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When you think of a bed, the first thing that springs to mind involves a mattress, but for many communities around the world, a hammock has long been the preferred sleeping device.
In this guide, I’ll run through the best types of hammocks for sleeping in every night and some recommended hammocks that are perfect to help you make the transition.
If you’re looking for more information on using a hammock every night, see my full guide to sleeping in a hammock vs a bed.
Quick Summary
Here are my top three hammocks for sleeping at night:
What Type of Hammock is Best for Sleeping?
If you’ll be using your hammock for sleeping in every night, you’ll want a gathered end hammock and should avoid anything with a spreader bar.
Here are some of the best types of hammock for sleeping in every night:
- Mayan – These are made from a light mesh-like cotton material that offers good air circulation making them great for those who like to keep cool at night. Mayan hammocks can be prone to tears in the material.
- Brazilian – This is the most popular type of hammock around the world. It’s a thicker cotton material that’s generally warmer than Mayan style and provides more support for your back.
- Columbian – The bed section of a Columbian hammock is just like a Brazilian hammock; however, the suspension strings are different. It has an open-loop that gives it much better balance so it’s near impossible to fall out. They also have cadejos (plaits) in the string which makes them very strong.
- Camping Hammock – This is the most durable style of hammock as it’s made from synthetic material, it’s also very weather resistant. Camping hammocks are best if you frequently sleep outdoors, on a balcony, or even in a campervan.
Best Hammocks for Sleeping
These are my top recommended hammocks for sleeping every night:
- Best Overall: Vivere Brazilian Hammock
- Most Comfortable: Yellow Leaf Mojave
- Best for Air Circulation: Hammocks Rada
- Softest Material: La Siesta
- Bohemian Style: RISEON
- Most Durable: ENO SingleNest
Below are my full reviews of each hammock recommendation and some top use cases for each:
Best Overall: Vivere
Total Length: 12ft // Bed Size: 7’11ft x 5’3ft // Weight Capacity: 450lbs // Material: Cotton (Denim)
Vivere is my favorite overall hammock for sleeping every night. It’s a very reasonably priced Brazilian style hammock with a gathered end which I would always recommend for regular use.
The hammock is 100% cotton which means it’s soft whilst still having a slight stretch that allows you to get comfortable. Vivere have a huge range of over 30 colors and patterns to choose from too.
There are both single and double sizes (shown here) depending upon how much room you like or whether you’re sharing the hammock. Even when I’m not sharing, I still enjoy a double hammock, especially for daily sleeping as it provides more material to find the optimal lying position.
The hammock comes with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. If you plan to buy a stand too, I’d recommend looking at their stand and hammock combination which offers great value and ensures a good size fit.
Most Comfortable: Yellow Leaf Mojave
Bed Size: 7ft x 6ft // Weight Capacity: 400lbs // Material: Cotton
Yellow Leaf hammocks are among the very best as they are still made by traditional hammock makers of the Mlabri tribe in Northern Thailand. You might recognize Yellow Leaf from their appearance on Shark Tank where the Sharks were very impressed with the hammocks.
The hammocks are handwoven with ultra-soft cotton that makes them very comfortable. The close triple weave of the hammock makes the material very stretchy and helps it cling to your body.
These hammocks are pricey, but if you’re going to be sleeping in it every night then I think it’s worth the cost. The double size hammock can hold up to 400lbs. Whilst Yellow Leaf don’t say which style hammock it is, I’d say it’s similar to the Mayan style which allows good air circulation but might not be the warmest at night.
It goes without saying that these hammocks also look the part, I love the soft color tones and traditional look.
Best for Air Circulation: Hammocks Rada
Total Length: 13ft // Bed Size: 7ft x 6ft // Weight Capacity: 550lbs // Material: Cotton and Nylon
This handmade Yucatan hammock from Hammocks Rada is ideal for anyone using it to sleep in warmer climates or who likes plenty of air circulation. It’s also great for naps during the day when it’s not so cold.
The hammock has been made in Central America by traditional hammock makers in the Mayan style. It’s very lightweight and has a nice stretch to it, although the net-like material is prone to tears if you get things caught in it.
The bed area of the hammock is 7ft long and made from cotton. The strings are made of stronger nylon material and take the total length to 13ft from ring to ring. It’s suitable for two people thanks to a 550lb weight capacity.
There’s a wide variety of patterns available and they are reasonably priced considering they have been made by hand.
Softest Material: La Siesta
Total Length: 13ft // Bed Size: Family (8ft x 5’11ft) // Weight Capacity: 440lbs // Material: Organic Cotton
The next hammock has super soft material as it’s made from 100% organic cotton. This material is renowned for its softness as the cotton is handpicked rather than using a machine, this is gentler on the fibers in the material and results in the softness. Plus, it’s also very sustainable and uses fewer resources to produce.
The hammock is in a Columbian style which is a slightly different take on the Brazilian hammock. The loop is open rather than being a closed ring, this gives excellent balance to the hammock and is particularly good for sleeping at night.
It also has traditional cadejos that are found on Colombian hammocks, these plaits in the suspensions string add a lot of strength to the hammock so it can hold up to 440lbs, despite being made from cotton.
There are 9 different striped designs to choose from so you’ll find one that suits your bedroom. The hammocks are more on the expensive side, but well worth it for the soft material and sustainability edge.
Bohemian Style: RISEON
Total Length: 10’6ft // Bed Size: Family (8ft x 4’11ft) // Weight Capacity: 450lbs // Material: Cotton and Polyester
This RISEON hammock is another great hammock for sleeping in thanks to a large bed size of 8ft x 4’11ft and a soft material made from an 80-20 blend of cotton and polyester.
The hammock has a cool bohemian style with a beige color and fringe tassels that give it an artisan look. It also comes with a handy carrying bag if you’re sleeping somewhere else for the night.
The polyester in the material gives it a bit more strength than the 100% cotton hammocks so it’s much more durable through daily use.
The hammock is big enough to share with a 450lb weight capacity, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy it all to yourself.
Most Durable: ENO SingleNest
Total Length: 9’4ft // Packed Weight: 16oz // Weight Capacity: 400lbs // Material: 70D Nylon Taffeta
My final recommendation is slightly different as it’s a hammock designed for camping which means it’s very durable. The ENO SingleNest is ideal if you’ll be moving around a lot such as those sleeping in a van or traveling, and it’s very light to pack away too.
It’s made from 70D nylon taffeta, which is a synthetic material, unlike the previous recommendations which were all cotton. As you’d expect it’s not as comfortable as the other hammocks, but it’s still very soft and breathable fabric that’s nice to lie in.
In fact, if you look through the reviews on Amazon, you’ll find plenty of people who have used ENO hammocks for sleeping in each night with no trouble.
The SingleNest is 9’4ft x 4’7ft, although if you’ll be sharing or what some extra material to find the right position at night, there’s also a slightly wider DoubleNest.
ENO are so confident in the durability of their hammocks that they offer a 2-year warranty which you’ll really put to the test by sleeping in it every night.
Can a Hammock Replace a Bed?
Yes, a hammock can replace a bed as has been shown in tropical countries such as those in South America who have been sleeping in them daily for centuries.
Hammocks can reduce the pressure points on your body and studies have found that the rocking motion helps you fall asleep.
However, there is also research that shows hammock dwellers have lower sleep quality, and there is limited evidence about long-term implications, so you’ll need to make your own mind up.
Plus, there are other benefits too such as saving space compared to a regular bed or even a murphy bed.
Read more about the pros and cons of sleeping in a hammock here.