The be all and end all of sleep hygiene questions, answered.

You’ve probably questioned the integrity of your sheets to foster your best night’s sleep, but what about your pyjamas?

After all, they are closer to your skin, which can maximise or reduce overheating. 

And if you guys have been following on since the start of Sleep Well Wednesdays, you may recall that overheating is one of the top 3 reasons you can’t fall asleep.

But, does this mean you should sleep naked? Maybe…and it may lead to a little more sex, which as I mentioned recently, is a major plus in your sweet sleep strategy. 

Fear not SWW, here’s the low down for you. 

Yes, but with socks

Wearing socks while naked promotes heat loss, which is key to sleepiness hormone melatonin synthesis, keeping you cool while you snooze. For anyone waking in the middle of the night, this is often due to overheating. 

Even if you don’t feel too hot falling asleep, it’s possible that throughout the night you will overheat: around 3am cortisol starts to rise, which is a thermogenic (heat promoting) process. 

As an alternative, opt for pjs in a natural fibre (silk, wool, linen, bamboo)

If you’re not a fan of the good ole birthday suit, an alternate is something breezy in a natural fabric. The lighter, the better as it reduces the likelihood of your body heat becoming trapped between you and the fabric itself, which then can lead to sweating. 

In terms of fabric specifics, natural fibres are thermoregulatory – they are able to adapt and respond to your body temperature. If you become too hot, they evaporate the heat and allow it to dissipate – leaving you sleeping sweetly. 

Silk, wool, linen, bamboo and cotton are all natural fibres, so which is best out of this really comes down to your personal preferences. 

Regardless of what you wear, keep this in mind

Your body will be touching your sheets too, meaning they also need to respect the principles above.

A well ventilated thread count (200-400), in a natural fibre like silk, wool, linen, cotton or bamboo, is what you should seek out. 

1000TC sheets may sound appealing, but for your circadian rhythm, they spell disaster. Save yourself cash and sleepless nights and invest in high quality natural fibre bedding – just like yours truly.