At 39, Tom Brady is a physical marvel. Despite playing professional football for the better part of 20 years, he remains in peak form, and he just won a record fifth Super Bowl. Part of the secret, he says, is getting some serious shut-eye.
To that end, he worked with Under Armour, one of his main sponsors, to create a wearable that not only helps him sleep better, but also recover faster: pajamas.
Dubbed “Athlete Recovery Sleepwear,” the PJs ($200 for the tops and bottoms) are imprinted on the inside with bioceramic materials, which “take that heat and refract it back in the form of far infrared radiation,” according to Glenn Silbert, the SVP of Global Product at Under Armour.
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Far infrared radiation, which can penetrate up to 1.5 inches beneath the skin, was found in one study to have some health benefits by increasing circulation to those areas of the body. Bioceramic clothing can even help reduce cellulite, if Dr. Oz is to be believed.
Under Armour isn’t the first company to market bioceramic clothing and recovery equipment, but they’re the first with the backing of a four-time Super Bowl winner. “We’re not making specific medical claims against it,” Silbert said, before saying that bioceramics will help you recover faster. But, at $200 for the tops and bottoms, you’ll need the salary of a first-round draft pick to afford this high-tech sleepwear.
Since I’m the same age, and in nearly identical shape to the Patriots quarterback (ahem), I wondered if his jammies would work equally well on me. So, I wore his Athlete Recovery Sleepwear for a week to see what would happen.
Saturday
Tom Brady threw for 287 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Patriots’ 34-16 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. I made a really nice brisket with my sous vide, had some wine, then went to bed wearing the “Athlete Recovery Sleepwear.” Advantage: Me.
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Sunday
As someone who usually wears shorts and a T-shirt to bed, I found Tom’s Brady’s PJs very comfortable! They’re soft, and kept me at a nice temperature. They breathe pretty well, too. “It’s a synthetic blend, with 4-way stretch,” Silbert said. “We’ve used the word ‘yummy’; it doesn’t feel too warm, and feels great on the skin.”
After a lazy start to the day, I went out for a 4-mile run with my GPS watch before settling in to watch the other two NFL games.
Monday
While Tom Brady curled up with Gisele, I snuggled up to my wife and our two cats. I had today off, so I spent most of it lounging around in my Tom Brady jams watching TV. However, Rocky came on, and I was inspired to go out for another 4-mile run. I rewarded myself with some Chinese food before slipping back into my PJs. I hear Brady doesn’t even eat strawberries. You call that living?
Tuesday
Another good night’s rest, even though one of the cats jumped on my dresser and another started meowing for its breakfast at 5:30 in the morning.
Wednesday
By the way, these pajamas aren’t cheap. The three-quarter-sleeve shirt top and full-length pants cost $100 each; the short-sleeve shirt and shorts cost $79 each. The women’s versions are about the same price, too. This thought crossed my mind when my cats started clawing at the pants.
Thursday
After wearing them for four straight days, Tom Brady’s PJ’s are starting to smell a little like Tom Brady’s locker. If you want to wear them all the time, you’ll probably need a second pair. I don’t know how many people who will drop $400 on sleepwear, though.
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Friday
Took it easy today, as I had to get up early on Saturday to go skiing. Now that I’ve washed the pajamas, they smell nice and fresh, and I had a restful sleep — before waking up at 5 a.m.
“On the sleep side, specifically, what we’ve found,” Silbert said, “is that people who wore this, versus people who didn’t, fell asleep faster, slept more soundly, and ultimately slept longer.”
Saturday
Went skiing all day, and then slipped into the pajamas that evening. Are they extremely comfortable? Definitely. Did they help me fall asleep faster, and get some more Zzzs? For sure. Have they soothedmy aching joints any faster than what I usually wear? Not that I can tell. Would I spend $200 on PJs? Probably not.
