You've done nearly everything right. You’ve made your bed, set your air conditioner to the perfect temperature, picked out relaxing white noise tracks to loop, and switched to warm, dim lighting. Still, half the night, you're either tugging at your pajamas because they're trapping body heat or hunting for socks to protect your freezing feet. If that's you, your sleepwear may be the problem.
Figuring out what to wear to bed can often seem like a no-brainer. But when making your choice, you'll need to consider your comfort, whether you're a hot or cold sleeper, your bedroom temperature, and the fabrics you prefer.
Here’s how to put those pieces together.
Yes.
In a randomized study of 17 healthy adults, published in Nature and Science of Sleep, participants who wore wool sleep attire fell asleep faster than those who wore cotton clothing. The room temperature was 62.6°F (17°C), which helped the wool-wearing adults fall asleep quicker, but the result shows that what you wear to bed, combined with other factors, can influence how fast you drift off.
Another 2020 study in Chronobiology in Medicine looked at whether sleepwear could affect your comfort in bed. People who wore the special sleepwear said they tossed and turned less in bed than those who wore regular sleepwear. While researchers didn't mention the fabric either sleepwear was made from, their findings suggest that the right sleepwear can help you get a better night's sleep.
If you often wake up soaked in night sweats, you don't need anything that traps body heat. Someone who always has cold feet may need thicker sleepwear. The best sleeping clothes for you will regulate your body temperature well enough that you aren't waking up several times from excess heat or cold.
The ideal sleeping temperature is generally between 65° and 68°F (18° and 20°C). This range isn't fixed. Just as the best bedroom temperature varies depending on the season, so should your sleepwear.
The light, breezy pajamas that keep you comfortable in a 65 degree room in summer may have you shivering in a 70 degree room in winter. That’s because in winter, the temperature shown on your thermostat isn't the only thing determining how warm the room feels. The walls and floors may be colder, and even sealed drafts may let cold outdoor air into the room. So you may still want warmer sleepwear even when the room itself is set to a higher temperature.
A thick duvet retains more body heat than a lightweight blanket, so the same pajamas won't necessarily work with both. Think of sleepwear and bedding as layers in one system. The warmer the bed itself, the less insulation you may need from your clothes.
You should be able to roll over without your clothes riding up or twisting around your body. Choose comfortable sleepwear with flat seams that lets you move around in bed without getting stuck mid-roll, and that has enough room for air to flow between the fabric and your skin. Your pajamas shouldn't be so snug that they pinch at your waist, wrists, ankles, underarms, or other body parts.
For example, you may love lounging in tight-fitting yoga pants, but wearing them to bed isn't necessarily healthy, as they can press against your skin for hours and limit how freely you move around in bed.
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Some fabrics can be better than others for sleepwear, but the fabric a pajama set is made from isn't the only thing that determines how suitable it is for you. Loosely woven and loose-fitting clothing allows more airflow and traps less heat. Thicker fabrics offer more insulation. Finishings also tell part of the story. Brushed materials feel smoother against your skin, and wrinkle-resistant treatments can help a fabric hold its shape for longer and reduce how easily it creases.
If you're looking to wake up refreshed, start with these materials:
A 2020 Casper survey of 1,000 adults in the US found that nearly 30% (28.5%, to be exact) preferred sleeping naked. While it can improve blood circulation and metabolism, the case for going to bed in your birthday suit comes down to comfort and personal preferences.
On warm nights, wearing nothing can be more comfortable than layering on insulating sleepwear. Colder nights may call for thicker sleeping clothes. If you prefer your birthday suit, wash your bedding often, since it'll be in direct contact with your skin. On the same note, don’t feel pressured to sleep naked because of any advertised health benefits. Choose sleepwear you're comfortable in, preferably layers made from natural fabrics.
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Falling asleep isn't as easy when you have cold feet. As a 2018 study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found, wearing socks can help your feet stay warmer and speed up how fast you fall asleep. The experiment involved six healthy young men who slept in a 75 degree room for seven hours, first with socks and then without. Researchers found that the men slept 32 minutes longer and fell asleep 7.5 minutes faster when they wore socks. Thirty-two percent of adults in the U.S. have caught on to the feet-warming potential of socks, and now sleep in socks at least a few times weekly.
If your feet usually become cold at night, wear loose-fitting, lightweight socks to bed. Socks so tight that they dig into your ankles and leave deep marks can reduce blood circulation in your lower legs. Don't wear compression socks overnight either unless a healthcare professional recommends it. Compression socks apply pressure to the wearer's legs to improve blood flow through their veins and help with other circulation issues.
You don't need to sleep with socks on if your feet don't get cold at night.
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Changing into the right sleepwear isn't sufficient to prevent bad sleep. Bedding that's far too thick or light for you may get in the way of what'd otherwise be a lovely night's rest. Here's how to layer bedding in a way that complements your sleepwear options.
Wearing underwear is largely a personal preference. If you do, choose something clean and comfy. People prone to recurrent irritation or other health issues should follow their healthcare provider’s guidance on bedtime-appropriate clothing.
Neither option is inherently healthier for most people. A shirt can provide warmth and prevent sweat from transferring directly to your sheets. Sleeping without one may feel better if you tend to overheat. Choose whichever option keeps you comfortable during the night.
Without the right pajamas, having a restful night's sleep seems farther out of reach than it actually is. But even when the perfect sleepwear sits in your wardrobe, you still need to complement it with the right bedding layers for your bedroom temperature and the kind of sleeper you are.
When your sleeping clothes and bedding work together, you're more likely to stay comfortable through the night and wake up feeling refreshed.
