Medically reviewed by Jeffrey Ditzell, DO — By Traci Angel — Updated on November 1, 2023
Make the most out of your slumber with the best sleep gear and sleep wear for 2024. Learn about the best and worst fabrics for sleep wear.
Between glowing screens, kicking partners, racing minds, and barking dogs, quality sleep seems to elude so many of us. Surveys by Gallup indicate that only 32% of Americans rate the quality of their sleep as “excellent” or “very good,” while the rest rate it as “fair” or “poor.”
This begs the question of what the remaining 68% need to do to improve their quality of sleep. So many factors could be considered here, but one that’s often overlooked is sleepwear.
Wearing the right clothes at night helps regulate your body temperature and allows your skin to breathe, which makes it easier to get some rest.
I’m here today to highlight the best sleepwear choices for 2024. I’ll also go over sleep gear and accessories that can help improve the quality of your sleep.
Keep In Mind
Your sleepwear should ideally be made of organic materials that are breathable and soft, such as:
- Cotton
- Silk
- Linen
- Wool
- Bamboo
- Flannel
You should also consider gear and accessories that help improve sleep quality, like:
- Humidifier
- White-noise machine
- Sleep tracker
- Anti-snoring aid
- Cooling topper
- Sleeping mask
- Earplugs
- Blackout shades
- Compression socks
Fabrics You Should and Shouldn’t Wear to Bed
The key to good sleep is comfort. If the T-shirt you sleep in is tight or scratchy, or if it has many buttons, tags, or snaps, then no wonder you’re not sleeping as well as you should!
Let’s first set some ground rules relating to what fabrics you should and shouldn’t wear to bed.
Best Fabrics for Sleep
Whether you’re into fancy pajamas with long sleeves and a notched collar, cozy, fluffy onesies, or even a barely-there lingerie silk set, here are the best fabrics to consider:
- Cotton: Cotton is naturally soft and cool. It’s perfect for both chilly and warm nights. Just keep in mind that it’s not the best in wicking away moisture and could remain damp for a long time. So if you’re prone to night sweats, steer clear of cotton.
- Silk: With its luxuriously soft texture, silk is an excellent fabric choice for those who have sensitive skin. It’s great at regulating body temperature; it will keep you cool during warm nights and warm in cold weather.
- Flannel: Flannel has a soft-brushed finish that provides warmth without overheating, making it ideal for cold nights. Just like cotton, however, it’s not good at wicking away moisture.
- Linen: If you’re a hot sleeper, you should consider nightwear made of pure linen. It has excellent heat and moisture-wicking properties. It’s also soft and comfortable. Just bear in mind that it wrinkles easily.
- Wool: Contrary to popular belief, wool isn’t just ideal for colder weather. Thanks to its natural temperature-regulating properties, it can keep cool during warm nights as well. Merino wool is a perfect choice as it’s odor-resistant and non-itchy.
- Bamboo: Bamboo fibers are both high-quality and eco-friendly. They’re naturally soft and durable. They’re also great at wicking moisture and regulating body temperature. And if that’s not enough, bamboo is hypoallergenic and has antibacterial properties.
Worst Fabrics for Sleep
Now, let’s talk about the fabrics that you should absolutely avoid if you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep.
For starters, you should avoid synthetic fabrics such as polyester, spandex, and nylon. These fabrics trap heat and moisture, so wearing them will make you feel hot and uncomfortable.
If you have allergies or sensitive skin, avoid wrinkle-free fabrics like olefin and acrylic because they use formaldehyde as their wrinkle-resistance agent. It’s a hazardous chemical that can cause respiratory problems and skin irritation.
Finally, you want to avoid fabrics that are generally low-quality. The rule of thumb here is the higher the percentage of natural fibers, the more high-quality the fabric is.
Best Sleep Wear Choices for All Preferences
We all have our preferences when it comes to sleepwear. Some prefer classic button-front pajamas, while others are into onesies, nightgowns, and even a good old oversized T-shirt sometimes makes the cut.
So, I’m going to highlight the appeal behind the most common preferences, as well as give you my recommendations so that you don’t have to waste your time looking for quality options.
Pajamas
Pajamas are a versatile sleepwear choice, as they’re available in a bunch of different styles and fabrics. They’re suitable for different climates, and they’re perfect for lounging around the house before bedtime.
For chilly nights, I recommend L.L. Bean’s Scotch Plaid Flannel Pajamas. Made of ultrasoft cotton flannel, this PJ set will keep you warm and cozy without overheating.
For warm nights, Julianna Rae’s Mulberry Silk Set is an excellent choice for women’s pajamas and Intimissimi’s Long Silk Piped Pajamas for the men. They’re both chic and super comfortable.
Nightgowns/Nighties
Often made of lightweight and breathable fabrics like satin and organic cotton, nightgowns and nighties are ideal for women who prefer a loose fit that allows for good airflow.
The Intimissimi Silk Slip and M&S Satin Chemise are two options you can’t go wrong with. The enveloping silk from which they’re made will keep you cozy in the winter and is light enough to wear in the summer, allowing your skin to breathe.
Onesies
Onesies are fun and whimsical, often available in playful designs. They’re excellent for colder nights because they cover the entire body, even the feet, providing maximum warmth.
Kigurumi is one of my favorite brands of adult onesies. Their designs are the very definition of cute and playful. I’m a huge fan of their Pokémon line.
Here are some of my favorite designs (unisex):
Most of Kigurumi’s onesies are made of polyester fleece. It’s a synthetic material, but unlike the materials I warned you about, this fleece wicks away moisture fairly quickly.
Rompers
Combining a top and shorts in one piece, rompers are a trendy sleepwear option. Not only are they comfortable for different body types, but they’re also easy to slip into.
Consider the Organic Pima Romper from Lunya. It’s made of organic pima cotton, known for its incredible softness. It’s double-layered for extra coverage and has a nifty kangaroo pocket.
Options are limited when it comes to men’s rompers, but I can confidently recommend Shein’s Solid Button Front Sleep Romper. It’s 94% cotton with a medium stretch, so it definitely won’t disrupt your sleep in any way.
Maternity Sleepwear
Sleepwear for soon-to-be moms is designed to accommodate how the body changes during pregnancy while providing comfort and support. Such sleepwear is usually made of stretchy fabrics and has adjustable waistbands.
Here are two excellent options to consider:
Other Options
It goes without saying that there are several other sleepwear options that you can go for. Just make sure they’re made of a suitable fabric.
Other options include:
- Camisoles
- T-shirts and tank tops
- Shorts and PJ pants
- Lingerie
- Babydolls
- Robes
- Sleeping naked
Best Sleep Gear and Accessories
Getting a good night’s sleep can still be challenging even with the right sleepwear. This is where the sleep gear and accessories listed below come in handy.
Sleep Tracker
Sleep trackers are nifty devices that come in the form of wristwatches, rings, and smartphone apps. As the name suggests, they help you track and optimize your sleep by monitoring your motion, heart rate, breathing, and sleep cycles.
The Oura Ring is currently making headlines as the next best thing when it comes to sleep and health tracking.
The third iteration of the device tracks and analyzes everything from body temperature to sleep duration, providing you with insights on how to improve your sleep.
If you’re looking for a more discrete sleep tracker, consider the Rise Science app. It tracks your sleep debt and offers recommendations on how to reduce it. It’s also compatible with wearable devices.
White Noise Machine
White-noise machines are basic devices that help mask distracting sounds to make it easier to fall asleep. Highly recommended if you live in a bustling neighborhood.
My favorite is the LectroFan EVO. It features 22 non-looping sounds, 10 fan sounds, 10 white noise vibrations, and a couple of ocean surf sounds.
There’s also a timer that turns off the device after 1-8 hours.
Humidifier
If you live in an area where the air is dry most of the time, do yourself and your airways a favor and invest in a high-quality humidifier as soon as possible.
Dry air irritates your sinuses, nasal passages, and throat, which causes the tissues to swell and makes it harder to breathe. This in turn disrupts your sleep.
A quality humidifier like the LEVOIT LV600S adds moisture to the air, alleviating the symptoms of dry air and making it easier to breathe.
The LV600S also doubles as an aromatherapy diffuser. Simply add your preferred essential oils to the aroma box and it will start filling the air with invigorating scents.
Anti-Snoring Aid
Anti-snoring aids help open up your airways and prevent tissue vibration by stabilizing the soft palate. This, in turn, stops disruptive snoring.
The Breath Right Nasal Strips are an excellent example. These are clear plastic adhesive strips that you wear over the bridge of your nose.
These strips contain spring-like bands that basically lift the nasal passages, opening them wider to enhance airflow.
You can also optimize your sleep even more with the following sleep accessories:
Cooling Toppers
Excess body heat can cause a lot of tossing and turning that interrupts your sleep. A gel cooling topper helps with body temperature regulation for a more comfortable, deeper sleep.
The Subrtex Gel-Infused Memory Foam Topper features a ventilated design that boosts airflow and reduces trapped heat, creating a cooler sleeping environment.
It’s pretty affordable and comes with a 10-year customer satisfaction guarantee.
Blackout Shades
A pitch-black sleeping environment is important for the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for timing your circadian rhythm.
Being exposed to light at night can block melatonin production, which is why having blackout shades is important if you tend to sleep in until later in the morning.
Sleep Mask
A sleep mask creates a light seal around your eyes, blocking peripheral light sources that can disturb your sleep and hinder melatonin production.
Opt for a sleep mask with a molded, contoured design for maximum comfort and light blocking.
Earplugs
Recommended for light sleepers, earplugs block stirrings in the night from pets, traffic, partners, and noisy neighbors. They come in the form of soft foam or silicone.
Moldable earplugs are recommended for maximum comfort.
Compression Socks
Compression socks improve your blood circulation through gentle gradient pressure. This aids in reducing restless legs and minimizing night cramps.
The Go2Socks are my favorite, mainly because they get the job done at nearly half the price of most popular compression socks, and they look brand new even after multiple trips through the washer and dryer.
Out Like a Light
There you have it; now you know all about the best and worst fabrics for sleep wear, as well as the best sleep wear and gear options available in the market.
While individual needs and preferences vary, focusing on natural fabrics, physical support, and environmental control can take the quality of your sleep to the next level.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of relaxation and winding down before bed. And for crying out loud, no screens before bed!
Now go on and catch you some ZZZs.
