Hypoallergenic Bedding and Mattresses to Help You Sleep Better with Hay Fever 

As hay fever season arrives, we begin the age-old battle against sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes. For many of us, this seasonal allergy causes upset to our sleep quality and leaves us feeling groggy and sometimes just downright miserable during the day.

But, there are a few changes you can make to your bedding and mattress that have the potential to make a world of difference. Here, we'll take a deep dive into the benefits of hypoallergenic bedding and mattresses to help you understand how these simple bedtime essentials could lead to better sleep. Yes, even while the pollen levels are high!

Understanding Hay Fever

Before we get into some of the solutions, it’s important to understand what hay fever actually is and why it can affect sleep. Hay fever is also sometimes referred to as allergic rhinitis. And it is an allergic reaction to pollen – be it tree, grass, or weed pollen.

If you’re a hay fever sufferer, you’ll already know that when we inhale pollen, it can trigger a series of rather annoying symptoms. These usually include sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose, and those dreaded itchy eyes.

Unfortunately, these symptoms can be particularly annoying at night when you’re trying to sleep. And as we’re all aware, disrupted sleep leads to feeling fatigued and sometimes being a tad more irritable during the day that follows the disrupted night.

Luckily, there is a solution that can help to ease symptoms. And this solution lies in the makeup of your sleep set up. Learn more below.

The Importance of Hypoallergenic Bedding

Traditional bedding – such as cotton or down duvets – can trap allergens like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander. This will only serve to make your hay fever symptoms worse.

However, by choosing (and using) hypoallergenic bedding instead, you’ll put yourself in a better position to be able to stave off some of those bothersome symptoms. Hypo allergenic sleep essentials have been specifically designed to repel allergens and give you your very own protective barrier against any potential triggers.

Here are some of the main benefits of buying a hypoallergenic mattress and bedding:

1. Protection from allergens. Hypoallergenic bedding is made from materials that are resistant to allergens like dust mites and pollen. This is handy in helping to reduce your exposure to such allergens while you’re trying to sleep.
2. Breathability. High-quality hypoallergenic bedding – like the options we sell at Bensons – often incorporates breathable materials. These help to promote airflow to prevent you from overheating while you’re in bed as being too hot can actually worsen your allergy symptoms (1).
3. They can be easy to clean. Many of our hypoallergenic pillows and bedding are machine washable too. This makes getting rid of pesky allergens easier so that you can keep your sleep environment clean and fresh.

Choosing a Hypoallergenic Mattress

But it’s not just your bedding you need to think about when it comes to allergen-prevention. Your mattress also has a key role to play in managing those pesky night-time hay fever symptoms too.

Here's how a hypoallergenic mattress could make a difference to your sleep quality during hay fever season:

1. Dust mite resistance. Hypoallergenic mattresses incorporate the use of materials that repel dust mites. And as dust mites are a common allergen that can trigger your hay fever symptoms, this is a key perk (2).
2. Antimicrobial properties. Some hypoallergenic mattress models also feature antimicrobial properties. This helps to inhibit the growth of mould, bacteria, and other allergens, and so can be beneficial for creating a healthier sleep environment all-round.
3. Support and comfort remains key to composition. While hypoallergenic mattresses are favoured for their allergy-fighting features, their ability to keep you supported and comfy while you sleep hasn’t been compromised in any way. They have actually been designed to give you the same level of support and comfort as non-hypoallergenic mattresses, thus ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed and free from the aches and pains reserved for a poor-quality mattress or one that’s on its last legs.

Hypoallergenic Mattresses and Bedding: Our Top Picks

When it comes to choosing a hypoallergenic mattress, there’s a few things to think about. These include:

• Preferred sleep position. Your preferred sleeping pose should indicate which firmness rating (or comfort level) is best for supporting spinal alignment.
• Any other sleep needs. Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you require the additional back-care support offered by an orthopaedic mattress?
• The type of bed you have. In the UK beds are available in standardised sizes and for the most part, providing the bed and mattress are the same size, the two will be compatible. But there are some occasions where a specialist mattress is needed. For example, with zip and link beds. If you have a zip link bed, you will need a zip and link hypoallergenic mattress too – unless you don’t want to take advantage of the opportunity to be able to separate the bed into two separates for solo sleeping that is. Another example where a specialist mattress might be needed is when you have an electric adjustable bed. If this is the case, you’ll be able to find a hypoallergenic mattress solution in our adjustable bed compatible mattresses collection.

The Best Hypoallergenic Mattress Collection: Slumberland Naturals

If you’re shopping for a standard hypoallergenic mattress for a divan base, an ottoman bed, or a traditional bed frame, we’d suggest considering our Slumberland Naturals Mattress collection.

This mattress range incorporates the use of flax (aka linseed). And flax happens to be a natural material that is anti-bacterial, breathable and hypoallergenic. Thus it’s a great choice for those suffering from hayfever or seasonal allergies.

The Slumberland Naturals Mattresses also all have a Tencel super soft-touch, stretch-knit cover. This is gentle on skin while effectively helping to provide natural antibacterial allergy protection.

The Best Hypoallergenic Pillows

If you’re looking for some hypoallergenic pillows to help keep pesky allergens at bay, we have a number of options here at Bensons.

First up we have the affordable Simply by Bensons Anti Allergy twin pack of pillows. With their anti-allergy fibres working to prevent the build-up of dust mites, bacteria and other allergens, these pillows may be able to offer hay fever suffers so relief from their symptoms.

Then there’s the premium Serenity luxury latex pillow from Dunlopillo. This pillow is naturally anti-allergenic and anti-bacterial for effectively discouraging dust mites, bacteria, fungi, and the build-up of mould and mildew. This leads to a more hygienic sleep environment and has the potential to provide a much-needed good night’s sleep for anyone suffering with hay fever. And if you’re looking for something with a higher loft (pillow height), the DunlopilloSuper Comfort Latex pillow is ideal.

Last up, we have the Tempur Cloud SmartCool pillow. This pillow features an ultra-soft, cool-to-the-touch cover with Tempur SmartCool™ technology that helps keep you feeling cool and fresh. And given that we now know that heat can worsen the symptoms of hay fever, this is an innovation that is sure to appeal. The Tempur Cloud SmartCool pillow also comes with a machine washable cover to help you keep allergens at bay more easily.

The Best Hypoallergenic Mattress Protector

At Bensons, our mattress protectors are designed to maximise the life expectancy of your mattress. And each of them have also been made using anti-allergy materials to keep unwanted allergens from impacting your sleep quality.

From the affordable Slumberland Teflon Supreme mattress protector to the premium Tempur Home mattress protector and everything in between, there’s a hypoallergenic mattress protector for all budgets at Bensons.

FAQs

Here are a handful of frequently asked questions relating to the topic of hypoallergenic bedding and mattresses for anyone that’s struggling with hay fever right now:

What makes bedding and mattresses hypoallergenic?

Hypoallergenic bedding and mattresses are usually made from or incorporate materials that are resistant to allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. These materials effectively help to create a barrier between you and any potential allergens .This then reduces your exposure to them while you sleep.

Are hypoallergenic bedding and mattresses effective at reducing hay fever symptoms?

Generally, yes. Hypoallergenic bedding and/or mattresses can be extremely effective when it comes to reducing hay fever symptoms. In minimising our exposure to common allergens, they can help offer some relief from hay fever symptoms like sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes, allowing for a more restful night's sleep.

What materials are commonly used in hypoallergenic bedding and mattresses?

Some of the materials you’re most likely to see being used in hypoallergenic sleep essentials include bamboo, microfiber, latex, and Tencel. These materials are all resistant to allergens and help to promote a breathable and comfortable sleep environment that is much more conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Can hypoallergenic bedding be washed?

Yes and no. It would be factually incorrect of us to state that all hypoallergenic bedding is machine washable. That said, many of our hypoallergenic pillows and mattress protectors are machine washable. And choosing bedding that can be cleaned regularly and easily in a washing machine makes it easier to get rid of allergens. If in doubt, always be sure to follow the manufacturer's care instructions to ensure the longevity of your bedding.

Are hypoallergenic mattresses suitable for all sleep positions?

Absolutely! At Bensons, our hypoallergenic mattresses are available in firmness levels ranging from medium through to extra-firm. This means that they are able to accommodate different sleep positions and preferences. So, whether you're a side sleeper, a back sleeper, or tummy sleeper, you’ll be able to find a hypoallergenic mattress that provides the right balance of support, comfort, and allergy protection right here

Our Conclusion

Don't let hay fever rob you of a good night's sleep.

Investing in hypoallergenic bedding and an anti-allergy mattresses should enable you to build your own sleep sanctuary that is effective at promoting restful, allergy-free nights.

So if you’re ready to hopefullysay goodbye to sneezing fits and stuffy noses this summer, why not pop into your local Bensons for Beds store and discuss your personal needs with our experts. Alternatively, browse the collections online and give our customer service team a call should you require any additional assistance. Start sleeping better with hay fever today.

Sources:

1. https://www.aspireallergy.com/blog/is-the-summer-heat
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/allergic-rhinitis/

Emma Carlton

Buying and Merchandising Manager

Emma has worked at Bensons for Beds for 10 years and is a fundamental part of the Bensons’ team, her wealth of breadth and knowledge is invaluable. Emma’s drive, determination, and tenacity ensures we provide our customers with the market leading products to suit our customer individual needs, at great value prices.
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