The short answer is UA’s Athlete Recovery Sleepwear kind of works. I’ll explain why.
Under Armour’s Athlete Recovery Sleepwear uses the heat energy your body gives off in your sleep to help your cells recover faster and improve your sleep. The interiors of the sleepwear garments are covered in a hexagonal ceramic mineral print that absorbs the heat your body radiates and reflects Far Infrared back to the skin.
An independent study on the benefits of Far Infrared (FIR) stated that the minerals used in the ceramic print have been used to improve quality of sleep in the form of a blanket, while gloves made of FIR emitting fabrics have been used to treat arthritis of the hands. Moreover, FIR has been used for weight and pain reduction that may be a consequence of increased blood flow.
From jump I must say that I have no way of accurately measuring muscle recovery at home. Thus, I can’t say whether the UA Athlete Recovery Sleepwear will help in that regard.
For this review I worked out a lot — I’ve been an aggressive rollerblader for over a decade so I skated nearly twice as much as I normally do these past three weeks (the review period). If you are unsure of what aggressive rollerblading is click here and here.
It should be said that I have never really slept well since I was a kid; I run hot while I sleep, wake up several times a night, and I don’t really experience a lot of uninterrupted sleep.
After wearing the UA Athlete Recovery Sleepwear to bed for three weeks I must report my improved sleep. I have slept soundly these past three weeks — a rarity for my high-stress 10-hour workday life. I woke up feeling refreshed with very little grogginess, also a new thing for me.
Additionally, my knees tend to swell after skating a lot, and I usually wake up with that swelling the day after. After basking in Far Infrared at night the swelling has noticeably decreased.
The UA Athlete Recovery Sleepwear, comprised of 91% modal (a super soft fabric that will make even the softest materials you’ve worn feel coarse), is the most luxurious apparel I’ve ever worn to bed. It is 4-way stretch and 9% elastane for a ridiculously soft feel — and the stuff looks a lot like future clothing.
It’s difficult to describe how the sleepwear actually feels on your skin once it’s on. There is a noticeable feel, different than anything I’ve worn in the past, and I could feel a heating effect on the areas covered in the garments — don’t worry, it doesn’t make you feel hot.
I’ve washed the UA Athlete Recovery Sleepwear garments several times and there is no pilling (unlike with most UA apparel) or shrinkage. It’s moisture wicking and dries really quickly.
At $100 per piece, I’d say this sleepwear may only be “worth it” to the most serious athletes, like Tom Brady and Misty Copeland. However, the science behind FIR is pretty conclusive, and I love sleeping in this stuff.
Have you tried Under Armour’s Athlete Recovery Sleepwear? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Idk, I feel like there is still a lot more research to be done on this kind of stuff. It all could just be placebo. I’m UA has put a lot of research into vetting this stuff, and Brady is a good face for their products, but I don’t trust Brady’s opinion on anything health related, or any product he promotes. He thinks drinking water prevents sunburns, and his personal health guru isn’t a qualified doctor and peddles random supplements on infomercials touting they cure diseases.
That’s why I read the study. Brady is a WEIRDO.
This stuff is a ripoff. The problem with “studies” regarding FIR is that it’s all primarily in vitro (out of body) human cell or in vivo (in body) animal studies. At present there’s no clinical data to suggest there’s any real benefit. Maybe there really is some benefit, but there’s just not enough data for the claims that UA makes about this stuff.
As far are your own personal experience, a couple things I would want to know. You increased your exercise load substantially (mentioned twice the workload). Not sure if your sleep benefited from FIR or was your body exhausted from your increased exercise load. The 2nd thing, how much of your opinion regarding the improvement in your sleep is related to the name of the product, Athlete Recovery Sleepwear? You went in with the impression of what it’s supposed to do. It would help to blind a tester from what they were wearing, Get a group of people over a period of time to compare the UA product versus another similarly styled product. Tags would have to be removed to keep the tester from knowing what he/she was wearing.
Did you read the whole study? Please, crowdsource the bread and do your own study…
Its true that heat can help recovery when you sleep. I like to sleep in sweaters and pants after a good workout. But really, thats all you need- some cheap old sweats will do, and you’ll save 100 bucks(Jesus…100 bucks!) per piece. I’m sure they’re comfy, though.