In a world of never-ending tasks and needs, the moments right before sleep are really sacred, don’t you think?  It’s the time when we get to dial down the wattage of our lights, our phones, and the to-do list.  But there’s one element of our nightly routine we rarely think about, yet it plays a powerful role in how deeply we rest, and it’s touch!

What we wear to bed is as important as the mattress we lie on and the pillow we rest our heads on.  Our bodies respond to sensation.  It’s how our nervous system unwinds and how we signal to ourselves that it’s okay to finally go to sleep.  Touch is a language the body definitely understands.

Our skin is the largest sensory organ on our bodies.  It’s rich cache of nerve endings communicates directly to the brain all the good, all the bad, and everything in between! Think about how irritated you become when wearing scratchy fabrics, tight elastics, or synthetic materials.  Small irritations such as these can keep the body in a state of alertness and interfere with whatever we are trying to do.  And, if that is sleep?  Then putting your body in a relaxed state just isn’t going to happen!

Now, switch gears and think about how your body feels when your skin encounters something soft, smooth, and non-irritating.  The brain softens the heart rate and relaxes your muscles.  Stress hormones settle down too.  The message sent to the brain is “Slow down”.  And, science agrees with us.  Research has found that sleepwear and bedding materials can affect sleep quality by influencing skin and body temperature and thermal comfort, allowing us to stay in deep and REM sleep stages longer.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, natural fibers matter for good sleep.  Natural fibers like silk and cotton interact with our bodies in ways that synthetic fabrics cannot.  Natural fiber fabrics breath, regulate temperatures, and are gentle on the skin.  All qualities that are excellent for helping us sleep and sleep well!

Temperature regulation is a big bonus when it comes to silk.  As body temps naturally fluctuate throughout the night, silk helps maintain balance, preventing overheating or chills.  With steady comfort offered by wearing silk to bed, the body can remain in deeper, more restorative stages of sleep for longer periods.  

Consider slipping into a silk nightgown or set of cotton pajamas as a form of sensory self-care.  The moment that fabric meets your skin, it becomes part of your bedtime ritual.  A cue that the day is over and it’s time for your body to rest.

While we sleep, skin goes into repair mode, and what it touches matters more than we realize.  Silk’s smooth surface creates less friction against the skin and hair, helping support overnight comfort and care.  It also keeps us asleep longer, tapping into the body’s ability to repair itself.   As noted by the Harvard School of Medicine, many of the major restorative functions in the body like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and growth hormone release occur mostly or in some cases only, during sleep.

Rest truly does begin with what you wear.  The science of touch reminds us that sleep is not just something that happens but something we prepare for.  Sometimes, just the smallest changes can create the biggest shifts.  As the New Year begins, consider this a quiet invitation to be more thoughtful about your bedtime ritual.  Choose fabrics that support your body, rituals that calm your mind, and moments that define beauty sleep.  When sleep feels good, everything else follows!  See you in the next blog!

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Deb Fries works with the Julianna Rae team to offer the best shopping experience for quality silk and cotton sleepwear while also writing for the blog at Juliannarae.com.