How to choose a sleep cap, whether you wear one for warmth, for hair loss or to protect your hair. What keeps you warm, what stays on and what keeps hair smooth, plus how to look after your wig overnight.
Headcovers began with one wish: my mother wanted a pretty sleep cap.
the sleep cap my mother wanted
In 1990 my mother, Carol Galland, was wheeled out of her lumpectomy with the surgical cap still on her head. It had been left on because she was bald, and she was embarrassed. Lying on that gurney, the one thing she wanted was a pretty sleep cap: something soft for a hospital bed, and for the hours of lying down at home that come with treatment. She could not find a pretty sleep cap anywhere.
So she decided to make one, and in 1995 she and I started Headcovers. That is why the company exists. If she were still here, she would tell you a sleep cap is the first thing to buy.
People wear sleep caps, also called sleeping caps or nightcaps, for a few reasons. The simplest is warmth: some people just get cold at night, and very often that is because of hair loss, since a bare head feels the cold quickly. For hair loss, a soft cap also puts something gentle between a tender scalp and the pillow. To protect their hair, lots of women wear a sleep cap, a satin bonnet or a silk scarf to bed, and wake up with hair that is smoother and less tangled. Our silk scarves are among our most popular pieces with women who have hair, for exactly this. Each calls for a different cap, so start with why you are wearing one.
Men wear them too, and our men's sleep caps are among our most popular. In thirty-one years of making headwear, we have found that choosing a sleep cap comes down to three things: the fabric, the fit, and how warm you sleep.
If your hair is thinning, either can work. Choose by how much hair you have to protect, and check that a satin cap stays comfortably in place over any bare patches.
if you wear one for warmth or hair loss
It keeps you warm. Some people sleep cold, with or without hair. When your hair is thin or gone, your head feels the cold even more quickly, because hair holds in warmth. The National Cancer Institute suggests choosing a comfortable hat you enjoy that keeps your head warm.1
It puts something soft between you and the pillow. Your scalp may feel tender while your hair is falling out.1 A cap puts a soft layer between your scalp and the pillow.
It keeps loose hair off the pillow. While your hair is coming out, the cap holds it, so the pillow stays clear.
It can be pretty. Lace trim, a print, a color that matches your pajamas. You are the one who sees it, which is a good reason to choose one you love.
It can work in the daytime too. Many sleep caps are soft enough for lounging at home, and some are smart enough to wear out.
if you wear one to protect your hair
Less tangling and frizz. Tossing and turning rubs your hair against the pillow all night. A cap or wrap keeps it contained, and satin or silk against the hair may reduce that friction.3
Your style lasts longer. A blowout or a set of curls comes through the night in better shape when it is covered.
Overnight treatments stay put. An oil or a mask stays on your hair and off your pillowcase and face, and the oils from your hair stay off the pillow too.
New growth is protected. After chemotherapy, hair often starts to grow back two to three months after treatment ends, and it is very fine at first.1 A cap keeps that new hair from rubbing on the pillow while it grows. Our guide to hair growth after chemo covers what to expect.
Some hair on the pillow is normal. Everyone sheds, and losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is typical.2 If you are finding much more than usual, mention it to your doctor. Our guide Help! My Hair Is Falling Out! explains the common causes.
why people wore nightcaps
In eighteenth-century France, a wig was everyday dress for men, and wearing one meant keeping your own hair cropped short or shaved. When the wig came off at home, a cap went on to keep the head warm.4 Some were silk embroidered with metallic thread, and despite the name, many were likely worn around the house more than to bed.4
Then as now, a bare head feels the cold.
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choose the fabric
the biggest decision
Fabric decides how warm a cap is, how it feels on your skin, and whether it stays on. Choose it for the way you sleep.
Sleep cap fabrics compared: how each feels, who it suits, and what to know
fabric
feels
best for
good to know
organic cotton
Soft, breathable and matte.
Most people, most nights, and a bare or tender scalp.
Holds well on a bare head. Our cotton headwear is 100% cotton and mostly organic.
viscose from bamboo
Silky, drapey and cool to the touch.
Warm sleepers, warm climates, and anyone who loves a silky feel.
Wash it gently and skip the fabric softener, which coats the fiber.
fleece
Plush and warm.
Cold bedrooms and winter nights.
Too warm for some people in summer, or for anyone who runs hot at night.
satin and silk
Smooth and slippery.
Hair, curls and styles you want to keep.
Very smooth fabric may slip on a bare scalp, especially in a loose cap. Keep them for hair, or sleep on a silk pillowcase in a cotton cap.
On a bare or patchy scalp, very smooth fabrics can slip. A silky cap can work its way off during the night, especially if it is loose. Soft cotton and viscose from bamboo are the safe place to start, and fit and construction matter as much as fabric. The Emily, for example, is smooth, and its close, stretchy fit helps it stay in place. Silk is a fiber, and satin is a weave. When a label says satin, it is almost always a synthetic such as polyester. A silk product will say silk. Our guide to protecting your hair while you sleep shows how to tell them apart.
if you run warm, or cold
If you run warm at night, choose a single light layer of cotton or viscose from bamboo. If your bedroom is cold, fleece is the coziest choice. You may want to try a few to find your favorite, or keep one of each and switch with the seasons.
Browse every style in our sleep caps collection. Many of our turbans double as sleep caps, too.
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get the fit right
so it is still on in the morning
A good sleep cap feels like nothing at all. Look for these.
Soft, minimal seams. Seams can cause a great deal of discomfort on a sensitive scalp, and you lie on them all night. All of our sleep caps have soft, minimal seams, which makes them a good choice for hair loss and tender scalps.
Full head coverage. Down to the nape and over the tops of the ears keeps the warmth in.
A snug, gentle fit. It should stay on through the night without pressing, rubbing or leaving marks.
Nothing at the back to lie on. Skip knots, bows and bulky trim at the nape. If you tie a scarf for bed, keep the knot away from where your head rests.
Room at the top if you have hair. A roomier cap or a bonnet holds long or thick hair without flattening it.
sizing
Our sleep caps are mostly one size fits most, and they stretch to fit. Sizing is rarely the problem with a sleep cap. If hats usually run small on you, lean toward a soft, stretchy style or one with an interior drawstring or hidden elastic, which adjust to the head they are on.
If your head is large, here are a couple we recommend:
A cap that is on the floor in the morning is usually one of four things.
Too little coverage. A cap that sits above the ears works loose as you turn. Choose one that comes down over the tops of the ears and to the nape.
Too loose for your head. If hats usually run big on you, choose a soft, stretchy beanie style such as the Cozy Sleep Cap, or a cap with an interior drawstring like the Satin Lined Slouchy Snood if you have hair.
A slippery fabric on a bare scalp. Very smooth fabrics can slip on a bare or patchy head, especially in a loose cap. Cotton and viscose from bamboo are the easier choice.
A slippery pillowcase. Silk and satin pillowcases cut friction, which is what you bought them for, and a loose cap will slide on them too. Pair them with a snug cap that grips, or go back to a cotton pillowcase under a cap you want to stay put.
If one style keeps slipping, try another. Caps are cut differently, and some stay on better on some head shapes.
for a hospital stay
Hospital rooms are cold, bright and full of visitors, and this is where my mother wanted her sleep cap most. Pack two, so one is always clean. Choose a style that goes on in one motion, and pretty enough that you are glad to be seen in it. If the lights stay on, the Eyelash Sleep Cap pulls down into an eye mask, and so does the men's organic cotton cap.
one cap for night and day
Some caps go from bed to breakfast to the grocery store. The Tranquility Cap and the Synergy Cap are soft enough to sleep in and smart enough for the day.
"I have the Cardani Bamboo Tranquility Cap and Tiffany Turban ribbed day & sleep cap. Both are super soft and non-irritating for sensitive post-chemo scalps, but I prefer the Tranquility Cap for sleeping because it stays on my head a bit better throughout the night. The Tiffany Turban actually became my favorite day cap!"
You wear a sleep cap every night, so it needs washing often. Two or three let you rotate, with one always clean. Wash each one the way its care label says, and our guide to caring for hats and scarves covers the rest.
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protect your hair overnight
for hair that is thinning, curly, long or growing back
Lots of women wear a sleep cap or a silk scarf at night just to protect their hair. How you go to bed shows in how your hair looks in the morning, and in how much of it breaks.
Let it dry first.
Damp hair pressed into a pillow all night wakes up creased, tangled and frizzy. Give it time to dry before bed, even if that means washing earlier in the evening.
Detangle gently.
Work out knots with a wide-tooth comb, starting at the ends and working up to the roots. For curly or coily hair, dermatologists recommend detangling while it is wet and conditioned, so do that in the shower and give it time to dry before bed.3 A tangle left overnight is bigger in the morning. The old hundred-strokes-a-night advice is a beauty myth; a few gentle passes are kinder to hair. Our Deluxe Lift Comb works on your own hair as well as a wig.
Tie it loosely, or not at all.
Tight ponytails and elastic bands pull on your hair all night. A loose braid, or a loose ponytail on top of your head held with a soft scrunchie, keeps hair out of the way with less friction against the pillow.3
Treat dry ends if you like.
A few drops of a light oil on the ends, or an overnight mask made for the purpose, works while you sleep, and a cap keeps it on your hair and off your pillow. If your scalp is in treatment, ask your care team before trying a new product.
A silk pillowcase gives your head a smooth surface to move on, so there is less pulling on your hair as you turn over. On a bare scalp it feels soft. Check that your cap stays comfortably in place on it, since a loose cap can slide on a slippery pillowcase.
bonnet, cap or scarf?
All of these protect your hair. They differ in shape, and in how much hair they hold.
A satin-lined snood is our pick for anyone with hair. The Satin Lined Slouchy Snood by Cardani has satin against your hair and a slouchy snood shape outside that holds your hair without crushing it.
A satin bonnet is the roomiest. It holds long, thick or curly hair without crushing it, and the satin keeps friction down. Try the Ribbon Satin Sleep Bonnet.
A silk scarf tied turban style holds hair in place overnight and works in the daytime too. Our 100% silk head scarves come in prints and solids, and protecting hair at night is one of the most popular things women buy them for.
A roomy sleep cap keeps hair contained and tangles down. One with extra room at the top pairs well with a silk pillowcase for smoothness.
Silk pillowcases vary a great deal. Three things separate a good one from a disappointing one.
Mulberry silk. Look for 100% mulberry silk on the label. It is generally considered the highest quality silk.
The momme weight. Momme (written mm) measures the weight of the silk fabric. A 22 momme pillowcase has more substantial fabric than a comparable 16 momme one. Look for at least 16, and 22 if you can.
Compare what you are paying for. Compare fiber content, momme weight, construction and care instructions rather than price alone.
Our Cardani Silk Pillowcase is 100% mulberry silk at 22 momme. We have slept on it, washed it and tested it thoroughly.
Curly and coily hair tends to be drier and more prone to breakage than straight hair.3 A loose pineapple on top of the head, or twists, under a satin-lined bonnet keeps curls defined and saves you a morning of detangling. Choose a bonnet roomy enough that nothing is squashed.
hair growing back after chemo
New hair after chemotherapy is very fine at first, and it may come in curlier, straighter or a different color than before.1 Be gentle with it. A soft cap in cotton or viscose from bamboo keeps the new growth warm and off the pillow while it comes in, if you want to keep wearing one.
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sleep caps for men
for a balding, shaved or bare head
Our men's sleep caps are among our most popular. A balding or shaved head feels the cold at night just as a bare one does after treatment, and a cap keeps it warm and keeps the pillowcase clean.
cotton all year, fleece in winter
Men's sleep caps come down to two fabrics. Organic cotton is the one men buy all year round: soft, breathable and comfortable whether the bedroom is warm or cool. Fleece is the winter favorite, for cold rooms and anyone who wakes up with a cold head. Keep one of each and switch with the season.
the men's caps we would start with
Organic cotton for every night of the year, and fleece for when it turns cold.
Two beanies from our Galland line are soft and light enough to sleep in and made to wear out during the day, with flat seams so nothing presses while you lie on them.
Full coverage. Down over the tops of the ears and to the nape, so the warmth stays in.
A plain, close fit. No pom, no thick seam at the back, nothing to lie on.
Enough length to pull down. A cap that pulls over the eyes doubles as a sleep mask, which is handy for daytime naps and early sunrises.
If you sleep with a CPAP mask, see our guide to caps for CPAP machines. For the daytime, our men's hats run from beanies and ball caps to fedoras and flat caps, and our guide to types of men's hats explains the styles. Men going through treatment will find more in our men's chemo hats, and if you would rather have hair than a hat, we carry men's wigs too.
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your wig at night
a sleep cap is what you wear instead
We recommend taking your wig off before bed. Friction against the pillow tangles the fibers and shortens the life of the wig, and your scalp needs a break from the cap. At bedtime, comb the wig out, put it on a stand away from the window, and put on your sleep cap.
There will be nights you keep it on, on a hospital stay, as a house guest, or because you are too tired. Our post Can I Sleep in a Wig? covers those nights, synthetic and human hair, and how to protect the wig when it stays on. See all our wig stands, and our synthetic wig care guide for washing and storage. If you are still choosing a wig, start with our women's wigs and the guide to how to buy a wig.
sleep cap questions
open only the one you need
what is the hat people wear to sleep called?
A sleep cap. You will also see it called a sleeping cap, a night cap or nightcap, a sleep hat or a sleeping hat, and the long pointed version is a stocking cap or elf cap. They all mean a soft cap worn to bed. A bonnet is the roomier, satin-lined kind made to hold hair.
why did people wear nightcaps?
Mostly for warmth. In eighteenth-century France, men who wore wigs kept their own hair cropped or shaved, and a cap kept the head warm once the wig came off.4 A cap also kept hair tidy and off the pillow. The reasons people wear one today are much the same. More on why people wore nightcaps.
is it okay to sleep in a beanie?
Yes, if it is soft and fits without pressing. Everyday beanies often have thicker seams, a cuff or a pom that you end up lying on, and some knits feel scratchy on a bare scalp. A sleep cap is made for the job, with soft, minimal seams and nothing at the back.
can wearing a sleep cap cause hair loss?
Not a soft cap that fits. Dermatologists at Cleveland Clinic note that studies have not linked wearing a hat to worse thinning.5 The risk they describe comes from a hat that is too tight, or one that leaves the scalp itchy and inflamed.5 A sleep cap should sit snug, never tight, and come off without leaving a mark.
are silk or satin sleep caps good for a bald or patchy scalp?
On a bare or patchy scalp, a very smooth cap can work its way off during the night, especially if it is loose. Check the inside, the seams and the fit of the particular cap. Soft cotton or viscose from bamboo against the scalp is the easier choice, and you can get the smooth surface from a silk pillowcase instead.
what is the difference between a sleep cap and a bonnet?
It comes down to why you wear one. A sleep cap for warmth or hair loss fits close to the head and is made of something soft that holds on a bare scalp, such as cotton or viscose from bamboo. A bonnet is for protecting hair: it is roomier, made to hold hair inside, and usually lined with satin to reduce friction. If you are protecting long, thick or curly hair, a bonnet is usually the better fit. If your hair is thinning, choose by how much hair you have to protect.
what is the best sleep cap for men?
For most men, an organic cotton sleep cap, which is comfortable all year round. In winter or in a cold bedroom, fleece is warmer. Look for full coverage over the ears, a plain close fit with nothing at the back, and enough length to pull down over the eyes if you like to sleep in the dark. Our Organic Cotton Sleep Cap for Men and Men's Fleece Stocking Cap are good places to start.
how do I keep my sleep cap from coming off at night?
Choose a cap with full coverage that you can pull down to the nape, in cotton or viscose from bamboo if your scalp is bare, and a snug, gentle fit. Check your pillowcase too: a loose cap slides more easily on a smooth pillowcase. If one style keeps slipping, try another; some stay on better for some heads. More on caps that come off.
will a sleep cap make me too hot?
It depends on the fabric and on how you sleep. A single light layer of cotton or viscose from bamboo breathes well, and fleece is best kept for cold rooms and winter nights. Some people still find any cap too warm, and a wide headband or a looser cap may suit them better.
can I wear a sleep cap during the day?
Yes. Many sleep caps are soft enough for lounging at home, and caps such as the Tranquility Cap, the Tiffany Turban and the Synergy Cap are made for both. A plainer cap can be dressed up with a pin or a pair of earrings.
do sleep caps help hair grow back?
No cap makes hair grow faster. What a cap can do is protect new hair while it is fine, by keeping it from rubbing against the pillow. After chemotherapy, hair often starts to grow back two to three months after treatment ends.1
how often should I wash a sleep cap?
Often, since you wear it against your skin every night. Follow the care label, and keep two or three so one is always clean. Viscose from bamboo stays softest without fabric softener.
can I sleep in my wig?
We recommend taking it off at night. Sleeping in a wig tangles the fibers, shortens its life and gives your scalp no break. If you do sleep in one, braid long styles loosely, cover the wig with a satin bonnet or silk scarf, sleep on a silk pillowcase, and comb it out on a stand in the morning.
what is a good sleep cap to give someone starting chemo?
A soft sleep cap in cotton or viscose from bamboo, in a color they already wear, is a useful gift for anyone losing their hair. For a man, our organic cotton men's cap is the all-year choice. Pair it with a gift certificate so they can choose the rest themselves. Our gifts for cancer patients and our guide to making a chemo care package have more ideas.
why we care about this
specialists in hair loss since 1995
Most of what you choose is for the daytime. A sleep cap is for the hours nobody sees, and it may turn out to be the piece you wear most.
I hope the cap you choose is the one my mother wished for.
Find the cap you will want to wear every night.For women and men, in organic cotton, viscose from bamboo, fleece and satin.
written byDanielle Galland-YatesPresident of Headcovers. Designing and fitting wigs and headwear for women with hair loss since 1995.page last updated October 2026
This guide is for informational purposes only. It does not replace advice from your physician. If you have questions about your specific situation, please consult your care team.
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