We all know that sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing, but sometimes it can feel like circumstances are conspiring against us when it comes to getting enough good quality sleep. Long hours, screens galore, and myriad other distractions and stresses can make it tricky to establish a healthy sleep routine, and things like the clocks changing – as they will in a couple of weeks time – can throw things off even further. It might only be an hour's change, but it can leave you feeling out-of-sync for several days.
Thankfully, there are products that can help you dodge the disruption. And for that, Panda London is here to help. This brand has built its reputation on blending luxury and sustainability with its innovative range of sleep accessories, many of which use bamboo as their secret ingredient. Here's how to arm yourself against the disturbance of the clocks going back, with the help of a few carefully chosen products…
1. Block the light with an eye mask
Light and dark have a significant impact on our sleep-wake cycles: natural light tells your body it's time to start the day, while darkness makes you feel sleepy. Of course, it's not practical to shape your day around when the sun rises and sets, so hack the system with an eye mask. This is especially useful when your body hasn't quite adjusted to a shift in sleep routine.
The Panda Eye Mask shuts out ambient light to put you in control of your sleep schedule, shutting out distractions to help quiet your brain when it's time to nod off, and stopping the light from creeping in if it's too early to wake, too. The mask is made entirely from Panda's signature bamboo fabric, inside and out. It's a sustainable and vegan alternative to silk, and just as luxurious. The layered design is light as air and silky soft against your skin, as well as being naturally breathable and hypoallergenic.
2. Choose a duvet that adapts to the changing seasons
The next thing to tackle is your bedding. When the seasons are changing over, it's common for one evening to be mild and the next chilly, which makes it tricky to know when to swap to a winter-weight duvet, and invariably ends up with uncomfortably warm or cold nights before the new season really settles in. Panda's solution is a duvet that adapts to the temperature on any given night. And we've got bamboo and its naturally thermo-regulating properties to thank.
The stuffing in the Panda Cloud Bamboo duvet is a half-and-half blend of bamboo fibres and Nano-Microfibre made from recycled water bottles, and is designed to offer insulation on wintery nights and breathability when the weather is warmer. Sewn-through pockets ensure the stuffing stays evenly distributed with no thin spots, no matter how much wriggling you're doing, and corner loops can be attached to the internal straps on Panda's duvet covers to ensure everything stays in place like it's meant to, too. In short, this is the duvet to choose for consistent cosiness, whatever the weather.
3. Find a pillow that doesn't need reshaping
If you find yourself spending time bashing around your pillow, trying to get it into just the right place so you can drop off in comfort, it's probably time to change things up. Panda's original Bamboo Pillow is filled with 3rd-gen memory foam, which adapts to your head and neck to provide consistent, perfectly comfortable support all night long – no reshaping required. It won't lose its shape or flatten over time either.
Alternatively, you could upgrade to one of Panda's new additions: the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Pillow, which takes things to the next level, with its orthopaedic-grade, bamboo-charcoal memory foam core. As well as offering next-level support, this pillow has properties that make it perfect for navigating those interseasonal temperature fluctuations. The unique foam will regulate temperature, wick away moisture, and even has Active O2 Micro-Pods to allow air to flow through the pillow and keep you cool on warmer nights.
Whichever pillow you pick, you'll get a hypoallergenic bamboo cover that can be easily removed for washing. The bamboo fabric is indulgently soft against your skin, and the Hybrid pillow's cover is even quilted for a little extra luxury.
4. Upgrade your mattress for an unbroken sleep
This is a bit more of an investment, but one you won't regret. A good mattress is the best thing you can buy to improve your sleep. Panda has just launched its first-ever mattress, and it has been carefully designed to counter those issues that can derail your sleep and stop you from having a truly restful night.
The Hybrid Bamboo Mattress contains a new 'OrthoAlign Foam™', which works with a pocket spring layer to absorb motion. That means if someone in bed with you is struggling to sleep, perhaps as a result of that clock change, you won't feel them moving about or getting in and out of bed.
Above the OrthoAlign Foam™ layer you'll find the second of the two new foams Panda created for the mattress. The top tier is made from BioCell Foam™, an open-cell foam infused with bamboo, which is designed to breathe with you and prevent overnight overheating. The Panda Hybrid Bamboo mattress is also built to offer the perfect balance of support and comfort – along with that impressive breathability that some memory foam beds can struggle with – to elevate your resting hours.
