Sleep Outfits
- By Adam Turner
- Jul 11, 2017
Sleeping on the right mattress is crucial to getting the sleep we need, but we tend to overlook other elements of our sleep environment that contribute to our overall quality of sleep. Keeping it cool, dark, and disruption-free are key, but an oft-neglected factor is just as important: our attire.
Despite our name, we at Sleep Outfitters do not actually sell pajamas or nightgowns in our stores! But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some thoughts on what to wear to bed! To get the most of your night’s sleep, dress for success, even in bed, with these tips.
Comfort is King
To preface all other sleep tips, always keep this in mind: When it comes to sleep, comfort reigns supreme. Your own personal preferences should dictate how you sleep, period. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t experiment or learn how to address problem areas. It just means that you are unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to sleep. Our exclusive Sleep Assessment addresses this by matching you with your perfect mattress. You can address this yourself every night by how you dress.
Consider the Fabric
There are countless ways to cover your body. Pick your fit:
- Silk is temperature controlled: you’ll stay warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. The material can be slippery, expensive, and high-maintenance, though.
- Cotton is light, soft, and breathable, but isn’t the best way to keep warm or dry at night.
- Bamboo is a winner: soft, silky, hypoallergenic, and eco-friendly.
- Wool and fleece are often the opposite: overheating, irritating, and restricting circulation.
- Flannel is great for keeping warm, but is perhaps more of a seasonal solution.
Keep it Loose
Tight, constricting attire can impair your circulation, inhibit your breathing and skin, and even suppress melatonin so crucial to falling asleep. Buttons, zippers, and tags can irritate your skin at night (and remember to ditch the jewelry as well). Lose the elastic bands and tight shirts and embrace the flowing and the loose-fitting. It’ll move easier at night and you’ll sleep soundly. Just how loose should you go? We’ll get to that in a moment.
Stay Clean
Cleanliness and comfort are siblings. They go everywhere together, hand in hand. Keeping clean extends past your sheets and pillowcases. Most of us favor a few sleep outfits. We recommend washing them after every few uses, or consider purchasing multiple pairs of your favorite attire. Likewise, the cleaner your body is prior to sleep, the better, especially your face. Take care to remove your makeup every night to get your beauty sleep.
Cool and Dark and Quiet
The header above should be your nightly mantra. Keep it cool with the right attire, keep it dark by covering your eyes with a night mask or beanie, and keep it quiet by covering your ears or using white noise.
Dare to be Bold
After all of these considerations, however, it may still prove most beneficial to simply sleep in the buff. Commando. In your birthday suit. Au naturel. No matter what you call it, sleeping nude will keep you the coolest, encourage melatonin production and growth, increase intimacy with your partner, and remove all barriers between yourself and sleep. Embrace the naked.
We’ll leave your personal clothing preferences up to you. But when the time comes to replace your mattress, visit a conveniently located Sleep Outfitters near you to get properly fitted with your dream bed! Bear in mind: Shoes and shirts are required.
Further Reading:
Find Out What You Really Should Be Wearing to Bed – Sleep.org
What you should and shouldn't wear to bed – The List
