Buying New Sheets? Look Beyond the Thread Count

Buying new sheets is no easy task. With so many options to choose from it's easy to throw your hands in the air, turn to your husband, and say "Henry, can you handle this?"

Woman Lying in Bed
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But it doesn't have to be that way. Step one: Stop fixating so much on the thread count thing. Truly. Experts agree. "The ultimate goal in purchasing any sleep product is a quality night's sleep. There are three things you should really look for when shopping for sheets: quality of material, weave and breathability. Natural materials, for instance, tend to have exceptional longevity; they're also inherently more breathable and offer moisture wicking properties. Combined, these features make for a cooler, more comfortable night's sleep. More important than thread count is the actual weave of fibers," as John Merwin, Owner and CEO of Brooklyn Bedding tells Southern Living . "The thread count of sheets represents the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. The way in which the thread is weaved matters far more than the actual thread content, at a certain threshold." (For Merwin, there's no "magic number" of thread count you should look for, but rather quality depends on the type of material that is used and is highly variable.)

Ready to head to dreamland? Merwin is partial to his company's Bamboo Twill Sheets , which are unbelievably soft and hold up to regular washing. Whatever you buy, be sure to look for hypoallergenic material, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Now, what tasks shall we outsource to Henry? Comforter selection? Picking out a new set of bathroom towels? Upgrading the living room curtains? The list just keeps getting longer.

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