The Healing Powers of Wood

Wood is by far the oldest building material of mankind and has always had a special appeal.

After all, it is an organic, naturally grown material. Early furniture was made entirely from natural products such as wood, and today is an integral part of modern interior design. Wood in the bedroom has a positive effect on sleep – both mentally and physically.

The History of Mankind is Unthinkable without Wood

Without wood, the history of humanity would have been completely different – and not just because our ancestors would not have been able to live in trees.

Natural raw material was (and is) important for housing developments – without it, hardly any progress would have been possible, from making fires to making tools to buildings – and most importantly, of course: as an air source.

The Perfect Material for Bedroom Furniture

Wood is a classic material for beds, bedside tables, dressers and so much more. Natural material is found everywhere and in every household. Depending on the type of wood and the appearance, the advantages and disadvantages are different. The bottom line is this: wood wins in terms of diversity, sustainability and appearance above other materials such as metal, glass, or plastic, which are also often used for furniture construction.

Not only does wood feel warm and gentle, but it already has a purely visually soothing and relaxing effect on people. In addition, the usability is so diverse that there is suitable furniture with different woods for every taste. This is one of the reasons why we at Quagga Designs prefers wood over any other material.

Wooden Furniture Helps you Sleep Well

Many scientists have done studies on whether or not wood has a positive effect on our sleep behavior.  What they have discovered is that certain types of wood have a soothing effect on the body. Have you ever lit a scented candle with sandalwood scent?

Another classic is pine wood, which comes from the pine tree native to North America and has a very unique aromatic fragrance. In experiments, researchers were able to prove that when sleeping in a pine bed, or simply with the scent of the wood, blood pressure went lower and the heartbeat slowed down. The exact reasons for this are still being investigated, but there seem to be a mixture of several factors.

A lot of people nowadays love essential oils. Did you know that dry pine and sandalwood emit them? This has a great influence on the health benefits of wood in the bedroom. Essential oils have a relaxing effect on the whole body, promotes deep sleep, improves breathing, and strengthens the heart and circulation.

It also improves indoor climates when people choose furniture made from natural materials. The reason for this is the organic structure with fine micropores, through which they can absorb and release moisture. This has a balancing effect on the environment and prevents both very humid and very dry air – the former favours the multiplication of germs and bacteria, the latter, on the other hand, leads to dehydration of the mucous membranes and irritates the airways.

Another advantage using wood in the bedroom: it is anti static and does not charge itself due to friction with different textiles. This means that fine dust particles and small airy lint do not stick to the wood's surface, which facilitates thorough and careful cleaning and reduces the number of allergens. If you have a lot of allergies, I would highly recommend getting wood in your bedroom.

Different Types of Wood

Not all wooden furniture is suitable for a bedroom. Particle board consists of chips and scraped residues, which looks reminiscent of natural materials, but ultimately produces a surface made of plastic without natural properties.

For this reason, wood in the bedroom should be the preferred choice if possible as it offers high resistance. Typically pine is used, which is characterized by rapid growth and a high proportion of essential oils. Here are some more commonly used woods:

Birch

At Quagga Designs we use Birch for our beds because of its hardness and strength. The hardness makes cutting wood very accurate, clean, and straight. The heartwood color varies from cream to light brown tinged with red and has a distinct, but not overwhelming grain pattern. It also sands and finishes well with linseed oil. Birch can take a lot of abuse as it is very hard and that makes it ideal for bedroom furniture.

Beech

Beech trees are very straight trees with a height of up to 50 meters. They do not form branches in the lower area. The slow growth makes this material a rare and very noble solution.

Oak

Like beech, oak is a slow-growing hardwood and can reach an age of several hundred years (up to 1000!) Bedroom furniture made out of oak can last for multiple generations, which is very impressive. This makes for an expensive option to purchase.

Pine

Pine is rich in essential oils, grows relatively fast, and has a straight trunk. Due to its rapid growth and robust nature, it is widely used in the furniture making.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or would like to add something to the blog please reach out to me at hello@quaggadesigns.com.