Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 25th September 2019

Recent research shows that sleep is something that is connected to our general health and wellbeing in more ways than we ever imagined. Did you know the average person will probably spend 26 years of their life sleeping? Sleep plays an important role in your physical health e.g. sleep is involved in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. An ongoing lack of sleep can shorten your life expectancy and is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. So, it is clear that the cost of all those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus at work.

It's clear that a solid night's sleep is essential for a long and healthy life. But for those who feel they’re not getting enough, this blog post will lead you in the right direction for the perfect night’s sleep. In general, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Deep sleep is the time when our body and mind recovers from the day’s stress, and on average we will typically spend 1 to 1.5 hours of total sleep time in deep sleep. If you’re getting enough deep sleep, you’ll wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. So, the big question is; how do we get more of it? In this guide we list the best underwear, pyjamas, bed sheets, mattress, pillow spray and sleep tracker on the market. These products will best equip you to help improve your sleep quality. Also, you can discover the best mattress options here.

Tielle Love Luxury Bed Sheets 

The company Tradelinens have supplied bedding to the world’s finest and most iconic 5-star hotels (The Savoy, Claridge’s, Ham Yard Hotel) for over 30 years. Tielle Love Luxury was then founded by Joe Molloy and Robert Lancaster Gaye after receiving numerous calls from hotel guests and interior stylists who had enjoyed the bedding. They're now celebrating their 5th birthday and they’re passionate about giving people a great night’s sleep. To celebrate this birthday they've launched a new soft luxury Cross Border bedlinen set as used by boutique hotel The Artist Residence. You can buy the same premium bedding found in 5,000 5-star hotel bedrooms from their website. We spoke to the Tielle Love Luxury founder Joe Molloy to find out how poor bedding can disrupt sleep. 

He said, “A crucial part in ensuring you enjoy a good night's sleep is the ability to be able to have as much control as possible over the three key elements: temperature, breathability and freedom of movement during sleep. We all know that being too hot or too cold during sleep can cause you to wake prematurely and may also prevent you from falling back asleep. The correct combination of layers according to the ambient temperature within the room will ensure that once asleep you stay asleep until waking naturally when the body is rested. High quality natural cotton sheets allow for a much better degree of airflow and ultimate breathability to effectively control your body temperature throughout your sleep cycle during the night. Bed linen made from man-made or even blended fabrics have a tendency to feel inherently hotter and feel less comfortable.”

He adds, “Cotton fabric allows air to move freely – think of it as a built-in air conditioner. Quality lightweight cotton bedding also absorbs moisture, helping you stay sweat-free and smelling fresh. The general consensus is that a higher thread counts = better quality, but cotton quality and weave also play a vital role. A 200tc will produce cool, crisp fabric due to it’s percale weave where as our Soft & Strong 400tc is a sateen weave so perfect for those who want a softer fabric with a light lustre. As the thread counts increase the fibres within the fabric become more densely packed. This can make sheets and duvet covers over 600 thread count less breathable and unsuitable for those prone to hot flushes or night sweats. Many hotels find 300 thread sheets hit the sweet spot in terms of luxury and practicality and these are in general also a good all year round. At the end of the day, it’s up to your personal preference and how you want it to feel. Some tend to sleep all year long in the same bedlinen set, some prefer changing from 200tc to 600tc, but it might be wise to invest in different duvets and change according to the season. We suggest 4.5tog duvet for summer and 10.5 tog for winter months.”

OTTY Mattress 

When was the last time you changed your mattress? Your mattress is probably the most important item in aiding a good night’s sleep. There are a bunch of new 'mattress in a box' brands out there and there’s been a lot of recent innovations too. The OTTY mattress offers a unique combination of 14cm-long encapsulated pocket springs, luxury reflex foam and Cool Blue Gel infused memory foam, which were engineered to work together to create the best support for your body contours and joints, and regulate your body temperature to keep you at the optimum temperature for sleep in the depths of winter or on a sultry summer night. Each OTTY mattress includes five innovative layers to give you a peaceful night’s sleep; these include a Hypo-Allergenic Washable Cover, Temperature Regulating Memory Foam, High Density Support Foam, 2000 Encapsulated Pocket Springs, Air-Flow Side Support, and High Density Base Foam. One reason why OTTY stands out as the best in the field is the firmness and support (56% spring) compared to others (10%-36%), and 14cm long pocket springs vs 2.5cm. Longer springs will give more support and ultimately makes the difference between how well the mattress supports your back and joints throughout the night. A recent Medical Harvard study showed the best mattress to aid sleep is a medium-firm mattress, so take note next time you’re shopping for a new one.

Oura Ring 

If you’re worried about the amount of sleep you’re getting (or not getting), sleep tracking gadgets can be useful. However, they can be a bit of a catch 22 too, because the results can lead you to worry more and this can lead to stress which might make winding down at bed time rather difficult. The most discreet and technologically advanced tracker on the market is the Oura Ring. Understanding how well you slept is the first step towards better sleep. With daily feedback to improve your health, Oura helps you better understand your body and reach your goals. You’ll be guided through an intelligent, data-driven plan to help you improve across the most important aspects of your wellbeing. The stylish smart ring tracks your body’s output, 24/7. It registers your body temperature reading every minute while you sleep. By comparing that value to values from earlier nights, it indicates your body temperature baseline and any variations from it.

Calm Sleep Spray & Sleep Stories 

If you find it hard to wind down at night and you’re not the book-worm type, then audio stories are a good idea. Also, pillow sprays can help relax the mind and body to prepare for sleep too. Meditation company, Calm, have a sleep mist to inspire your senses and help you drift off to sleep with this dreamy elixir of lavender, chamomile, frankincense and clary sage essential oils. Calm designed the Sleep Mist to be the perfect pair to Sleep Stories, their sleep inducing bedtime tales for adults. Think aromatherapy meets audio-therapy. While both are powerful on their own, their combined value is greater than the sum of their parts, especially when looking to improve sleep. In order to drift off, the busy mind needs to settle into the present moment. Although the here and now is often considered quite elusive, the quickest entry point is through the senses. Blending scent with sound is an innovative way to invite yourself into the moment so that you can let go of the day, release tension, and relax your mind.

Derek Rose Pyjamas 

If you’re the type to throw on an old t-shirt and hop into bed you might want to consider the benefits of luxury pyjamas made from the highest-quality fabrics – cotton, silk, and micro modal. The best on the market for men is Derek Rose who have a vast selection of comfort-orientated design pyjamas with intricate details and luxuriously soft fabrics. This design in timeless cornflower blue and made made from beautiful pure cotton batiste fabric is lightweight with a soft finish and a plain, open weave for breathability when in bed.

Sixtine’s Underwear 

When it comes to wearing underwear whilst we sleep, the ultimate is a boxer short with a supportive inner layer in a 97% cotton, 3% stretch American cut to avoid friction. You’ve probably never seen boxer shorts with this supportive feature before but once you’ve experienced Sixtine's, there’s no going back.

We feature Tielle Love Luxury Bed Sheets, Otty Mattress, Oura Ring, Calm Sleep Spray and Sleep Stories, Derek Rose Pyjamas, and Sixtine’s Underwear in this blog post on Everything You Need to Sleep Better.