Sleeping with a stuffy nose

It is officially the worst season of all! No, not Holiday season! Even though Holiday’s can be a pain in the butt. I am talking about cold and flu season! Those dreaded invisible germs that sneak into your body and wreak havoc. The reason I am even bringing this up is because I just had the worst stuffy nose and I couldn’t sleep! Nothing is worse than being so tired yet you feel like you can’t breathe. So, being the millennial that I am I jumped on my phone and asked good old Google what helps you sleep with a stuffy nose. My mom was already asleep so I couldn’t ask her. DUH!

I did find some good tips if you are trying to sleep with a stuffy nose and I thought I would share a few with you.

1 . Skip the night cap! I know what you are thinking! A nice drink before bed might help me fall asleep and not feel the suffering of my stuffy nose! Well that alcohol can actually make your stuffy nose worse and even aggravate sinus pain. So, skip the wine and have a nice decaf hot tea. Perhaps a valerian tea or decaf green tea.

2. Keep those little nasal passages nice and moist. I know we all hate that word but get over it for a second and listen! When you keep your nose hydrated it makes blowing and breathing easier. Try using a over the counter saline solution to help keep your cute little button nose moist. Dry air is the enemy when trying to fight a stuffy nose. Use a humidifier to keep dry air away. I also like to use my essential oil defuser by my bed and use peppermint oil with lavender. Peppermint essential oil will help clear your nasal passages and the lavender will help you relax and sleep.

3. If you are anything like me and you hate taking medication you may jump to “natural” remedies first but if those don’t work try some gold old fashion medication. If you are sick try taking a decongestant but if you think your stuffiness is from allergies try taking a antihistamine.

4. Keep you head elevated. Prop your upper body up with lots of pillows (need more pillows to do this? Try shopping at Pillows.com. I hear they have a good selection) Keeping your head above your heart will help decrease mucus from pooling in your nose. EW

5. Know when to call the doctor. If you have sever congestion and sinus pain that just wont stop it may be a sinus infections that would require treatment. Sometimes toughing it out and waiting till it passes is a good idea but sometimes it is time to call the doctor and get checked out. Don’t let a sinus infection go on too long without treatment nasty thing cans happen. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Ok, last pro tip! If one nostril is stuffed but the other is clear just jam some tissue in the stuffy side and pass out! Have you ever done this or am I the only one?

Sweet dreams Pillows fans and stay healthy!

Pillow Expert Tips on Fluffing Down and Feather Pillows

Whether your down and feather pillow is brand new or a pillow you have
loved for years, the thing they both have in common is they must be
fluffed. Did you know there is actually some tips and tricks you MUST
know to get the best support out of your down and feather pillow?
There is! Let’s start at the beginning.

Brand new down and feather pillow

When you buy your new down and feather pillow from Pillows.com, it
will arrive compressed. Most the air has been removed from inside the
pillow and the down and feathers have now fallen flat. Don’t let this
scare you. All this new pillow needs is some good fluffing.

Step 1 – Take the pillow out of the packaging. Start pushing some air
into the pillow by grabbing the fabric on each side of the pillow and
fan them in and out like a bellow. This will push strong blasts of air
inside the pillow and give those down and feathers some life. This
first fluffing may take some extra time since you need to push a lot
of air into it. After you do this step for a few minutes, you should
notice a big difference in the pillows loft. If you got a larger
pillow size like a queen or king, follow these steps and then place
your pillow in the dryer on low or no heat and run the cycle for 20
minutes.

Pillow in Pillows.com packaging


Step 2 – PILLOW PROTECTORS are down and feather pillows’ best friend.
These perfectly tight fitting cotton cases will insure your pillow
doesn’t fall flat. You use these with a normal pillowcase. Place your
pillow inside the pillow protector and then put your pillowcase over
that. Not only will your pillow have better support but it will help
protect your down and feather pillow and help it last longer.

Down and Feather (Pillowtex 75/25) fluffed and in Pillowtex Pillow Protector. Links down below in blog.

Getting your lofty full pillow inside a pillow protector and pillowcase can sometimes be hard. I learned a new trick to make it easier! Look! 

Step 1. Fold pillow in half and grab the corners. Place pillow in protector and then let go!
Step 2. Zip up protector
Step 3. Repeat step 1 and place pillow in pillowcase next.

Daily fluffing steps

Step 1 – While your pillow is inside the pillow protector and
pillowcase, do a few quick “bellow” fluffing movements. Grab the
fabric on each side of the pillow and fan them in and out to give some
strong blasts of air into the pillow. Rotate pillow and do again.
Shake the pillow up a little to get the filling to move around. We
want those down and feathers to not stick to each other.

Step 2  – Grab the top of the fabric of the opening of the pillowcase
and do a shake down motion. This will help the pillow to settle down
deep into the pillowcase and give us extra fabric to do the “hotel
pillowcase fold”

Shake down the pillow to the bottom and pull up any extra pillowcase fabric to the top

 

Step 3 – This hotel housekeeping trick really makes a difference! Once
you have that extra fabric pulled up, lay your pillow down and tuck in one side and fold in the other on top of that. Straighten out the edges and that’s it! Voila! A perfectly fluffed and folded down and feather pillow that will support you all night long. Once you get used
to doing this, it should take about a minute to complete and will
truly make your pillow that much better!

Tuck in the top part first
Fold in the bottom part of the pillowcase into the pillow
Smooth out the edges and make a clean crease
Beautiful lofty pillow fit for a five-start hotel.

 

*** products used in photos are the Pillowtex 75/25 in Standard Size – https://www.pillows.com/pidoandfepi.html   and the Pillowtex Pillow Protector – https://www.pillows.com/pillowtex-protectors.html

How to make your bed and pillows feel like a luxury hotel

Nothing is better than sliding into a cloud-like hotel bed and it is even better when it is your bed at home. One of the reasons we all love climbing into a hotel bed is by feeling all snuggly with the tightly fitted sheets. Making your bed with this step by step process will make this chore easy and will set a good tone for the rest of the day!

Dana at pillows.com

Step 1- Bottom Sheet

Make sure the bottom sheet is tucked tightly around the entire mattress. This is the base of the sheets!

Dana at pillows.com

Step 2- Top Sheet

Next, you will place your top sheet on the mattress. Lay this flat sheet 7-8 inches from the top of the mattress, so there is enough sheet to make and edges and to tuck in along the foot of the bed! Tuck in the sheet along the foot of the bed and leave out the corner sheets.

Dana at pillows.com

Step 3- Tackling on the Corners

The corners are probably the trickiest part of this entire process. But don’t be scared because once you do it once you will see how truly easy it is. To get the crisp, edges that hotel beds have is actually easier than it looks. Now let’s focus on the corners. Lift the sheet in half and tuck that “tail” part into the mattress, then take the other have and tuck that in to create a clean cut crease. Repeat this on the other side to matching corners!

Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com


    

Step 4- Comforter

Add your favorite comforter or duvet. Hotels usually use duvet covers over comforters to make the comforters nice and clean and have the comforter last longer. The duvet covers are typically 100% cotton to make it breathable.

Dana at pillows.com

Step 5- Fluffing your pillow

Next step is fluffing pillows! Hotel pillows are typically down and feather pillows, which require daily fluffing. To ensure your pillow stays full and lofty, squish the pillow in and out which pushes air into the down and feather clusters to make the pillow full! There is truly not a right or wrong trick to this however, daily fluffing is a big MUST do. 

Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com

 

Step 6- Pillow protector

Next step is to put a pillow protector around your pillow. A pillow protector will help keep the pillow full and lofty! A secret tip to make this step a little easier is to fold the top two corners while using your arm in the middle of the pillow to flatten out the pillow. Slide the pillow into the pillow protector and release it once it is all the way in. Place the pillowcase over this using the same process. Fluff the pillow to have it sit nicely in the pillowcase. Next, by just grabbing the edge of the pillowcase, use a downward shaking motion to push the pillow to the bottom of the pillowcase. Next is a BIG housekeeping secret, do a fold and tuck with the extra pillowcase fabric to create a seal. Straighten out the edges to make a clean crease. This will method will tighten the pillowcase around the pillow and actually create a better feel and support of your pillows. 

Dana at pillows.com
Dana at pillows.com
Dana at Pillows.com
Dana at Pillows.com
Dana at Pillows.com
Dana at Pillows.com

Step 7- Finishing Touches

Straighten out the pillows and make sure everything is wrinkle free! And that’s it! A hotel-quality bed in the comfort of your own home!

Dana at Pillows.com

Bedding Expert Tips

What you need on your bed you ask?

4 pillows. 2 soft and 2 firm

Soft sheets

Comforter with a duvet cover

1 light weight blanket at the foot of the bed. THAT’S IT!

Our 5 top-selling hotel pillows are:

  1. Pacific Coast Down Surround Pillow featured in Many Marriott Hotelshttps://www.pillows.com/pacodosupife.html
  2. Down Dreams Classic Firm Pillow featured in Many Hilton Properties– https://www.pillows.com/hilton-down-dreams.html
  3. Down Dreams Classic Soft Pillow featured in Many Hilton Propertieshttps://www.pillows.com/down-dreams-pillow-hilton.html
  4. Down Etc. 75% White Goose Feather/ 25% White Goose Down Pillow- Featured at St. Julien Hotel & Spahttps://www.pillows.com/st-julien-pillow-downetc.html
  5. Pacific Coast Double Down Surround Pillow- Formerly Featured in Many Ritz-Carlton Hotels- https://www.pillows.com/pacododosupi2.html

 

 

Hotel Duvets and Comforters

 

  1. Pacific Coast Down Comforters- retail version of the comforter used in many Marriott Propertieshttps://www.pillows.com/madoduc.html
  2. Asheville Comforter- Similar to the Comforter Found in Many Hilton Hotelshttps://www.pillows.com/asheville-comforter-hilton.html
  3. Pillowtex ® Classic Weight Down Alternative Comforters / Duvets– https://www.pillows.com/piclwedoatco.html
  4. Pillowtex ® Hotel Cotton Duvet Cover -Blend Wrinkle Resistant– https://www.pillows.com/pillowtexhotelduvetcotton.html

 

*** Sheets used in above photos are from Pillows.com website – Cariloha Bamboo- Classic White Sheet Set- Queen- https://www.pillows.com/cbcssq.html