Duvet or quilt

Although the importance of the bed, mattress and pillows are continually emphasised by manufacturers and retailers alike, very little mention is given to the importance of bedding.

Naturally, how the body is supported is determined by the structural parts of the bed, mattress and pillows that are beneath the body, however what goes on top of the body is also important.

For most people the single most important item of bedding is the duvet, often called a quilt. The Quilt or duvet has a primary purpose of retaining the heat from the body and keeping that heat in a warm cocoon that enables the body to stay warm during rest. When people are inactive, particularly during sleep, the body slows down and generates less heat than it does during the more active parts of the day. This means that, whilst people often feel warm when they get into bed, they would quickly cool down without an insulating cover like a quilt.

Types of quilt

Quilts come in a range of forms based around different fillings and different abilities to retain heat. In the UK this heat retention factor is classified in TOG measures where the greater the TOG number, the warmer the duvet, e.g. a 16 TOG would be warmer than an 8 TOG.

Feathers and down

The fillings available for quilts are extensive. Traditionally the quilt was filled with feathers and down and it was divided into compartments. Feathers are very light, but also very heat retentive, and the warmth of the quilt can be adjusted by shaking the bulk of the feathers away from the central “covering” area and towards the top, bottom and sides of the duvet. This would have the effect of making the quilt sleep cooler. By evenly distributing the feathers and down throughout the quilt the warmest and most insulated performance would be achieved.

Foam

Although the feather and down quilt is still regarded as the best by many people, there are also a number of foam filled quilts. The foam is normally in a shredded or similar format so that it can evenly fill and spread throughout the duvet. Modern foams are light and extremely heat retentive, so they give excellent performance. They cost less than the feather and down alternative.

Organic wool

Natural organic wool is another material that can be used to fill quilts. Wool is highly insulative and it is light in weight and fully washable, a property that not all quilts posses. Those who sleep with wool filled quilts find them comparable with feathers and down in terms of warmth, but they are slightly heavier.

All quilt types are suitable with an orthopedic mattress, irrespective of its materials, design and build. The same is true of pillows.

The term quilting, used in the context of a mattress, has a different meaning to that used above.