Cotton and Wool Mattress Pads

A mattress pad is a cover that fits on top of your mattress below the bottom sheet. It can add great comfort to your bed and help you sleep well.

There are many types of mattress pads but probably the two most common types are pads filled with wool and pads filled with cotton.

So, if you decide to buy a mattress pad you may be faced with a choice between a pad filled with wool and a pad filed with cotton. What are the advantages of these two types of pads?

The advantages of wool are:

* Science cannot match the quality of natural wool.
* Wool helps your body maintain a regular temperature.
* Wool assists in wicking away moisture from your body. Amazingly, wool traps moisture and releases it later. The result? A drier and healthier sleeping area for you.
* Wool fights against dust mites and mildew.
* Not only does wool repel water and dust naturally, it is difficult to ignite.
* Wool is a natural insulator, so a pad filled with wool will be warm in winter and cool in summer.

The advantages of cotton are:

* Organic cotton is hypoallergenic - this means it has a "decreased tendency to cause an allergic reaction". If you have an allergy problem, chat to your Doctor before you buy.
* Science has never been able to copy natural fibre.
* People have been enjoying cotton close to them for about 5000 years. What a recommendation for cotton!
* Cotton absorbs moisture that accumulates where you sleep. This keeps you and your bed dry.
* Cotton is soft and supple.
* Most cotton pads are easily washable and can be mended easily if damaged. Don't wash your cotton mattress pad in very hot water as it can cause shrinking.
* Cotton is resilient. Cotton is also a good natural insulator. This means your mattress pad is warm in winter and cool in summer.

By John Bartels