Changing to lighter bedding

Short answer: Switch to lighter bedding when the nights stay above fifteen degrees. That is typically in May in Denmark, but follow the thermometer and not the calendar. The duvet changes the most, and a thin cover does the rest.

What you change first

The duvet first. Go from a winter duvet of eight hundred grams or more to a summer duvet of around three hundred grams. That is the change that makes the most difference, and you feel it on the very first night. Cover and sheet can wait about a week, so you can feel what each change does.

Then cover and sheet

A thin bamboo cover lets the heat escape instead of holding on to it. Combined with the light duvet, the difference is noticeable on the first night. Change the sheet last, once you can see whether the room still feels too warm. See bamboo bedding for covers and sets for summer.

The sheet in summer

The sheet lies closest to the skin, and that is where the material matters most when the nights get warm. Bamboo viscose moves heat away from the skin and does not feel clammy if you sweat a little. See bamboo sheets and bamboo envelope sheets if your old sheets feel too heavy.

Follow the thermometer

The calendar says May, but the nights say something else. If the night temperature is still under fifteen degrees, it is too early to switch. Watch a few nights in a row, and switch only when the warmth holds. A small thermometer in the bedroom makes it easy to see.

What you put away

Wash the winter duvet and the covers before you pack them away, and store them with air around them. Sweat and body oils you cannot see turn into stains and odour if the bedding sits shut in for months. Clean and dry storage means the bedding is ready again when autumn comes.

How to pack the duvet

A winter duvet takes up a lot of room, and it should not be squeezed into a small bag. Put it in a large cotton cover or an open box, and place it where air can reach it. Avoid plastic bags, where moisture can get trapped and leave a stuffy smell when you take the duvet out again.

Two light duvets

If you are unsure, you can use two thin duvets instead of one thick one. Then you put one aside when the nights get warmer, and put it back on if a night turns cold. That lets you adjust gradually without changing the whole bed each time.

Air the mattress

When the season changes, it is a good time to air the mattress. Pull off the sheet and let the mattress stand for a day with a window open, or in the sun if you can. It then loses the winter damp, and you put on a fresh sheet before the light duvet.