What to wear to bed for the best night’s sleep

There’s nothing more frustrating than failing to get a restful night’s sleep after a long day. On average, we spend ⅓ of our lives asleep or at least making an attempt to get some sleep. This seemingly simple task greatly impacts our health and daily lives, but it’s not always so straightforward. There are many factors that can alter our sleeping patterns, such as exposure to blue light from technology, our diet, stress, the firmness of our pillows, how comfortable our mattress is, and much more. Fortunately, most of these things are manageable, and we can make small changes to ensure we get a good night’s sleep.

If you feel you’ve exhausted your options, one element you may not have looked into is the material you’re sleeping in. It can seem as though it might not make a difference whether you’re sleeping in soft cotton, polyester, or silk, but rest assured that there are significant differences between these materials. Join our silk experts as we discuss which materials are best at improving your sleep quality.

What is the best pyjama material?

More often than not, we find ourselves sleeping in cotton pyjamas. This is because cotton is a low-cost material that is soft, durable, and breathable, and for the most part it is very comfortable to sleep in. However, despite all its advantages, there are a number of downsides to the material that may be affecting your sleep quality.

Cotton is an absorbent material that will draw excess moisture from your body and retain it through the night, making it harder for you to regulate your body temperature. Additionally, it is a coarse material that is not hypoallergenic, meaning that it can irritate the skin as well as existing medical conditions relating to your breaking as it doesn’t repel dust or mould.

In this case, silk offers an excellent alternative. Whilst more costly, the hypoallergenic material naturally repels dust and mould and reduces any irritation. Furthermore, the luxurious softness does not only serve a comforting purpose, but also a functional one. The microscopic fibres of silk are extremely smooth, meaning that there is reduced friction during movement. This stops the fabric from catching on dry, sensitive skin, or pulling on hair.

Body temperature is also more easily regulated when wearing silk, as the fabric acts as both an insulator and a non-absorbent breathable material. Being too hot, or too cold can drastically affect sleep quality. Silk works with your body to regulate temperature, drawing excess moisture away but allowing insulation to remain inside the fabric making it the perfect material to wear year-round despite the seasons.

Of course, this material does come at a higher cost than its cotton counterpart, but a blissful night’s sleep is truly priceless. To read more about the differences between cotton and silk to inform your decision about switching to silk pyjamas, read our comparative blog.

What to wear to bed for improved sleep quality

To reap the full benefits of sleeping in silk, we’ve hand-selected a few items that can help to improve your quality of sleep. The first of these items is an opulent set of silk pyjamas which mirror the benefits outlined above, meaning that for many, silk may be the best fabric for pyjamas.

Women’s silk pyjamas, £267

There are so many factors that can contribute to how well we’re sleeping, including colour. Our silk pyjama sets come in two carefully selected colourways to enhance your nightly routine. White is a relaxing and neutral colour which doesn’t stimulate the brain, making it easier to drift off into a peaceful slumber. Whereas navy blue has calming effects, evoking feelings of tranquillity and a state of relaxation. Each set is detailed with piping in a complimentary colour to add a stylish element. Furthermore, the long sleeves and full-length bottoms ensure that the soft, luxurious grasp of silk envelopes your whole body for an unbeatable comfort experience that ensures temperature regulation and reduces any irritations.

Silk eye mask, £43.50

Sleep masks have been circulating for a long time, though often with the connotation of being a glamorous accessory rather than a functional sleeping aid. A silk mask does present many of the same benefits as a set of silk pyjamas, as it can help to keep your skin comfortable and protect against irritants, ultimately helping to reduce issues caused by dry eyes.

However, the main benefit of utilising a sleeping mask is that it blocks out the light. Even the smallest amount of light can disrupt our rest as humans are programmed to associate the night with sleep. Blocking out the light with a mask encourages quality deep sleep, and using silk to do so encourages comfort. Blue light affects melatonin production, a hormone that tells us to become tired and go to sleep. Despite what we hear, it does not only come from hours spent looking at screens and technology but it also comes from the sun. Whilst natural light can be a refreshing way to wake up in the morning, it can also sometimes be a hindrance as you can’t control when the sun rises. An eye mask adds an element of control to this area, by allowing you to block out unwanted light.

If you’re looking at investing in silk to improve your quality of sleep, an eye mask is an excellent choice to begin with whilst you explore what silk has to offer. Read more on our sleep mask guide for a more in-depth look at how a silk mask may help your sleeping pattern.

Silk headband in navy, £36

For those with longer locks, hair can sometimes be a cause of frustration when trying to sleep, especially for those who move a lot during the night. We can end up tugging on our hair, trapping and pulling on it, or it can end up in our faces when we’re trying to sleep. If this is a recurring issue, but you find sleeping with your hair up is uncomfortable or damaging to your hair, a silk headband may be what you need.

A silk headband presents a number of benefits for your hair, but more specifically, when applied to sleep it can prevent the outlined issues without causing damage to your hair. By reducing friction, your hair can be kept out of your face and free from uncomfortable tugging on coarse materials through the night.

Whilst our headbands come in three distinct styles and colours, we highly recommend the navy option for sleep. Reflecting on the calming tones, the navy option is completely smooth with no added style elements such as ruching or decorative knots to ensure optimum comfort. Paired with a silk sleeping mask, this is the perfect way to start changing your sleeping habits and experimenting with high-quality materials to lull you into a tranquil slumber.

Invest in your sleep with Gingerlily

Making small adjustments to your current sleeping routine can make a difference to the quality of sleep you receive. We believe that silk presents a strong case for improving your nightly routine by offering many benefits that more commonly available materials may not.
So, if you’re wondering what to wear to bed, a set of cooling pyjamas or a simple light-blocking eye mask made of silk might be just what you’re looking for.

If you’re thinking about making the switch to silk, discover our full collection of nightwear to find a style and colour that suits you. Alternatively, browse our collection of silk bedding and pillowcases to get started on your journey to a more restful night.