Imagining packing for your student room, you’ve probably considered your laptop, photos of friends and some cheery accessories to brighten the place up. While new bedding might not seem the most interesting investment, when you’re away from home, having a decent duvet is more important than ever. Not only will finding the right one keep you snug in chilly student accommodation, but it can also be a source of comfort if you’re having a stressful time.
Thick duvets are great for ensuring you get enough sleep, and the weightier, the better – as research has suggested that weighted blankets can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters that can decrease anxiety. When it comes to exam time, you’ll be glad of a good night’s shut-eye.
It’s worth spending a bit of time considering what you want from your duvet. The ‘tog’ is the scientific measure of warmth – the higher the tog, the warmer the bedding. The scale ranges from 1 to 18, and many people choose to switch between heavy and light as the seasons change. The average tog for a snug, thick duvet is around 13.5. When it comes to the filling, it’s a matter of taste (and allergies). Feather and down are great for warmth - duck-down is snug and heavy, while goose-down is voluminous and luxurious in feel. Wool duvets are great for allergy sufferers and tend to be good for cooling you down if you’re prone to night sweats. Synthetic are another good hypoallergenic option – microfibre feel a bit like down but aren’t as dense, while hollowfibre are thicker and longer lasting. Bet you didn’t realise there were so many variations!
We’ve cut through the confusion with our guide to the best winter duvets for autumn nights.
The best winter duvets
1 of 5Silentnight Warm and Cosy Duvet 13.5 tog
Watching the pennies? For a student-friendly price, try this Silentnight duvet, which will leave you with beer money to spare! As it says on the label, it's warm and cosy, and uses hypoallergenic hollowfibre that's great for the winter months especially. It can be machine washed at 40 degrees and comes with a five-year guarantee. Silentnight have recently announced their support for the Marine Conservation Society too.
2 of 5Snuggledown Wash and Dry Me Hollowfibre All Seasons Duvet 13.5 tog,
Happily this snug duvet can be machine washed, so you can take it to the laundry room with all of your normal washing. It contains two duvets of different togs that can be combined for double the comfort, and it's hollowfibre meaning it won't set off your allergies.
3 of 5Evercomfy Aloe Vera Duvet 13.5 tog, from £29.99
Plants such as aloe vera are known for their air purifying properties – even NASA used them for this purpose. As well as considering a houseplant for your new room, you might be interested in this duvet which features aloe vera infused into the cover fabric. As well as helping you breathe easy, it has soothing properties for healing and beautifying your skin while you sleep. doremeo.co.uk
4 of 5John Lewis & Partners Natural Duck Feather and Down Duvet 13.5 tog, £65-£105
This clever set comes with two duvets of different togs, that can be joined together or taken apart depending on how warm the night is. Conveniently washable at 40 degrees, it features Micro-Fresh Technology to help keep the fabric 99.9 per cent free from germs. It also uses something called Nomite, which allows people with dust mite allergies to enjoy natural bedding, as the fabric is tightly woven to create a barrier. It comes with a five-year guarantee.johnlewis.com
5 of 5Eco duvet 10.5 tog
If you're an eco warrior – this is the bedding that will help you sleep easy. It's the first ever duvet to be made using 100 per cent renewable energy, transforming plastic waste into a soft, fibre filling (Around 120 plastic bottles per double). The cover is also totally recycled material, but still soft and hypoallergenic. Even the packaging is 100 per cent recyclable!