What you sleep in during summer

Short answer: In summer your nightwear should move moisture, not add warmth. A thin layer is often better than nothing, because it keeps sweat away from the bedding and lets it evaporate instead of staying on the skin.

A thin layer cools better than none

The fabric moves sweat away from the skin and lets it evaporate, while bare skin gets clammy and sticks to the sheet. It sounds backwards, but many sleep better in a thin layer on warm nights. That goes for thin pieces from bamboo joggers for men and lighter things like a thin T-shirt and shorts.

The material decides

A fabric that absorbs moisture and releases it again keeps the skin dry all night. One that does not gets wet and heavy and feels warmer as the night goes on. Choose something like bamboo T-shirts for men in a thin quality, so the fabric keeps up when the body sweats most.

A loose cut lets air in

Close fitting nightwear holds in heat, while a loose cut lets air move between fabric and skin. Each time you turn over, the air is replaced, and that cools. Avoid tight sleeves and legs that stick in the heat. See the loose styles among the most popular for men, cut with room but not baggy.

Short sleeves and short legs

On the hottest nights a T-shirt and shorts are enough. The less fabric on the skin, the easier heat escapes. If the bedroom cools towards morning, keep a pair of long trousers next to the bed. Then you can put them on if you wake up cold, without getting up to search.

The bedding should be light too

Nightwear does only half the job. A thick winter duvet holds heat whatever you wear. Switch to a thinner duvet or a sheet in summer, and use a cover that breathes. Thin nightwear and light bedding together give you the best chance of sleeping through without waking up damp.

Air the room before bed

A bedroom that has been warm all day is hard to cool at night. Close the curtains during the day and air the room in the evening, once it is cooler outside. A few minutes of cross breeze lowers the temperature noticeably, so you go to bed in a room closer to a good sleeping temperature.

Keep a spare set ready

On very warm nights even thin nightwear can get damp. With a spare set nearby, you can change in the middle of the night and fall asleep again in something dry. It takes a minute and often gives a better second half of the night than lying in damp clothes.

Wash more often in summer

Sweat settles in the fabric, and on warm nights that happens faster. Wash nightwear more often than in winter, at a low temperature and inside out. Thin fabrics dry quickly, so a set washed in the morning is often ready again the same evening if it hangs in the shade.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cooler to sleep without clothes

Not necessarily, because sweat then stays on the skin and in the bedding, while a thin layer can help it evaporate.

Which fabric is best in summer

A thin fabric that absorbs and releases moisture quickly, so the skin stays dry and the fabric does not get heavy during the night.

How often should summer nightwear be washed

Two to three times a week on warm nights, or more often if you sweat a lot, so odour and moisture do not settle in the fabric.