Silk is naturally cool to the touch, will help reduce sweat while you sleep, and give you a more pleasant night's rest. Less sweat means less oily hair and longer lasting blowouts, who doesn't want that? Reduced sweat also makes for better skin.
Moisture wicking: Alongside being an excellent temperature regulator, silk also has great moisture wicking properties, designed to keep you dry on even the warmest evenings; making it a great choice if you're prone to night sweats!
The issue isn't necessarily that silk makes you sweat more than other kinds of fabrics. But even though it's a light and flowy material, it's also surprisingly insulating! The very nature of the silk fabric is that it can cling to your skin, which can lead to uncomfortable nights if you're already feeling overheated.
Cool To The Touch
This is because cotton holds in heat and warms your pillow. Sleeping on silk is a game-changer for hot nights! Silk has a natural cooling effect, making for a more restful night's sleep. Also ideal for sleepers that tend to sweat more during their slumber.
Natural fabrics are the answer – they help skin to breathe easily. And silk, with its exceptional thermo-regulation and air permeability properties, can keep the body cool and comfortable during those dreaded night sweats. It becomes nicely warm when the weather gets cooler, too.
Percale: This closely woven cotton or polyester is cool to the touch. Eucalyptus fibers: Sheets in this material will naturally regulate temperature and be breathable. Microfiber: Microfiber is absorbent and wicks moisture away effectively. Bamboo: This material may provide a cooler sleep than cotton.
Things like alcohol, spicy foods, caffeine and smoking can be sweating triggers. Keep your bedroom cool and sleepwear light. Adjust the thermostat, use fans, open windows (if it's cold outside), wear breathable pajamas and use lightweight bedding.
Which one you choose comes down to a few factors, like price and preference. "I like satin more because it's less expensive than silk, but it's also smoother than silk, reducing the friction between the hair strands and the pillowcase," says Dr. Isfahan Chambers-Harris, Trichologist, Ph. D.
Silk pillowcases, like your other bed linens, come into direct contact with your skin every night, so it's important to wash them regularly — typically about every seven to ten days. To learn more about washing bed linens, check out this guide to washing and properly caring for bedding.
"Silk doesn't absorb or pull moisture from your skin the way traditional cotton pillowcases do, leaving hair hydrated and frizz-free." Plus, according to Richy Kandasamy, a hair colorist and a member of R+Co Collective, resting your head on this fabric will keep textured hair fresher and less "slept on" upon waking.
Try wearing a sweat proof undershirt whenever you wear a silk shirt or blouse, so you can extend the lifespan of every wear and reduce the number of washes or stain treatments.
Several of the sleep experts I spoke to suggested linen sheets. According to Dr. Joshua Tal, a psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders, they are very breathable and “pick up cool air.” Oks says that since linen is made of a looser weave than, say, a cotton sheet with a high thread count, it traps less heat.
Fabrics to definitely stay away from include nylon, polypropylene, silk, acrylic and viscose — "pretty much any manufactured fiber," according to Sarkar. He says polyester isn't the best material to wear in the heat either, unless it's blended with cotton.
Both silk and satin sheets can help to keep you cool in the summer. However, silk sheets may be the better choice if you live in a warm climate, as they are more breathable. Satin sheets may be the better choice if you live in a cold climate, as they will help to trap your body heat and keep you warm.
What type of sheets sleep the coolest? In general, sheets made from linen, bamboo, and Tencel offer the coolest, most breathable feel. Cotton sheets that feature a percale weave are also known for being exceptionally lightweight and airy, perfect for hot sleepers.
Silk as a natural fibre is breathable and keeps you feeling fresh during the night. Silk is a natural insulator also, trapping small amounts of air between the fibres to keep you warm when it's cold outside, yet it also vents excess heat when you overheat.
Detergent can stiffen silk
Even if you are hand washing your silks are per the instructions, if you are using a detergent, they can become stiff. Using a castile soap like Dr Bronner's instead can help a lot. Even after air drying, though, your silk may still be a bit stiff.
DON'T put your silk items in the dryer if you can help it. Heat can damage delicate silk fibers. If dryer is absolutely necessary use only 'air' setting for 15 minutes or less with NO fabric sheets or dryer balls. Remove sheets and pillowcases before completely dry.
How to Machine-Wash Silk Pillowcases and Sheets: Place in the washer with other silk items in similar colors. Turn silk pillowcases inside-out and place them in a mesh bag to prevent pulls in the fabric. Run the machine on a delicate cycle, with cold water, and use mild detergent according to package instructions.
The smooth texture allows the fabric to glide against your hair cuticles, producing less friction than coarser fabrics that are more likely to snag hair. While silk does not outright prevent bedhead, the reduced friction can result in less tangling, frizziness, and breakage.
The highest-quality silk is mulberry silk, which is made from silkworms who eat from the leaves of the mulberry tree. It's the most durable silk and also the softest, which makes it ideal for a high-traffic item like a pillowcase. There are grades within silk — A, B, and C scale, with A being the best quality.
“There is some evidence that when compared to typical cotton pillowcases, less moisture is absorbed with a silk pillowcase,” says Janiene Luke, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Loma Linda University in California. These benefits are more pronounced for hair, especially curly and textured hair.
Causes of night sweats
medicines – some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers. low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) alcohol or drug use. a harmless condition called hyperhidrosis that makes you sweat too much all the time.
Night sweats can be a manifestation of simple infection, underlying malignancy, more complex infections – including TB and HIV – connective tissue disorders, menopause or certain prescribed drugs. It's also important not to overlook possible psychological causes, such as night terrors secondary to PTSD.
In some cases, night sweats are a sign of a medical condition. In others, they may be caused by a medicine that you are taking. The most common causes of night sweats are related to hormonal changes in females, such as occur with: menopause or perimenopause.