The SHEEX® Performance Sheet Set looks and feels like the moisture-wicking fabric commonly used for workout clothing and athletic wear. But the question is: Do these Performance Sheets put an end to overheating, and other sleep-disrupting temperature fluctuations, so that you can start getting the great night’s sleep your body so desperately needs to perform at its peak? SHEEX® sent us a Performance Sheet Set to review so we could experience this new approach to performance bedding for both elite athletes and the average person.
SHEEX® Performance Sheets
SHEEX® promises that their cooling sheets keep you cool, dry and comfortable throughout the night with moisture-wicking technology, ridiculously soft® fabric, and wrinkle-free durability. Since SHEEX Performance Sheet Sets are not constructed with tightly woven threads, they promote airflow to transfer more body heat when compared to traditional cotton sheets. This then results in reduced temperature fluctuations at night.
But how do these Performance Sheets hold up with practical use? Our reviewer found that SHEEX overwhelmingly delivered on these promises with a few bonuses that he hadn’t expected.
The Importance of Sleep for Athletes
As athletes, we’re always looking for that magic bullet—the one secret that will allow us to perform better than our opponents. From natural ingredients to engineered chemicals, massagers, diets and even microbes, there have been few stones left unturned in the search for record-breaking human performance. However, what many athletes are now discovering is that the magic bullet goes right back to basics – and that magic bullet is sleep.
Simply put, there is no way to cheat sleep and still pursue optimal athletic performance. No amount of stimulants can replace the connection between how well-rested an athlete is and optimal physical and cognitive performance. Poor sleep quality can hinder power, strength and cardiovascular function. In addition, well-rested athletes make fewer mistakes, have faster reaction times, have improved accuracy and studies have shown that athletes with better sleep and resting habits suffer fewer injuries. It’s becoming more and more clear that sleep is just as important for optimal performance as training and proper nutrition.
The Sleeping Environment
So, more hours of sleep? That’s easy. And yet, it’s not only the number of hours of sleep that need to be looked at; the importance of quality rest is almost as important. There are a few easy ways to immediately improve your sleep quality. Keeping your room cool, quiet and dark all create an environment that makes it easier to sleep. Increases in room and body temperature also need to be avoided at all costs as they can decrease sleep quality and reduce the deeper and more refreshing sleep needed to optimize recovery from training.
The only problem is that athletes typically have higher body temperatures since training releases adrenaline. This temperature increase happens not only during an athlete’s workout, but afterwards, as well, which can be related to difficulty falling asleep later. Frequently eating to help build and repair muscle can also speed up an athlete’s metabolism, raising their body temperature before they go to sleep, too.
The thing about running hot at bedtime is that high body temperatures dramatically interfere with sleep quality. Normally, your body starts reducing its temperature in the late afternoon to help you prepare to fall asleep. Your body’s ability to adjust temperature is a big part of how it regulates sleep. And if you’re in an environment where you can’t cool off, you will have trouble not only falling asleep, but also staying asleep and obtaining the all-important deep, restful sleep needed by athletes.
The theory is that if you’re a hot sleeper who sweats, with breathable sheets you can be cooled off as the moisture from sweat will evaporate into the air (instead of being soaked into cotton sheets). This will then cool you down and improve the quality of your sleep, allowing you to reap the recovery and performance benefits of a good night’s sleep. Less breathable sheets, on the other hand, will lock in this heat, resulting in you waking up feeling hot and sweaty.
Comfort
The Performance Sheets are 87% Microfiber Polyester and 13% Spandex, which give them a luxuriously soft and slick feel that’s exactly like premium athletic wear. Sliding into bed will be a new sensation for first-time users, but these Performance Sheets soon became something our reviewer looked forward to after long days filled with work and training. One thing to note though, these soft sheets will call you out on your moisturizing game (or lack of) as they can catch on dry skin such as calluses.
From a fit perspective, this is one area that we found SHEEX to really stand out. The quality of the performance fabrics used is evident almost immediately. The bottom sheet, in particular, stretched over the mattress without leaving wrinkles. And even more importantly, it locked into place without bunching or coming loose thanks to an elastic band that keeps everything in its proper position. There’s simply no way of overstressing how much this improved the overall sleeping experience as the smooth glide of the bottom sheet prevented annoying bunching, and seemed to improve airflow to further aid with cooling. The top sheet and pillowcase also remained wrinkle-free throughout. And quite frankly, they look as luxurious on the bed as they feel.
The Sleep Experience
Of course, look and feel are often subjective. So, how did SHEEX® Performance Sheets actually perform? Despite not being a true scientific method, our reviewer tracked his sleep using a popular wearable both the week prior to utilizing SHEEX and during the full week of use. Without any changes to his weekly routine, he anecdotally found his sleep score with this tracker improved by 2 points on average for the week. What was particularly notable was the increase in the amount of deep sleep. He went from 384 total minutes of deep sleep the week before sleeping with SHEEX to 431 total minutes the week using them. There are many factors that could have contributed to this improvement, but ultimately our reviewer found (even without tracking) that he noticed he was sleeping better and waking up easier for a more refreshed feeling.
Care
At the end of the one week sleep cycle, the sheets came off for laundry. Washing them properly is important to maintaining their integrity. SHEEX recommends washing them in cold water on a regular cycle setting, and to avoid using bleach, fabric softeners and similar products. Fabric softeners can impede the moisture wicking effects of SHEEX. Drying these Performance Sheets on low is also recommended to produce the best results, and you don’t need dryer sheets.
As a bonus, you can skip the ironing, too. SHEEX performance sheets are resistant to wrinkling! Overall, the care of SHEEX, in order to keep them performing at their best, is not particularly difficult or invasive. SHEEX uses knitted fibers instead of tightly woven threads, allowing the sheets to remain ultra-soft to the touch, while not shrinking or fading wash after wash. In fact, SHEEX claims they are designed to get softer every time you wash them.
The Verdict
It’s not everyday you get a brilliant idea executed so well. SHEEX has taken the concept of moisture-wicking clothing and applied it successfully to bedding with outstanding results. SHEEX sheets also come with a 60-night risk-free return policy, which is good to have as everyone’s sleep and fabric preferences are different.
SHEEX Original Performance collection is available in a wide range of colors, including Bright White, Ecru, Khaki, Blush Pink, Lavender, Garnet, Pearl Blue, Carolina Blue, Forest, Navy, Graphite, and Black. You can pick them up online through the SHEEX website, and through third-party retailers like Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond.
