bedroom
- Protects sheets from dust and bacteria
Protects the Mattress
The bed cover is used to protect your mattress from stains and rips, but it can also give an additional layer of protection from mold, bacteria or dust setting up home in the dark crevices of your great mattress.
The bed cover can also be a material that is soothing to dry or irritated skin. People who suffer from common skin conditions can find that having a bed cover instead of layers of sheets and blankets on their bed leaves their skin soothed. Multiple layers of bedding can cause a spike in body temperature, which leaves a person with night sweats. These night sweats can further aggravate skin conditions, which is why most people use a thicker bed cover only.
Can Be Decorative
The problem with bedsheets is that most types, regardless if they are silk or generic cotton, come in solid colors or a limited range of patterns. People who want to use their bed cover as a focal point in their bedroom or contrast a funky color scheme find that a bed cover offers more options, colors and styles.
The bedroom is the sanctuary of the soul and the one place where people can be who they truly are. Expressing your personality through the use of a bedcover, that is both practical and whimsical, is attractive to many.
Protects Sheets
If you have invested in a set of expensive sheets, then you definitely don’t want them exposed to the elements of a home. Elements that can ruin expensive sheets, such as silk, linen or Egyptian cotton, can be normal wear and tear but also something like sunlight streaming directly on the sheets. Consistent exposure can cause bleaching of the sheets and ruin the quality of the threads.
Conclusion
In a world where purchases are costing more and more each time we replace an item in our homes, it is always important to ensure that what you are buying is exactly what you not only want but also need. Talk to your partner to determine their preference when it comes to buying bed sheets or bed covers.
Normally with products such as bedsheets versus bed covers; there isn’t a clear winner but rather what is a winner in your eyes to suit your individual needs and wants. Look further into the benefits of bed sheets over bed covers and vice versa to help narrow down your decision.
It has been medically and scientifically proven that each individual person on this planet will spend approximately 1/3 of their lives sleeping, so shouldn’t it be in comfort?
If you prefer a bed cover over bed sheets, or you know of a style of bed sheets that you cannot live without; please feel free to mention it in the comments below! We love to hear from you.