Hot nights are miserable. Whether it's a summer heatwave, the menopause, or just the way you're built, lying awake at 2am in damp, uncomfortable nightwear is one of life's less glamorous experiences.
Over the years I've had a lot of conversations with customers about this — and there are a few things that come up again and again that are genuinely worth knowing. So here's my honest take, based on what I've learned from years of working in nightwear rather than from a generic sleep guide.
It's about fabric more than coverage
The most useful thing I can share is also the one that surprises people most: wearing less doesn't necessarily keep you cooler if the fabric isn't right.
Satin is the obvious example. It looks and feels beautiful in the shop — the weight, the sheen, the way it moves. But a lot of satin nightwear is polyester, not silk. Polyester has a tight weave that traps heat and doesn't let moisture escape. So you end up hotter, not cooler, even though you're wearing very little.
A longer chemise in a natural fibre will often outperform a tiny polyester slip. It sounds counterintuitive, but the fabric is doing the work.
The natural fibres worth knowing about
Silk and cotton are the obvious ones — well known, well loved, and they genuinely do the job. Linen is brilliant too; incredibly breathable and it just gets better with washing.
Modal is one I'd particularly recommend if you haven't tried it. It's often blended with cotton and the result is extraordinarily soft — great if you have sensitive skin, and beautiful to wear.
Then there are a few that tend to catch people out. Viscose and rayon sound synthetic, but they're not — they come from cellulose (essentially tree bark), which makes them natural, breathable fibres. Bamboo is similar and has become really popular in nightwear recently. All three are worth looking for on a label.
The short version: silk, cotton, linen, modal, bamboo, viscose and rayon are all good. Polyester and nylon, less so.
What styles work well
On hot nights, you're probably going to move around more than usual — shifting position, throwing the duvet off, trying to find a cool patch of mattress. It's worth choosing something that works with that rather than against it.
Cami sets are a really good option for this reason. They stay put, don't ride up, and won't get twisted the way a longer nightdress might. A chemise in silk or modal is another favourite — it moves freely, feels lovely, and there's nothing to bunch or catch.
Long-sleeve pyjamas in a natural fibre are also better than they sound for warm nights. There's research suggesting that having natural fabric against the skin helps wick moisture away from the body — so the fabric actively helps you cool down rather than just sitting there. It only works if the fibre is right, though.
For anyone dealing with night sweats
If you're going through perimenopause or menopause, the hot nights conversation is a bit different — you're not just dealing with ambient temperature, you're dealing with your body doing something unpredictable and often pretty relentless.
What tends to help is keeping things lightweight and layerable. A cami and shorts in bamboo or modal, with a light robe within reach, means you can strip back quickly when a flush hits and pull something back on when it passes. Bamboo and modal both have genuine moisture-wicking properties, which makes a real difference with night sweats specifically.
It's worth spending a bit more on nightwear during this phase. A good piece in bamboo or silk pays for itself pretty quickly in terms of sleep quality.
If you're only buying one thing
For hot nights, a chemise in silk or modal is where I'd start. It's simple, it works, and it feels like a treat rather than a solution to a problem.
If separates suit you better — especially if you have children, or you travel, or you just prefer the practicality of a two-piece — a cami and shorts set is equally good. Same breathability, slightly more coverage, and very easy to pack.
A thought on the wider picture
Something I feel quite strongly about: how you go to bed matters, beyond just the practicalities of staying cool.
I like to feel nice when I go to bed. Face clean, something that feels good to put on, properly pressed sheets. It might be a little old-fashioned, but it's one of my small pleasures, and I do think it makes a difference to how well I sleep. There's something about that wind-down ritual — even something as small as putting on a nightie you actually like — that signals to your body that the day is done.
Hot nights are hard enough. Nightwear that feels lovely is a small thing, but it's worth getting right.
Plums Lingerie stocks nightwear in natural fibres including silk, modal, and viscose. Browse the full collection at plumslingerie.com.
