Hästens: The Best Sleep I’ve Ever Had

I have a new bed. I have never slept this well and it has reduced my chronic pain levels significantly. It is a blue checked Hästens bed.

Earlier this year, I wrote about my quest for a new bed. To recap: every bed I found was too high, too hot, too smelly, or contained latex (I’m allergic). Any kind of foam would have to be broken in for months before it was as soft as was needed by my very sensitive body due to fibromyalgia and a lifetime of rheumatoid arthritis.

Visiting Hästens

In the last couple of years, I’ve wandered into the Hästens Toronto store as a tourist. I’d bring along friends who needed to see these unique beds and enjoy the atmosphere of peace and serenity. I got to know Sleep Consultant Nicholas Vardon and we’d have far-reaching conversations about all sorts of topics. He mentioned his own Hästens bed, saying that it healed him whenever he’d go climbing. Sounds nice, but I didn’t believe this was possible. At least not for me.

And then I tried one of the beds. I lay down and instantly my eyes closed in bliss. I stayed there for about 10 minutes, and when I got up, noticed that my shoulders, which had been screaming all morning, no longer were.

Still, the beds are quite expensive (more on that below), so I continued my quest for a comfortable bed at a lower cost. And found nothing that was even close. Every now and again, I’d go back to try the Hästens bed again, just to check that it really was that comfortable.  During all this time, Nicholas never once pressured me to buy, but welcomed me as a friend.

It took about eight months before I made up my mind to buy a Hästens frame bed (the least expensive model). I made my down payment and waited 10 weeks while Swedish artisans hand-made my bed.

Yes, that’s what happens. They make your bed from scratch. In Sweden.

Hästens, quality of sleep, and chronic pain

My bed arrived in August and it has been paradise!

It’s the best sleep I’ve ever had. Every night, I lie down and am welcomed by the bed. It envelops me, adjusts to my body, and I relax. I fall asleep faster because I’m comfortable, have a deeper sleep, and for the last three months, I’ve woken up feeling rested.

This is incredible when you have RA, fibro, and chronic pain. Before this bed, I usually woke up feeling exhausted. Being rested and ready to face the day is a very new experience, one I haven’t quite gotten used to yet.

What about pain? I was a bit achy that after the first night, but that was the last time I had any pain from my bed. I used to take heavy meds every night in order to fall asleep and sometimes had to take a second dose to stay asleep. In the last three months, I’ve taken those meds only twice.

 

Sleeping in this bed has cut my morning stiffness in half. And it has lowered my daily pain levels by at least two notches. Going from a seven or eight on a 10-point pain scale to a five, occasionally a six, has been life-changing.

As a bonus, it smells incredible. There is a light scent of pine in my bedroom, which reminds me of childhood, Denmark, the ocean, and my grandfather’s workshop. And it doesn’t trigger my asthma. In fact, I feel like I’m breathing easier.

Lucy likes it, too. She claimed it immediately. 

The Hästens bed 

Hästens beds are 100% natural, the frame made of pine. There are spring coils, as well as horsehair that has had all allergens removed, wool, and flax, making the beds hypoallergenic. Every other bed I tried contained only man-made materials, most of which gassed off to the point that I wouldn’t be able to be in the same room with them. In addition, the all-natural materials ensures that the beds don’t sleep hot and keeps away moisture, contrary to beds made from foam. This also has the benefit of keeping bugs away.

There are different models, mattresses, mattress toppers, and leg heights, which made it possible to create a bed low enough for me to use. They’re also incredibly durable, expected to last at least 25 years, and, if you take good care of them, up to 50 or more.

 

The cost

Hästens is considered a luxury bed brand and they are expensive. The least expensive model is about $10-12,000 (Canadian).

But think about how much money you spend on other things in your life. Like a car, a wedding… We don’t prioritize the piece of furniture where we spend a third of our lives and upon which so much of our health depends. Few of us can afford handing over thousands of dollars on a whim, but we save up for so many other things. Why not your bed?

I took a look at what I’d saved up for my old age and decided that having quality of life until that time was worth it. I also did a bit of math — assuming that my bed will last 25 years, that’s less than a dollar per night.

And it’s been worth every penny.

Visit Nicholas at the Toronto Hästens store on 380 King Street East in Studio b. You can also follow Toronto Hästens on Facebook and Instagram.

Note: Hästens did not sponsor this post – I am just a very happy customer.