Congratulations, you’ve made it through more than 75% of January, Blue Monday and all. Extra kudos if you got through it without booking a holiday amid the onslaught of sun-soaked adverts, although I confess I’m not tempted. Would I rather spend hours on a plane with 200 strangers who had prosecco for breakfast, or hibernate until spring? I’ll take hibernation, thanks. Especially now that I’ve learned to do it properly.
Hunkering down may not sound like something you need tips to master, but January is the best of times and the worst of times for those of us who struggle with insomnia. On the upside, all the darkness encourages your body to produce plenty of the “sleep hormone” melatonin (nature’s way of telling you to sleep through it). On the downside, lack of sunlight is a key trigger for seasonal affective disorder (Sad) – one of the symptoms of which is broken sleep. Never simple, is it?
After a year and a half at the Filter and a decade on the perimenopausal insomnia bus, I’ve learned a thing or 40 about getting my 40 winks. Even in high summer, testing the most-hyped sleep aids taught me new ways to nod off in a heatwave. But while a blackout eye mask and chilled tart cherry juice helped me sleep in June, winter needs a different approach.
Sleeping au naturel (fibres)
The most surprising thing I’ve learned while testing cosy bedding, from memory foam mattress toppers (my favourite: the Simba Hybrid topper) to microwaveable weighted blankets (a gift for chilly feet), is that breathability is even more important on cold nights than hot nights. A heat-trapping polyester fleece may help you fall asleep, but in my experience, it’ll soon have you waking up, cooking in your own sweat. At least in summer you can just throw off all the covers.
Breathable natural fibres were used in the best mattresses, duvets and pillows we’ve tested this winter. Bamboo, wool and cotton are nature’s temperature regulators, able to keep you warm when sharing a bed under a high-tog duvet but feeling deliciously cool against your skin. In my recent test of the best duvets, Panda’s bamboo-infused duvet impressed me so much that I bought one, and it’s only through sheer self-discipline that I’m not wrapped in it right now.
I love the relative lightness of the Panda duvet, but you may find a weighted blanket soothing, especially in winter when its deep hug will keep out every scrap of cold air. The cotton-encased Emma Hug blanket helped calm my restless legs without trapping heat during my recent test, but my chilly feet were seduced by the polyester charms of the Lifemax heated weighted blanket, which also makes a lovely shoulder wrap. By and large, though, I’d recommend sticking to natural-fibre bedding for sleep.
The temperature-regulating power of natural material even works when you’re using an electric blanket, as I discovered last week when running heat-retention tests on a wool mattress. Not only did it cool down unexpectedly fast after being smothered by a plug-in blanket and my husband’s hot bottom, but it also retained its supportiveness under an electric blanket, unlike foam. Keep an eye on our best mattresses roundup soon for more on that test, bum and all.
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This week’s picks
The best women’s boots for winter: 24 favourites, from knee-high to ankle
The best heated clothes airers to save time and money when drying your laundry, tested
The best men’s walking boots for every type of hiking adventure, tested
The best electric heaters, from traditional stove-style units to modern smart models – tested
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Editor’s pick
Cold winds, drying central heating and freezing temperatures can play havoc on your skin and hair. Beauty expert Hayley Spencer rounded up the best affordable winter beauty saviours, from a skin-barrier-boosting balm for less than £10 to a spa-like body oil that will leave you feeling smooth and hydrated.
Monica Horridge
Deputy editor, the Filter
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In case you missed it …
Whisky is for life, not just for Burns Night. So whether or not you were addressing the great chieftain o’ the pudding-race last night, upgrade your next dram with Joanne Gould’s pick of the best whiskies – after a heroic tasting of 50 varieties. (Still not drinking? She also tasted 75 low- and no-alcohol drinks, and her favourites have been getting us through Dry January.)
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Get involved
Have you started the year resolving to reduce your screen time? What behaviour, gizmo or mind trick has helped you spend less time online? And what screen-free hobbies and activities have helped you get off your phone? Let us know by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at thefilter@theguardian.com.
