Letters
Life with Wool: Counting Sheep
Greetings from Maine!
While some of you may be basking in the golden glow of daffodils, here above the 44th parallel we’re entering a time of year best described as a bit of a slog.
Gone are the dreamy, fluffy snows of February, the late mornings and early evenings by candlelight. Ours is a world of ice, mud, and snow drifts that are lumpy and brown from months of freezing and melting, sanding and plowing and shoveling. I remind myself that we’re gaining two to three minutes of sunlight every day, but we’re still far from the flip-flops of summer or the snow-toppled crocuses and snowdrops of April.
I wonder if humans were even meant to be out and about right now. Deep in the woods, the bears slumber. And we, too, lumber about in a state of semi-hibernation, upright and doing what must be done while giving our minds and bodies some rest before spring.
Instead of curling up in a hollowed-out tree or a cozy leaf-lined crevice, I prefer to seek refuge in the nightly comfort of my bed—a bed that, over the last decade, has been slowly evolving into one great big pile of wool.
It started innocently enough with a blanket. You already know how I feel about the powers of a good wool blanket. Then came a fluffy shearling mattress topper, a gift from my mother. After my first night’s sleep on it, I woke up thinking, “Well, this is quite nice.”
Then came a wool pillow, bought mostly out of curiosity from a British company called The Woolroom. (No affiliation, just a happy customer.)
I started to notice something—or, rather, the absence of something. I wasn’t waking up with sinus headaches nearly as often. Could there be more to this wool business than just aesthetics and tactile pleasure? I started to look for the facts behind what I was feeling.
The research is there. An increasing body of scientific evidence suggests that wearing wool improves the quality of our sleep. With its built-in temperature and moisture-regulating properties, wool can help our body reach and stay in the “thermal comfort zone” needed for a deep and regenerative sleep.
Two studies in particular (1, 2) determined that those subjects wearing wool sleepwear reached REM sleep faster and stayed in it longer than those wearing polyester or cotton, and with far fewer instances of wakefulness. They also found that adults wearing wool sleepwear—and this could be as simple as an oversized Merino jersey nightshirt—fell asleep almost twice as fast as those wearing polyester or cotton.
I promptly added wool to my sleep wardrobe.
But what about wool bedding? In a Leeds University study researchers monitored comforters filled with wool, polyester, and feather/down over an eight-hour period. They wanted to see how consistently each comforter transported body moisture—something that matters when a healthy human body releases upwards of six ounces of moisture each night (not to mention the menopausal drenchings many of us experience).
Should our bedding fail to transport this moisture away from our bodies, we gradually build up heat and sweat until we wake up to throw off the covers—usually between 2 and 5 a.m. when we’re supposed to be in our deepest and most regenerative sleep cycle.
Wool came out the winner, transporting moisture 43% more effectively than polyester and 67% more effectively than feather and down.
This also explains those sinus headaches. Dust mites and fungal spores need a warm, moist environment to thrive. Wool doesn’t let that happen.
That was more than enough motivation to replace my old down comforter with a wool comforter, which soon became two wool comforters, a thick one for winter and a thinner one for summer (still from The Woolroom).
Once you start turning your bed into a giant pile of wool, it’s very hard to stop. When my shearling mattress topper began complaining about its neighbor, the old synthetic mattress pad, out it went, replaced with a thick wool one. I was sealed between plush layers of wool like ham between two thick slices of bread, and I was sleeping better than ever.
The piece de resistance came when, after 23 years of service, our faithful mattress finally surrendered with a sagging sigh. To our local independent appliance and mattress shop I went. I’m in the wilds of Maine, I didn’t have many choices if I wanted help hauling the old mattress out and lugging in the new one.
On a lark, I asked if they stocked anything with wool. The man nodded and led me away from the heaps of rubber and foam and over to their wool mattress corner.
“People started asking for them,” he said.
What?!?
Just a few days later, a large truck pulled into our driveway and my quest to turn our bed into a giant pile of wool was finally complete.
My dream of sweet dreams has finally come true. And when thunder or worries wake me up in the night, I can always count sheep until I’m asleep again—the sheep who, one by one, contributed the wool that lines my wooly den.
PS—Several other companies make wool bedding and/or mattresses, including Shepherd’s Dream, Sonoma Wool Company, and, for futon fans, Small Wonders.
All the other fun stuff we’re up to is on the MDK home page here.
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As a severe allergy sufferer, I am definitely going to check out wool bedding and pillows! It would be worth a lot of money to me to not wake up with sinus headaches all the time. And my husband always complains he’s too cold at night, wool bedding would help with that too.
What a fabulous article. So much of this I didn’t know. Am really interested in anything that promotes sleep. Thank you for the references to vendors of these wool sleep aids.
Do give the pillow a try. They’re different (kinda funny at first, in terms of the wooly guts not being as unified as polyfill) but I really hope it could help you.
Loved your informative article. Will you be publishing some knit sleepwear patterns? They sound lovely to knit.
Yours in loving our environment,
Trudy Ibbetson
PS I live in San Diego, so not a plethora of yarn shops here.
I have a wool comforter, pillows and mattress topper from Frankenmuth Woolen Mills. They are wonderful. I highly recommend.
Wonderful!
Where did you get the comforter? Do you have any thoughts on washable wool bedding vs. non-washable? I know there are some concerns about the environmental impact of the processes to make wool washable. I also wonder if any of the health benefits are lessened by the superwash process. I assume there isn’t research on that yet though.
Allow me to chime in on that as something like an old hippie, who swaddled her newborns in raw, greasy wool and such. After having learned through trial – no error – that wool absorbs all kinds of moisture (fluids!) but never hangs on to the smells, I was already quite relaxed about not or very rarely washing the stuff, just airing it. Years later I bought an expensive wool-filled comforter which I loved – and never washed, because it always stayed fresh with good airing. The comforter moved with me to Canada but there – for reasons not remembered now – the dog slept on it! And loved it! Once the dog was gone, I did not want to use the comforter anymore, but still kept it. Then my feather/down filled comforter had molted so badly that it needed replacing and I remembered that wool comforter, pulled it out, gave it another good airing (outside in a cold Canadian winter), put a fresh cover on it – and I am very happy to crawl under it again every night. All this happened over a period of just about 30 years, I would say. Long story short: don’t worry about the washability, just let the thing breathe fresh air whenever possible, give it a good shake and keep the covers fresh – and you’ll sleep like a baby
The comforter also came from The Woolroom. And I wish there were more research on your superwash question, but your guess was correct, there isn’t yet. In terms of breathability, some might argue that machine wash-treated wool is even more absorptive/breathable because the scales have been removed – and this, even though the fibers were later covered in a resin. I’m thinking of all the dyers who maintain that superwash merino is like a sponge for dye, where non-treated wool requires more dye to get similar levels of saturation.
Fascinating. Thank you, Clara. Wool shopping, coming up!
You’re welcome, Kathy!
The link to Millbrook beds is not correct. It looks like the URL is missing an “L”.
Hi
Love wool!
Minus 33 in Ashland New Hampshire is another local source for wool undergarments and more.
Great article, thanks!
Becky
It should be in good shape now. Apologies — and thanks for the eagle eyes!
Hello
This is a wonderful article! Who knew wool items for our bed/sleeping needs would have such positive impact. Thanks for sharing.
Suzanne
You’re so welcome, Suzanne!
I love The Woolroom! (Also no affiliation, just a satisfied customer). I now have a wool mattress pad, wool pillows (if they start to get thin you can buy more stuffing for them!), wool comforter, and wool blankets. The comforter is SO cozy to sleep under.
Unfortunately I just upgraded my mattress a few years ago, so the wool stuffed mattress will have to wait a bit.
So nice! You’re all set even without the mattress.
As we transition to a new home starting later this week, I will be looking into the wool bedding. What perfect timing for this post!
Excellent!
Any thoughts for those of us who find wool way too itchy?
Thank you for the great article. I too am a long time allergy sufferer. I am going to have to try some of these suggestions.
I’d love to know if they help, Judy.
The secret’s out: I wear marino wool undershirts all winter, and sleep in an e-large 100% irish knit cardigan all winter long.
New England here, I sleep in a chilly house, and I love it. But yes, let’s dry up this muddy place!
Ha, I was a convert to The Woolroom a few years ago! I had to save up but I wouldn’t go back to plastics again, urgh. First a duvet (the lightest the had as I just top up with blankets when it’s chilly) then pillows, then a mattress topper. I also switched all my bedding from the ubiquitous polycotton to pure cotton, and it seems to be more widely available in shops now, so maybe the demand for all natural textiles is growing?
Yesssss! Three cheers for sleeping in wool!
What an interesting article! As a long time cross-country skier, I am a big believer of the wick away properties of wool. I will be looking into your recommendations! You are a marvelous and funny writer- keep writing! The Daily Respite is a great way to start the day!
Thank you so much, Karen!
I am definitely living the wool life.
I have the Woolroom all season comforter (one thick, one thin layer) that I alternate during the seasons, the thin is cool enough for all but the hottest days of summer and the thick warm enough for the coldest days of winter. The mattress pad I leave on year round and is so comfy. I also sleep in WoolX merino sleepwear, short sleeves for summer and long for winter which is magically both cozy when cold and cool when warm. Watch for sales if you are interested.
Cozy hand-knit sweaters are cozy on chilly days, but merino clothing is the absolute best for travel as it does not need washing as much and can be rinsed out in a sink with travel packets of SOAK; wool dries much more quickly than cotton or synthetics. Yes, there are even merino underpants (I like the ones from Woolly and Icebreaker) that dry super fast. Merino clothing is so comfortable, my everyday wear is now merino tops (countless suppliers for tees, 3/4, and long sleeved tops) and pants (WoolX for winter, Unbound Merino lightweight pants and Ibex culottes for summer) year-round. WoolX has a rewards program and frequent sales and many of the makers of merino clothing have intro discounts, it is an investment.
Ahhhh, so nice!
Love the idea of a merino nightshirt! Also a shearling mattress topper. Thank you for so an educational article!
You’re welcome, Nancy!
As a founding flock member of the Wool Channel and devoted follower, baah, I’ve taken your advice over the years and so my partner and I happily sleep on wool pillows from the Woolroom. Its always enlightening to read your letters and watch your monthly shows, I always learn something about this fiber we all love and respect!
Thank you Beth!
What about your sheets? Cotton, or wool, or . . .?
And one side question: what on earth is the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper?
I actually switched to linen sheets last summer, and I wasn’t sure what I’d think about them, but I love love love them. And as for that linguistic question, it seems to depend on the source. I decided to differentiate the two for the column in terms of the item being something that goes atop the mattress (and presumably the mattress pad) versus a mattress pad being one of those things with the fitted edges that go around the mattress. Best to look at the photos (if you’re looking at online retailers) to know what the heck they’re trying to say.
Love wool. Love my Shetland sheep flock #1165.
Wool pillow are fantastic as they last a lot longer than regular pillows. I bought mine from a local ranch that makes them. So check out your local wool producers to see what they have. Yes the wool topper came from further afield. Wool really helps with back problems.
Very good point! Yes, wool pillows and even wool comforters can be sourced more locally if you look around. It’s the bigger, more fitted stuff that can be trickier to find locally.
Great article! I’m all in. For wool.
An all wool bed can’t be that baaad!
I need to find those woolly sleep enhancements!
Thanks for letting us get into bed with you today! It was great!
STOP HOGGING THE BED FRANKLIN
This was eye-opening! I am fascinated. Thank you.
I had crossed out the idea of wool underpants as being too out there and then I read Kathy V’s comments. Along with wool mattress toppers, bring it on! My Great Lakes upbringing was reminded of the Slushville that is February. Your Book of Wool (which is at our other abode so I’m not sure I even have the title right – these are my Prevagen years) is truly the cosiest knitting book I have ever read, and I am working my way up to those Maine mittens (I kinda have a Fear of Mittens -it’s the thumb part – that I am using 2025 to overcome).
You can totally do mittens, Chloe! I have faith in you. And also, without disclosing too much, let me just say that I am a firm believer in, and wearer of, wool underthings. Simply Merino has marvelous ones [small company in Vancouver, hooray!], as well as Ridge Merino,Wool&, WoolX, Icebreaker, Woolly Clothing, SmartWool, Branwyn, and a bunch of others. They’re pricey, but if you’re ever in the position to try a pair, I highly recommend it.
I second the Simply Merino recommendation! I sleep in wool tank tops. They make the menopause sweats somewhat bearable.
Knitter’s Book of Yarn. (I have both. Don’t knit socks). Maine Morning Mitts.
My pillows have been ordered!!! Thanks so much! Starting there and who knows what’s next!
Yay! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
I just ordered the light comforter. I hope it helps me sleep through some hot flashes! Thank you for this article. BTW, although the Woolroom website quotes the price in US$, it will appear on your credit card as a foreign transaction from the UK. Be sure to use a credit card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee…
Good tip on the transaction fee, Bonny. And I can’t wait to hear how the light comforter works for you. It’s definitely helped me do a better job of thermoregulating my way through those hot flashes myself.
Your bed situation sounds lovely. It’s something to aspire to. Years back, we were awaiting an unusually heavy Southern snow storm. I dragged out my old Passap Vario knitting machine and thousands of yards of worsted weight wool. I spent my week’s incarceration making wool blankets. I still have them, and the really big one, mended many times (moths? Dogs?) graces our bed during cold snaps and in the summer instead of a down comforter. I’m planning on making a patchwork quilt with a wool batting. These changes take time, but are so worth it.
That’s genius!
I have a wool comforter from Authenticity50. Excellent quality and made in the USA.
Duly bookmarked! Thanks for the recommendation.
I’m a big fan of Sonoma Wool Company, but then I’ve followed it from the beginning, know the founder, and have seen some of the sheep on Sonoma County hillsides. I’m slowly acquiring all the things!
What a great article! I have spent years on the hunt for a good pillow. Today I ordered the wool pillow from The Woolroom, plus extra wool stuffing. Hopefully this is the answer!
Fascinating article! I had no idea these products existed. I’m looking into the pillow too. It’s been many years since I’ve slept well. Thanks for enlightening me!
I’m local to you in the wilds of Maine so I’m wondering what store sells wool mattresses!
And I agree about March/April in Maine – it’s my least favorite season.
Late to the party today. When I was in my 20s I lived in Munich for a few years and I received a wool comforter as a gift! I enjoyed having it for a few years (it was lighter weight one for summer use). A few years later, I was back in the US and in graduate school and I became friends with a fellow graduate student newly arrived from an Eastern European country. She had few resources so I lent her my wool comforter and cotton comforter cover. I assumed that she would understand that she could remove and wash the cotton cover when she washed her sheets. At the end of the year she left for a different university (and a fabulous fellowship, she’s brilliant and now a tenured Ivy League professor!) and I went to help her prepare for the move. Imagine my distress when she had to admit to me that she had tried to wash and then machine dry my wool comforter! It was ruined and although I held onto it for a while thinking I might come up with some use for it, I eventually tossed it.
My friend and I still keep in touch, but I still really wish I had my wool comforter!
A most timely and much appreciated article! I just bought a new (expensive) mattress and find myself sleeping hot. I hurried over to The Woolroom to check out the mattress protector. Many customer reviews mentioned the wool protector is so breathable it stopped night sweats, even on hot Texas summer nights. Excited, I bought the mattress protector and pillow. I’m optimistic comfortable nights and no more waking up with a sinus headache is in my future.
Out of all the articles out there emphasizing good sleep hygiene, this article may be life-changing. Thank you, Clara!
Thank you so much for this Clara. I am definitely going to follow up.
Do you mind sharing where you found the wool mattress? I’m also in Maine. Thanks!
I am battling moths. Would they devour a comforter or pillow, too?
Loved your informative article. Will you be publishing some knit sleepwear patterns? They sound lovely to knit.
Yours in loving our environment,
Trudy Ibbetson
PS I live in San Diego, so not a plethora of yarn shops here.
This sounds very intriguing, but what about those of us who are always hot at night? I am in Cleveland and keep my windows open even in winter. Do you think a lightweight wool blanket would be comfortable?
I just got will pillows from The Woolroom last week. I like my pillows really flat, so I need to remove some filling I think.
I got my wool comforter from IKEA when I was thinking I needed a new feather one. I’ve definitely noticed less night sweats. Also love my linen sheets.
I’ve been using a Woolroom comforter (plus wool blanket in winter) and a wool mattress topper for many years in the high mountains of Idaho. I rarely need more than those items and highly recommend them.
I sleep in a Chill Angel 100% merino tank top and shorts, even in winter, and am never cold in winter or hot in summer. Chill Angel makes beautiful wool clothing. It is a bit delicate but works well for sleeping/lounging. Not sure I’d want to wear the joggers out and about, though—it is a bit lightweight. chillangel.com/
I also have doubles of the tank, long sleeve T, shorts and joggers that I use for travel. With those four pieces, I’m warm/cool enough wherever I go.
Sleeping in wool is amazing!