7 Tips for your Best Ever Duvet Day

When everyday life gets too stressful, take time to focus on self-care with our tips for the perfect duvet day.

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Duvet day, pyjama day, personal day. Whatever you call it, there’s nothing quite like spending a lazy day at home, doing nothing but relaxing. 

Modern life is so hectic and stressful, and it’s easy to get bogged down by the everyday routines. A duvet day is a chance for your body to recuperate, and it’s good for your mental health as well.

So, get ready to hit the pause button and focus on your own self-care for the day. Here are my top tips for your best-ever duvet day.

What is a Duvet Day?

A duvet day is an authorised day off work, usually taken at short notice. It doesn’t count as annual leave, and it’s different from sick days, because you don’t need to provide a specific reason for your absence from work. 

Think of it as a little mini-holiday, a ‘no-questions-asked’ break that lets you manage stress, recharge or just take some extra time to rest.

Some UK employers may offer duvet days, or refer to them as personal days or mental health days. Of course, if you’re self-employed or your employer doesn’t have a specific duvet day policy, there’s nothing to stop you planning a duvet day at the weekend as well!

What are the Benefits of a Duvet Day?

A duvet day is a break from the usual routine, which may help you to deal with mental health issues. The rest can reduce work-related stress levels and improve your overall mood, leading to a more positive mindset.

This can also have benefits for physical health, helping you to strengthen your immune system and fight off winter colds or physical exhaustion. On top of all this, a duvet day is also a chance to recharge without the guilt you might feel about taking sick leave.

The Perfect Duvet

It goes without saying that a good duvet is vital for a proper duvet day, and you need your duvet to be soft, snuggly and warm.

The Simba Hybrid Duvet is a lightweight but luxurious 10.5 tog duvet that’s perfect for use all year round. 

The Hybrid Duvet is filled with Simba Renew Bio™ fibres, a soft, down-like material made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s warm enough to keep you cosy on chilly Autumn and winter evenings, so it’s perfect for snuggling up on your duvet day. 

One side of the Hybrid Duvet is covered in thermoregulating Stratos® technical fabric. This innovative fabric prevents heat build-up, so it feels up to 3°C cooler than the regular fabric. Combined with a breathable cotton cover for improved airflow, the Hybrid Duvet will help give you better sleep quality on those hot summer nights.

And you can’t beat the feeling of fresh bed linen for the absolutely perfect duvet day. In fact, a duvet day is the perfect excuse for treating yourself to a new set of soft, high-thread-count linens!

Picking the Ideal Outfit

Next on my list of duvet day essentials is choosing the right comfy clothing to relax in. 

On a duvet day, I like to get up and shower in the morning, and then put on my favourite pair of PJs. On chilly days, a dressing gown and a cosy pair of socks are also good additions to your outfit.

The main thing is to feel relaxed and unrestricted by your clothing – after all, you have some serious relaxing to do!

Location Location Location

I prefer to spend the whole day in bed when I’m having a duvet day, because there’s more room to stretch out. I can pile up all of the pillows behind me, and my bedside table holds all my drinks, snacks and entertainment.

If you haven’t got a TV in your bedroom, you might want to head down to the living room for some quality time. Take your duvet and favourite pillows with you, and you can build your own little nest on the sofa.

Set the right Atmosphere

Your duvet day is already looking pretty cosy, because you’re wearing comfy clothes and have your lovely snuggly duvet. 

Lighting a few candles around your room will create the perfect environment for your duvet day. Make sure only one of them is scented, because too many clashing scents could cause a headache, and that isn’t very relaxing at all.

Plan your Entertainment

I work from home, so I’m often tempted to spend a duvet day working on my laptop in bed. I can come up with some of my best ideas for new projects like that, but it kind of defeats the whole point of a duvet day, doesn’t it?

Relaxation is my only goal on a duvet day, so I always try to make sure I’ve got plenty of entertainment and restful activities to hand. 

A good book (nothing too highbrow!) or a pile of magazines is a good start, and I might watch a movie or two or spend a while binge-watching TV shows on Netflix. No doubt I’ll spend a while scrolling through social media as well, but I try to limit that.

If I’m taking a duvet day in Autumn, I’ll usually make sure I have a few Christmas mags or recipe books to flick through. Planning Christmas food is always a nice way to relax.

Stock up on Snacks

While I’m hard at work relaxing, I’ll need a ready supply of snacks to keep my energy levels up. 

I like healthy eating, but a duvet day is not the time for kale chips or salad – I want popcorn or crisps, biscuits or chocolate. Plenty of mugs of hot coffee are a must for my duvet days, but you might prefer to substitute endless cups of tea.

But let your imagination run wild and make sure you’ve got plenty of whatever snacks make your mouth water.

Add a little Pampering

A duvet day of rest is also the perfect opportunity to indulge in a bit of pampering. I don’t do anything too involved like manicures or pedicures. They require too much concentration, and I’d probably spill nail polish on my duvet!

But I do like to take the time to use a face mask, which is a great way to help feel even more relaxed. My current favourite mask is the Garnier Moisture Bomb tissue mask for its fab moisturising effects.

A long bath helps me relax even more, but that means taking some time away from my duvet. 

So, now you know what makes the perfect duvet day, why not plan a duvet day for yourself in the next few weeks!