If there’s one thing that sends me off into blissful slumber, it’s cozying up beneath a set of crisp, cool sheets. I’d argue that everyone has their own bedding personality. Some switch seasonally between jersey and flannel sets. Others can’t sleep a wink unless shrouded in sateen woven modal. And, of course, there are those who are just as comfortable on a pile of dirty laundry as on 800-thread-count Egyptian cotton.

Even though I know the general type of sheeting that I prefer (soft and cottony), the nuts and bolts of shopping for sheets still eludes me. And since a) I’m in need of a new set of winter sheets, and b) I can’t be the only person on the planet who isn’t entirely sure what thread count really means, I tracked down the four points to consider when shopping for sheets.