Are Silk Pillowcases worth it?

Are silk pillowcases worth it? 

You’ve seen them on instagram, in the stores and online, and each time, you’ve wondered: are silk pillowcases worth it? Don’t worry - I wondered the same too. Before doing a deep dive into the reasons for and against, and of course, the science; I was in your position. Fortunately, I now have the answers - and as such, shortly enough, so will you. 

First, are silk pillowcases worth it… for your sleep?

Silk is one of the best fabrics you can sleep on - hands down. Being a natural fibre, it possesses thermoregulatory properties - which, in layman’s terms, means it helps keep your body at a stable temperature - not too hot, not too cold. While waking up in a sweaty mess is probably not your idea of a good nights sleep, overheating is actually much more of a problem than you may realise. In fact, melatonin, our sleepiness hormone, relies on a cool core body temperature to be produced. This is exactly why you find it difficult to sleep during summer - body temperature goes up, melatonin goes down, and as such, you experience lighter, restless and broken sleep. Looping this back to your silk pillowcase debacle, this means that investing in silk, as a natural fibre, can help you stay cool through the night, and sleep deeper as a result. Given that your head is one of the primary points of heat loss, this is without a doubt, critical. 

However, the benefits of silk pillowcases go beyond temperature regulation - because other natural fibres such as linen, cotton and wool offer that too. Rather, an superior quality of silk - compared to such other natural fibres, is it’s softness. Plain and simple, the structure of silk is extremely fine, malleable and flexible. As a result, it feels silky smooth and soft - perfect to rest your head against each night, without the concern that it will irritate or annoy you. While this may seem relatively obvious, it’s imperative to consider this - because we’ve all worn fabrics that leave us itching and scratching for hours - which is definitely not what you want when you’re trying to attain deep, restful sleep. 

In a similar vein, silk is hypoallergenic - making it an ideal choice for those with sensitive skin, rosacea. asthma or allergies. While silk will benefit all individuals for the reasons listed above, for you, arming yourself with a silk pillowcase isn’t just helpful - it’s essential. If not, your pillowcase may aggravate your skin and head, cause an immune response and result in inflammation and following day fatigue. 

Are silk pillowcases worth it… for your skin?

Though i’ve touched on this, it is a separate consideration - can silk pillowcases help your skin? As you can imagine, a fabric that is hypoallergenic, reduces sweating and overheating, and is unlikely to cause irritation - yes, that will be beneficial for your skin. Especially with your face in direct contact with the fabric itself for 8 or so hours each night, if you are sleeping on a fabric that leaves you overheating or itchy, you may wake blotchy, with acne or a rash - not really what you want. 

Are silk pillowcases worth it…. For your hair?

Again, the benefits mentioned above - soft, hypoallergenic, temperature regulating - can help your hair too. The main advantage here though is the fabric itself - the super silky feel reduces friction between the hair and the pillowcase, which can reduce breakage. While no one wants breakage, those with fine, delicate or coloured hair should be particularly mindful of this - as your hair may be prone to damage. 

To close, are silk pillowcases worth it? Rest assured (pun intended), yes, they are - shop Night Babe’s range to get yours now. 

Olivia Arezzolo - Australian leading sleep expert.

Introducing Olivia Arezzolo, Australia’s Leading Sleep Expert. With 14 years professional and academic experience; she is the go-to guru for the Today Show, Studio 10 and Sunrise; contributor to Forbes and News.com.au; and author of bestselling book Bear, Lion, Wolf; published in 11 languages in 8 countries. Olivia has been a speaker and spokesperson for IKEA, Samsung, Sealy Posturepedic, Tempurpedic, Sheridan, AIA Insurance, Toyota, The Body Shop and Ovolo Hotels, where she has shared science based, straightforward sleep advice to the media and consumers alike.