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Key components:

- Mattress size

- Texture

- Thread Count

- Weave

Mattress Size

Mattress width is obvious, but the height is not something we know off the top of our heads and could cause confusion when buying a fitted sheet. Nobody wants to buy a fitted sheet that simply doesn’t fit the mattress!

A standard fitted bottom sheet usually has a 30 to 35 cm "pocket" (the part that covers the mattress from the sides), and an in-depth pocket sheet set can have a pocket size between 40 and 50 cm. Look into the label for the pocket size or use a standard measuring tape to measure your mattress's height before you purchase your fitted sheet. This is likely to make you much happier with your purchase!

After determining the size in the bed, finding the sheets which are suitable for you is the next big step. Texture, thread count, weave and color would be the next circumstances to consider when purchasing bed linens.

Texture

If you want soft, durable sheets that hold their color and maintain their crisp look, buy 100% cotton sheets. 100% cotton definitely offers the most opulent feel when coupled with a thread count greater than 250.

Other sheet types that aren't cotton include polyester, polyester blend (cotton and polyester), silk and linen. Each type has its benefits, such as being wrinkle resistant (if it has polyester) or soft and silky, but we find that natural 100% cotton sheets are the best! All bedding at nillens is 100% cotton.

Thread Count

The term "thread count" refers to the number of threads woven together in a square inch of fabric. So, the higher the thread count, the denser the fabric. Higher thread count uses finer threads so that more threads can be woven together within the same amount of space (the square inch). The idea is that the finer threads you can weave together, the softer and finer the fabric (and the higher the price tag). Egyptian cotton is one of the best in the world because the thread made from Egyptian cotton is so fine that it is used to make really high thread count sheets (up to 1,000).

However, higher thread count bedding is not necessarily "better." It does feel softer and more silky, but not everybody likes the silky feel! Lower thread count bedding is more crisp, cool and fresh and from our experience, lots of people prefer that. So it's totally a matter of preference!

At nillens we have thread counts ranging from 200 to 600. 

Weave

The two main sheeting weaves around are percale and sateen. Percale is a plain-weave fabric, meaning that the  threads cross over and under each other one at a time. The threads are tightly woven, which results in a fine texture and finish. Sateen sheets have a more luxurious look and feel. The fabric is made in a satin weave, in which the threads are interlaced, resulting in a lustrous, smooth-faced fabric.

Other weaves include jacquard and damask. These kinds are more luxurious and display different types of patterns or stripes. Special looms create the sateen weave close to matte weave creating stripes which enable it to reveal the shine or mute the room decor.

At nillens, we carry percale, sateen and jaquard weaves.

We all know how wonderful it is to wake up feeling totally refreshed and rejuvenated. But what does good sleep consist of? Sometimes we go to bed early and sleep well but wake up feeling tired or grumpy for no understandable reason and sometimes it takes us so long to go to sleep that we wake up feeling that we haven't slept enough. Having a comfortable bed and soft, comfy bedding is part of the equation, but it's not enough to guarantee a good sleep.

We've done some research to find what the best ways to get a great night's sleep are and, although some of these tips are quite obvious to us, there were some we hadn't thought of before!

We've found that to get a great night's sleep, you need to nail each of these steps:

1) Falling asleep

2) Staying asleep through the night

3) Waking up

Here are some tips on how to do that

1) Falling asleep...

Eat a Small Dinner - This is so important and quite easy. Eating a big meal before bed can keep your digestion working for hours, but a small meal puts a light demand on your body and allows it to rest much more fully.

Relax Your Mind - Like your body, your mind can be over stimulated and make it hard to get a really good night's rest. If you're feeling stressed, try not to work or look at emails after dinner. I know that I tend to spend hours on my computer before going to sleep, and that stuff really winds me up! Instead of doing that, why not take a hot bath and read a book to take your mind off the day and into sleep

Build up good sleep - Don't expect a really good night's sleep on your first night. You need at least two nights and preferably three to get into a really good sleep and get some deep rest. We recommend sticking to these tips for a few days before expecting a real change...

2) Sleeping through the night...

Exercise Helps - Being physically tired really contributes to a good night's sleep. Having some form of daily exercise as a part of your routine will definitely help your body to relax at night.

Avoid Caffeine - Not having coffee or tea at night seems obvious, right? But even things like chocolate stimulate your body and are not your best friend when it comes to a good night's sleep.

Unwind Your Body - We already recommended a hot bath to help you unwind, and we'll say it again! The heat and water of a hot bath are very relaxing for the skin and muscles. If you don't have time for a bath, take a warm shower and moisturize your skin before you jump into your fresh, crisp sheets and you're all set!

3) Waking up...

Keep Your Waking Time Regular - Our mind and body love routine, and it's much easier to fall asleep and wake happily when the times are consistent. Even if the time you go to bed changes, try to keep your rising time consistent. This way your body always will know when to wake and you'll avoid that feeling of having gotten up too late or too early. Do that for a while and you'll find your body naturally waking up and ready to go!

Drink Water - Believe it or not, we lose lots of water while sleeping at night (this one was new to us!), so staying well hydrated really helps your body to rest comfortably.

Keep your room dark - Light actually disrupts sleep more than noise does. Keeping your windows well covered and eliminating any other ambient light is necessary to ensure a good rest.

I've tested these theories and find that they work and for me and, personally, I find that the waking up part is especially important. It can make or break my day. What are your experiences? Do you have any special tips on how to sleep well?

A lot of you have asked for cute girly summer shorts and we love to make you happy, so here they are... and there's actually a whole bunch where those came from!  Yes, we've made a whole new collection of fresh, funky adorable pajamas and loungewear pieces just for you! 

Visit our store starting TODAY to see the entire collection! 

 At last! After weeks of preparation and excitement for the opening of the new nillens store in Zamalek, it finally happened!

Check out some of our favorite pictures and close-ups of our products on the nillens Facebook page...

The store is located on the ground floor of Degla Center at 11 Hassan Sabry Street, Zamalek.