Wool and sleep: how it helps you sleep better
Falling asleep in 13 minutes with wool, compared to 27 with cotton: a study from the University of Sydney confirms it. Why wool also improves sleep depth.
If you have ever given or received a wool blanket as a gift, you may already intuitively know that it provides a particular quality of sleep. What you may not know is that this intuition is now supported by rigorous academic research.
What science says (University of Sydney)
A study conducted by the University of Sydney compared the time it takes to fall asleep depending on the type of fiber worn as sleepwear. The results are quite eloquent: on average, participants wearing wool fell asleep in 13 minutes, compared to 23 minutes for polyester and 27 minutes for cotton. The research also showed that wool improves overall sleep quality, increases deep sleep duration, and reduces sleep fragmentation.
The mechanism behind these benefits comes back to the same hygroscopic capacity we discussed earlier. During sleep, the body continues to lose moisture through perspiration; wool absorbs this vapor as it forms, slowing down fluctuations in humidity and temperature near the skin.
From blankets to well-being
For you, this information opens an interesting door if you already work with wool for products like blankets or sleepwear. Instead of simply selling "a warm blanket," you can present your product as a real well-being tool, supported by concrete scientific data.
This property also explains why Makeloo Studio is actively exploring collaborations with local companies specializing in bedding, where our production residues — the noils from combing — could find a natural and particularly relevant outlet.
Discover our local wool yarns →
Source: International Wool Textile Organisation, Wool Notes, Issue 3 (2024), citing research conducted at the University of Sydney.