Buckwheat pillows...

We all know how important sleep is for us but i think many of us are irresponsible sleepers. We don't sleep enough, we don't prepare ourselves for bedtime properly (eating the wrong foods in the evening/ not giving ourselves time to wind down) and we don't sleep with the healthiest equipment - a comfortable mattress, natural bedding or the correct quilt or pillows.

We were very fortunate to be given a memory foam orthopaedic mattress when we got married and we've never slept on anything so comfortable since we started using it. Honestly, if you are in need of a new mattress then i would recommend them. There are downsides to the memory foam ones - namely that the foam is synthetic. This does allow it to react to body heat and mould to the body to offer good support, but its production is more harmful to the environment and the workers who make them, and emissions from the foam can cause more respiratory irritation than natural mattresses (though they are less likely to harbour dust mites and mildew so are better for asthma sufferers). For comfort though, i give ours top marks.

Quilts and pillows should be made from natural materials if possible. Cotton and linen are good choices, and those containing feathers, wool, cotton or buckwheat are best. The chemicals in most quilts and pillows can cause respiratory diseases, autism, ME, problems with sensitive skin, and other diseases associated with a chemical imbalance. They also dont allow the skin to breathe and can cause over heating.

Buckwheat pillows are particularly good. We've been using ours for four or five years and i don't think i would ever want to use any other kind of pillow. They are made from a cotton case and contain the hulls or husks of buckwheat. They are based on pillows which people in the east have been using for hundreds of years. The health benefits are that the husks regulate your temperature - keeping you cool when hot and warm when cold. The pillows feel like beanbags, they mould to the shape of your head and support the head and neck at the same angle as when standing / walking, thus allowing easier breathing so therefore a better nights sleep. Buckwheat pillows have been recognised for their benefits to people suffering from sleeplessness, headaches, neck pain, low back pain, muscle tension, stress, snoring, and other ailments. The husks are generally dust free so help asthma sufferers and those with other respiratory problems. They are really comfortable, and we only use one each where as we used to use two regular pillows each before hand. They are still in great condition, and they unzip to allow the husks to be removed so that you can wash the cover in the machine. The husks can be replaced every few years but this isn't necessary as they do not sag or flatten over time.

Little D is ready for a bed now (he's two now you know!) so i shall be exploring the natural bedding options very soon and will let you know what we decide to buy for him and then review it a few weeks or months down the line. A buckwheat pillow is a definite insha'Allah. Are their any natural products or items that you use and would recommend?