As you begin to feather your nest for the fall season, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your beds, bedding, bedrooms, and baths. Before you become preoccupied with holiday activities and hosting obligations, prepare your home for the season to come and ensure nothing interferes with getting the sufficient, quality sleep you will need to get it all done. 

Go Into Fall with a Plan for Your Sleep Health and Wellness

Sleep can become more difficult as the weather cools and we lose the early morning light that keeps our circadian rhythms regular. The negative effects of lack of sleep on our immunity and the improvements we can make to our health, and immunity, with sufficient, quality sleep are well established. It seemed like the right time to share some of the things you can do to prepare your bedroom and bathroom to support your sleep health and wellness as we head into the cooler and busier season to come.

Remember Bed Hygiene When the Fall Cleaning Begins

Now that the kids are back in classes, or have moved back to campus, you can get the house back in order, starting with the bedrooms. Bed hygiene goes beyond what you can see on the top of the bed. Quality mattresses and pillows are an investment. They should be protected from the inevitable sweat, drool, and accidents that will occur with years of use, whether in a hotel or at home. We strongly recommend the consistent use of waterproof mattress pads and  zippered pillow protectors from the moment you bring your mattresses and pillows into your home. They provide a barrier against wear and tear, moisture, and stains. If you haven’t been using them, now is the perfect time to start.

The change of season also serves as a reminder to address the bedding you might not launder on a regular basis, including your pillows, comforters, and mattress pads. Always read the product tags to determine whether your bedding is machine washable. Our pillows, comforters, and mattress pads can be machine washed and dried so long as your machines are large enough to allow them to move freely during the process. Be sure to thoroughly dry your bedding, particularly bedding with down and feather fill, to avoid mildew and so that it can achieve its full loft.

This is the perfect time to take stock of your pillows. Are they meeting your current needs? Is it time to replace some of them? Pillows should be replaced when they have smells or stains that cannot be removed, or the fill has lost its ability to provide the necessary support for your head, neck, or other body parts. There are a number of options for pillows you no longer need before you throw them away.

Once you’re ready to purchase new pillows, you’ll be confronted with considerations of fill, firmness, size, and shape. Don’t be overwhelmed. We offer a number of articles to help you select the right pillow, and we’re always happy to speak and share our recommendations based upon the way you sleep.

Keep Your Bed Cozy by Adding Throw Blankets and Pillows

As you’re trading in your shorts and T-shirts for more and warmer layers, consider doing the same with your bed linens. It’s time to launder and pack up the summer-weight comforter and to bring out the all-seasons or winter-weight comforter you stored in the spring. Be sure to throw your stored comforter in the dryer for a few minutes to wake it up. This is particularly beneficial for down comforters as it will fluff up the down for maximum loft and softness.

Add a throw blanket to the foot of the bed like they do in many hotels to add a pop of fall color and to place an extra layer within easy reach during the night. Throws are also perfect to cuddle under while reading or watching television when you’re not quite ready to climb under the covers. Place throws, and coordinated throw pillows, in places where you and your guests sit—in the living room, den, or in front of the fireplace—for easy access. Our throws and throw pillow covers are removable and machine washable so you can maintain the freshness throughout the season.

Gift yourself the ultimate luxury of a feather bed. Often seen only at the most luxurious hotels, feather beds are a wonderful alternative to immediate investment in a more expensive mattress as they are placed on top of the mattress and deliver an extra level of cushion and comfort.

Make Your Bathroom a Cozy Retreat You Look Forward to Visiting

Treat yourself like a guest with the amenities that make your bathroom an escape from the rigors of the day. Create a bathroom environment that soothes your senses and lets you focus on yourself. Make it look beautiful by purging the products you purchased on a whim. Give them to someone who might like them or move them to the guest bathroom.

Create a soft feel with cozy robes, towels, and head wraps. Add a cushiony cotton bathmat to create a soft landing as you step out of the bath or shower. With the colder weather and the indoor heat, you’ll want to treat your skin and hair gently and keep them moisturized. That’s why we recommend our wash me tender™ organic cotton and silk towel sets. This natural non-dyed toweling is perfect for sensitive, damaged, or newborn skin and hair. It is also eco-friendly.

Close the door to eliminate distracting noise and turn on the sounds that relax you, whether that’s music or white noise. Add the spa scent with aromatherapy room sprays or soothing candles. To combat the dehydration of the colder weather and satisfy your taste buds, flavor a glass of water with a couple of slices of lemon or lime. View your bath time as part of a bedtime ritual intended to improve your sleep health and wellness.

Lean Into Your Bedtime Rituals More Than Ever

Luxury hotels attempt to appeal to all your senses in their guest rooms. Our five senses guide us throughout our day, but they can also support healthy sleep each night. Our sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch are all critical ways that we experience our surroundings before bed. By focusing on each of these and finding the combination that works best for you, it's possible to create the right environment for the rejuvenating sleep that we crave. Your bedtime routine  provides consistency through the changing seasons.

A bedtime routine, what you do in the 90 or so minutes before you lie down to sleep, can make a big difference to the length and quality of that sleep. Whether it’s a warm bath, a cup of tea, yoga, or breathwork, do what relaxes you and informs your brain that it's time to wind down. That can include putting on the sleepwear, which may change from a summer shift to winter flannel, to keep your temperature consistently comfortable at night.

It might get dark earlier in the evening and get light later in the morning, but that doesn’t mean you should dispense with your eye mask. Even ambient light from electronics in your bedroom can be detrimental to your sleep. Continue to use your eye mask as part of your bedtime routine.

With the cold weather outside and the heated air inside, you'll want to retain as much moisture in your skin and hair as possible. We recommend our tiara silks® pillowcases, which are made of whisper-soft silk charmeuse and come with an organza sachet filled with premium aromatherapeutic lavender potpourri that tucks neatly into a hidden pocket inside the pillowcase.

You'll notice hotels focusing on health and wellness, particularly sleep health and wellness. There is a reason for that; sleep health and wellness are critical to your overall health and wellness. Stay healthy this fall by creating the bedroom environment  and bedtime routine that will support your best sleep.

We wish you a wonderfully cozy fall.

-The Team at down etc

Read more:

5 Luxury Hotel Housekeeping Tips for Preparing Your Bedroom and Guestrooms for the Fall

5 Ways to Set the Stage for Holiday Hospitality

Bedtime Rituals for Better Sleep

Consider Your 5 Senses to Make Bathing at Home a Spa-like Experience

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