The best fabrics for night sweats are lightweight, highly breathable, and moisture-wicking natural or semi-synthetic fibers. Top choices include bamboo (viscose/rayon/lyocell), Tencel (lyocell), silk, linen, and cotton percale.
Which bedding fabrics should I consider for night sweats?
Silk offers a luxurious look and feel that is sure to elevate any bedroom. It's also a great fabric for anyone that experiences night sweats or hot flushes. This material is soft on the skin and has natural moisture-wicking properties similar to linen and cotton.
The best pajamas for night sweats are made from light, loose-fitting materials that are breathable, such as silk, cotton, linen, and Tencel.
Those prone to sweating at night might find that the more moisture-wicking fabrics, such as silk, linen, or Tencel, are the most comfortable because they help keep you dry. Some materials, such as linen and silk, tend to cost more than other fabrics.
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. Cool yourself down.
Linen sheets
"Linen has a wicking action," she explains. "It removes moisture from your skin through [its] fibres, and then to the external environment," away from your body. Dr Chow says both linen and cotton are great at absorbing sweat off the skin.
For bedding, consider pillows and mattress covers with cooling gel. A cooling pack under your pillow can help keep things comfortable, too. I know many people layer blankets to remove what they don't need during the night. If you find yourself sweating through your pajamas or sheets, keep extras close by.
Lightweight, breathable sleepwear such as bamboo pyjamas or loose-fitting nightwear can help manage night sweats. Cotton is breathable but can retain moisture, which may make it less comfortable for those experiencing frequent night sweats.
Natural materials such as cotton, silk, bamboo, and wool are optimal for sleep, as they provide breathability, moisture-wicking, and temperature regulation, making them the best breathable fabric choices. Cotton, bamboo, and linen are optimal choices for sleepwear in warm weather, especially for those who sleep hot.
The best bedding for night sweats are 100% cotton sheets or 100% linen sheets, which are highly breathable and moisture wicking, helping you to sleep better. We also recommend 100% cotton mattress protectors and pillow protectors to help protect your mattress and pillows from any build up from sweat.
Egyptian cotton is stronger than regular cotton, therefore longer-lasting. It's partly thanks to the extra-long fibres that Egyptian cotton plants produce, making yarns tougher yet oh so soft.
Body Oil Transfer
Sebum naturally produced by your skin transfers to sheets every night. As these oils oxidize, they leave yellow stains and tinting, especially on cotton materials.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference, what you're used to, and how often you're willing to wash your bedding—some find it easier to just toss their entire sheet set into the wash rather than having to re-stuff their duvet back into its cover.
Softness and Comfort
Its smoothness is especially noticeable in higher thread counts. Pima Cotton's fibers are typically denser than Egyptian Cotton, making it ideal for warmer climates, whereas Egyptian Cotton is quite luxurious in colder conditions.
The most common reasons for night sweats are:
Menopause in Asia
One school of thought is that the Japanese diet is high in soy, which contains isoflavones that mimic estrogen. This is important, because many menopause symptoms (such as hot flashes) occur due to a lowering of estrogen levels.
Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, cotton or linen pajamas. Use a bedroom fan, sleep with your windows open or crank up the air conditioning. Use lightweight, layered bedding that you can remove as needed at night. Avoid foods and beverages that make you sweat (like spicy foods and caffeine).
“The Egyptian sleep method involves sleeping under a damp sheet, which cools off from evaporation,” explains Alex Dimitriu, MD, psychiatrist and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. Because water absorbs heat as it evaporates, your body temperature drops as the water gradually evaporates.
Hypoglycemia—Since hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can cause sweating, people who are taking medications to lower blood sugar, like insulin and oral anti-diabetics, may experience sweating at night. Hormone disorders—Night sweats can be a result of problems in the hormone-producing glands (endocrine system).
Dress for bedtime success
Those fluffy pajamas and thick blankets may be cozy, but those choices can backfire by trapping in heat and moisture. To combat over sweating during sleep, go for breathable or moisture-wicking fabrics like linen or bamboo.
Flax linen was once a hospital staple—valued for its breathability, antimicrobial properties, and healing logic. But over time, U.S. hospitals phased it out not because it failed patients, but because it didn't fit the evolving demands of industrial infection control and centralized laundering systems.
Night sweats serve as a red flag because they're often an early warning sign of serious underlying health conditions, including infections like tuberculosis, autoimmune disorders, hormonal imbalances, and certain cancers.