Do you sleep hot? We know this can be uncomfortable and frustrating. Waking up overheated, sweaty, and clammy in the middle of the night disrupts your sleep cycle and with that, your overall health.
Learn why you are hot when sleeping and how you can switch to cool sleeping.
Why do I get so hot when I sleep?
There are several possibilities, some environmental and some related to your specific body.
Here are some potential reasons…
Your bedroom temperature is set too high.
The optimal temperature to sleep at is around 65 degrees fahrenheit, though we understand that may be too cold for some! Keeping the thermostat set to around 68 degrees is a more reasonable temperature.
If you don’t want to blast the air conditioning in the summer, make sure you have your ceiling fan on and/or room fans to help circulate the air and keep cool.
Your mattress is trapping your body heat.
Do you sleep on a memory foam mattress? Memory foam is a synthetic material that tends to trap body heat. It is the chemical reaction between the foam and your body heat that allows the foam to conform to your curves. This is very comfortable and helps relieve pressure points at first but you may experience the downside of overheating.
Some memory foam mattresses have tried to combat this problem with cooling gel but we never recommend synthetic or chemically-treated materials. Instead, we opt for natural materials that can give you that same cooling effect while still being kind to our health and the health of our planet.
Your bedding is not breathable.
If you are using synthetic bedding materials, they may be contributing to your night sweats. Ditch them.
You drink caffeine too late at night.
Avoid having caffeine in the evening since this may increase your body temperature. Keep your coffee indulgences for the morning only!
You share your bed with your partner.
Have a partner who loves to cuddle or sleep right next to you? While it may increase your oxytocin, it can also increase your body temperature, leading to feeling overheated.
When it’s time to fall asleep, try to stay on your side of the bed. If your partner’s body heat is continuing to negatively impact your sleep routine, maybe it’s time to discuss the possibility of sleeping in separate beds. Plenty of happy and healthy couples do this to improve their quality of sleep.
You’re having symptoms of PMS or Menopause.
Obviously, this does not apply to everyone, but hormone fluctuations may be causing you to sleep hot at night.
Menopause for example is notorious for hot flashes. You may feel that you are in the scorching desert but really it’s winter in Minnesota. Hormones can be cruel like that.
How to Keep Cool While Sleeping
You’ve learned some of the potential causes for sleeping hot, but what about the ways in which you can cool off? Here are a few suggestions.
Sleep naked.
Let’s start with the least expensive option–sleep naked.
Sleeping naked can help regulate your body temperature. Clothing, especially made of materials that are not breathable, are just extra unnecessary layers that may disturb your sleep.
If you are wondering how to sleep in hot weather without AC, we definitely recommend this (but really, we recommend having AC if possible).
Take a cold shower before bed.
We’re not saying you need to jump into a freezing bath but a cool shower before bed can help reduce night sweats.
Decreasing the water temperature may also positively impact your skin since hot showers tend to dry it out, especially in the winter.
Evaluate your sleep environment.
This was already touched upon earlier but make sure your thermostat is set to a lower temperature, your partner is not in your personal space (or simply opt to sleep in a separate bed), and you’re utilizing fans.
Shop for organic cotton sheets.
Opt for organic cotton sheets that are lightweight and free of bleach, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals that you want to avoid anyway.
Choose a wool duvet insert.
We also highly recommend adding wool bedding to the mix. When people think “wool” they tend to think of sweaters and warmth. However, wool is very breathable and will help keep you cool in the summer but cozy in the winter without feeling overheated.
If you are using a bulky comforter made of synthetic materials, switch to a wool duvet insert.
Curl up with a wool pillow.
Sleeping on a memory foam pillow? Swap it out for a wool pillow that is incredibly supportive while also helping you stay cool. The wool fiber will help stabilize your temperature and promote moisture evaporation.
Treat yourself to a wool mattress topper.
While a mattress topper isn’t technically a necessity since it’s seen as a luxury item that offers plush comfort, we absolutely recommend a wool mattress topper if you sleep hot. It is such an amazing natural resource that will help regulate temperature much better than a synthetic topper or memory foam mattress.
What is the best mattress for cool sleeping?
A natural latex mattress, especially Talalay latex with its open cell structure, is excellent for those who sleep hot.
An organic latex mattress may be an investment but these latex mattresses last for YEARS and are worth every penny.
We also recommend latex mattresses that use wool as a natural flame barrier. Not only do you get those breathable wool benefits, but you also get a mattress without any chemical flame retardants.
Improve Your Sleep!
We hope these tips help you in your journey on how to stay cool while sleeping.