The Best Cooling Pajamas You Need for a Good Night's Sleep

Few things can interrupt a good night of sleep quite like the sensation of feeling overheated. And while we live in a time where air conditioning is increasingly widespread, you won't find it everywhere—and can never know when it might go on the fritz.

If you've got a toasty night ahead of you but don't feel inclined to dream in the buff, you'll want to select pajamas that won't up the heat factor. To that end, you'll want to look for pajamas made from lighter weight, breathable materials that don't provide too much coverage. These are the best women's cooling pajamas for when you get too warm at night.

Supima® Cotton Pajamas

Supima is American grown cotton prized for its superior softness, and its ability to hold on to color, resist shrinkage and keep its shape. The fabric is incredibly light and breathable, making it a great choice for knit sleep sets, nightgowns, and cotton robes. Look for Supima cotton when keeping comfortably cool is your top priority.

Short Pajama Set

A short pajama set is precisely what it sounds like. Short pajama sets are modeled after the look of a traditional pajama set, the difference being that the sleeves are made short and the shorts end above the knee, allowing for greater breathability from head to toe.

While the fabrics that short pajama sets are made from can vary, short pajama sets featuring semi-synthetic fabrics like modal can achieve an airy weight that may be lighter than anything else in your closet. For that reason, a short pajama set made from modal will feel like a godsend on nights when temperatures spike.

Also, there's no hard and fast rule declaring that a short pajama set has to be worn as a complete set at all times. Feel free to break up your short pajama set as comfort and temperature demand. You can opt to wear only the pajama top from the set, which has the added bonus of being more adjustable thanks to its button-front design. Or you could do the opposite and wear the shorts with a bra.

Cami Shorts Sets

Do you like to sleep with blankets piled high, even in the summer? If so, a cami short set might be perfect for you. If you like sleeping in shorts, and you don’t want to wear sleeves, or your bra, consider a cami and shorts set. These sets are typically made of cotton which, as mentioned above, is extremely breathable. The shorts will allow your legs to stay cooler without all the fabric of long pants. The cami top doesn’t have sleeves. So, it allows for you to sleep without seams cutting into your shoulders and arms. These sets also come in regular and plus sizes, so you’ll be able to easily find your perfect fit.

Lightweight Long-Sleeve Henley

At first glance, a henley made with long sleeves may not seem like the most desirable piece of clothing to wear if your paramount goal is staying cool. But it all comes down to what sort of material the henley is made from. Avoid henleys that are made from more substantial and heat-trapping fabrics such as a heavy flannel or brushed cotton, and look for a henley made from a lighter weight material such as a cotton-modal blend.

A cotton-modal blend will allow the shirt to feel just as soft as a favorite t-shirt, while the modal will ensure that it is lighter in weight and has a greater degree of breathability. Furthermore, the four-button closure included in most henleys means that you can undo as many buttons as you feel necessary to give yourself better ventilation.

Lastly, unlike some of the other articles of clothing on this list, a long sleeve henley is more easily adapted into loungewear. You can wear it with a pair of cotton pants before bed, or even match it with jeans to do household chores or run outside errands.

Short-Sleeve Knee-Length Nightgown

A nightgown is another item that may at first seem counterproductive on a list that's all about staying cool. After all, doesn't the word "gown" denote an extra-generous amount of coverage?

Not necessarily; some nightgowns don't extend beyond the elbow or the knee. A short sleeve, knee-length nightgown still captures the classic nightgown silhouette while allowing for far greater breathability thanks to its shorter proportions.