Lucy Devine
The mornings are getting lighter and it's no longer pitch black when we leave work - which means one thing... spring is on the way.
Yep, once the daffodils pop up and the Easter eggs hit the supermarket shelves, we know it's around the corner and we might actually be able to turn the heating off.
Which leads us to another question: when is the right time to chuck our winter duvets in the cupboard and crack out our spring/summer one instead?
Well, we have answers.
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According to a sleep expert, there's a specific turning point when you need to swap over - and it could promise a better night's kip.
After all, we don't need huge and heavy duvets in the warmer months.
James Higgins, CEO of Ethical Bedding, has said there's actually a very specific date - so get it in your diaries, guys.
“When we looked into the data, there were a few factors that made it visibly clear when could be a good time to look at switching out your duvet tog from a winter thickness of 10.5-15 togs to a summer thickness of around 5-7 togs," said James.
“Firstly, monitoring trends of temperatures at midnight in spring for the last five years, we observed a significant temperature increase happening in the second week of May."
According to James, the date to switch over is 9 May.
“Based on these figures and historical weather patterns, we would advise that people look to swap their bedding on the second weekend of the month, which will be Thursday, May 9."
If you also like to switch up your duvet in summer, James has some more advice.
Although during a heatwave, most of us prefer to sleep with a sheet - preferably one that's been in the freezer for hours - James explains how to choose a summer duvet that won't have you sweating.
“In the height of summer, when the weather becomes almost unbearable and the evenings turn clammy and uncomfortable, you might consider exchanging your regular duvet for one that offers a cooler sleep," he says.
"Otherwise, you risk spending the entire night awake, feeling sweaty and struggling to fall asleep. Opt for a summer tog duvet with a rating of 4.5 or less, which combats the high temperatures by allowing body heat to escape as you sleep.
"Bamboo duvets are an excellent choice for any season. They are breathable and comfortable, and each bamboo-filled duvet is also resistant to dust mites and mould, making them ideal if you’re in search of hypoallergenic bedding.”
Noted!