Want to jump out of bed and start the day? It would be nice. Instead, there is an unpleasant pulling sensation in the back or neck. The reason for the tension may be something you didn’t even suspect: your ceiling.
Have you already got out the thick down duvet for the winter? Hard to imagine, but true: specimens that are too warm can also be a disadvantage and promote muscle tension, explains the Healthy Back Association (AGR) on its website.
Tension in the morning: blankets that are too warm can cause the body to cool down
That sounds contradictory at first, isn’t heat actually good for our muscles? AGR solves the problem: “If the bed cavity is too warm, you push the blanket to the side. The sweaty body is exposed to the draft and cools down quickly, which leads to tension and hardening of the muscles. Back pain is inevitable.”
Incidentally, this can also happen with duvets that are too small, writes the German Press Agency (dpa) in 2024. If they do not cover the entire body, drafts can reach the exposed skin. It takes heat with it – and can therefore cause the muscles to harden. The AGR recommends oversized duvets if necessary. “As a rough recommendation, the blanket should be approx. 20 cm longer than your own height,” writes the association.
According to the AGR, if you want to buy a new duvet, you can make sure that it has a thermophysiological effect. This means: It is best to have special fibers in it that conduct the accumulated body heat away and thus regulate the temperature.
The association also recommends models with self-contained, not too large quilting and, if necessary, a circumferential edge roll so that the blanket hugs the body well. The model should also be easy to wash and harmless to health – the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 seal provides guidance.
Animal welfare should also be taken into account when buying blankets: Utopia, among other things, takes a critical view of conventional down. Geese are sometimes plucked alive and have to suffer great pain in the process. Seals such as the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) are intended, among other things, to exclude live plucking, but have been criticized for a lack of transparency. Luckily, there are also other warming materials for winter blankets. We present a few here:
This is what matters when it comes to pillows and mattresses
Your duvet warms you just right, but you’re still often tense in the morning? Then it might make sense to focus on the pillow. The model may not be the best fit for your preferred sleeping position.
“Side sleepers need a higher pillow that compensates for the distance between the head and the mattress,” advises André Alesi, health and sports scientist at AGR, to the dpa in 2024. If you like to sleep on your back, you should have a flat pillow under your head. This ensures that the cervical spine can maintain its natural position.
Are you looking for a good pillow? Then take a look at the following guides:
- These pillows made from natural materials are test winners at Öko-Test
- Organic pillows: 7 good pillows made from natural materials
By the way: Particularly hard mattresses can also cause discomfort. They can increase the pressure on the shoulders and pelvis, which, according to Alesi, can also result in tension and pain. If you want to buy a new model, it is best to get individual advice. Here is a list of inspiration:
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