Bamboo pyjamas - the secret to a great night's sleep?
Wearing the right kind of pyjamas to bed – longs, shorts, dresses – is important, sure. However, it’s not so much what you wear, but what it’s made of that really counts. Donning sleepwear made of a fabric that aids temperature-regulation while you sleep, may help you to nod off faster, and stay in dreamland for longer. This is because natural materials tend to be more breathable than their synthetic counterparts, which means goodbye night sweats and hello to a cooler, more comfortable you.
Bamboo – perhaps the most versatile of natural fibres – boasts a variety of remarkable uses that range from flooring to clothing. Grown sustainably, with minimal need for additional hydration or any pesticides, this tropical grass not only cleans the air and shoots up fast (it’s the fastest-growing plant in the world), but is also 100% biodegradable. Bamboo rarely, if ever, needs replanting, whereas cotton requires harvesting and cultivation every year.
The bamboo fibre is also marvellously resilient and durable, yet soft as silk and oh-so-luxurious. Gentler than a host of other man-made options, it’s a natural solution for sensitive skin. If you easily get hot and heavy under the covers (while sleeping or for other, more exciting reasons), the anti-bacterial and sweat absorbent properties of the bamboo plant means moisture evaporates from the skin nicely, keeping you odour-free and smelling fresh all night long. Bamboo fabric is cleverly engineered so that the cross-section of the fibre is covered with micro-gaps for better ventilation. As a result, it is able to keep you two degrees cooler in the heat and noticeably warmer in the cold.
Sidebar on temperature and sweat... why it matters for your sleep
Temperature - It’s important not to get overheated when we sleep. In fact, the optimal body temperature for sleep is lower than that for the day. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep temperature is between 15 - 20 C. So whilst it’s tempting to get cozy in fluffy PJs, keep in mind that even if you don’t wake up from being overheated, the quality of your sleep and how you feel the next day might be affected.
Your Skin and Sweat - Whilst sweating is normal and natural, too much or letting it linger too long on the body, especially for those with sensitive skin, can cause irritation. Keeping the temperature of your bedroom reasonable is a good step, but the real key is to wear lightweight, sweat-wicking and breathable fabrics to bed, like bamboo.
On the fabric maintenance of bamboo - you might have spotted the word ‘silk’ earlier which conjured expectations of getting cleaned out at the dry cleaners every time your sleepwear is in need of a wash (pun intended). But fear not, as bamboo fabric can be cleaned just like any other garment. Machine washable and iron-friendly, this fabric is a dream to clean.
Nightire sleepwear, made of organic 100% bamboo, ticks all the boxes. Have you gotten your hands on a set yet?
Written by founder, Nina Clark
