The Best Temperature for Sleep: How to Stay Cool While Sleeping
Sweating at night while sleeping is one of the worst feelings — not to mention, a big disrupter of sleep in the middle of the night.
Particularly during summer months, achieving that temperature can be a challenge. Sleep experts recommend that you keep your room between 60° and 67° Fahrenheit when you sleep. Staying cool while sleeping is important for minimizing sleep disorders and helping your body maintain consistent Circadian rhythms.
Why Do I Sweat at Night?
Your body sweats to control your core body temperature. Even at night, you might experience sweat episodes, or consistent sweat, as your body attempts to cool down. In the evening, some people only sweat a little while others sweat a lot, depending depending on various factors:
- How thick your pajamas are
- How many layers of blankets you have on your bed
- How much you naturally sweat
- The temperature of your room
Other lifestyle choices can also have an impact on nighttime sweat. For example, large meals can increase sweat, and the resulting digestive episodes can sometimes impair sleep. Sugary snacks, hydrogenated fats (like fried foods), spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine can all make you sweat at night.
If you set a consistently cool room temperature and still wake up with considerable amounts of sweat, consider consulting a medical professional. Otherwise, you may simply need to make small adjustments to your lifestyle habits and your sleeping environment.
How Can I Stay Cool While Sleeping?
Nighttime sweating can threaten your quality of sleep, but it shouldn’t make you powerless. You can stay cool while sleeping by investing in a high-quality sleep environment, taking a quick pre-sleep shower, lowering your thermostat temperature, and reducing the number of layers you have on your bed.
Invest in a High-Quality Sleep Environment
While you may be attached to your polyester sheets, thick blankets, or dated pillow, old sleep accessories can compromise your quality of sleep. One of the easiest ways to achieve the best temperature for sleep is investing in a high-quality sleep environment.
Here are a few items that can elevate your sleep environment and keep you cool:
- Cooling sheets: Investing in a quality set of cooling sheets will help you sleep without those night sweats. Bedgear Hyper-Cotton Performance Sheets, for example, keep you cool and dry by providing fast evaporation of moisture all night long. Enjoy air circulation and a perfect stretch to fit the contours of your bed and body.
- Cooling pillows: Don’t stop at simply upgrading your sheets. It’s so much easier to keep your entire body cool if you keep your head cool. Try the Tempur Adapt ProMid Cooling pillow for some added comfort, softness, and cooling. Just imagine the comfort of always having a cool place for your head.
- Mattress with cooling technology: There are so many options when it comes to mattresses with cooling technology. Be sure you choose one that’s sturdy and that provides comfort and support specifically for your unique sleeping needs.
- Cooling mattress protector: If you’re not ready to invest in a full new cooling mattress, then you can always upgrade your mattress protector. The Bedgear cooling mattress protector provides immediate relief when it comes to heat deflection. With revolutionary fiber that’s cool to the touch, you’ll be so relieved at how cool your night sleep can get.
Take a Quick Shower First
Rinsing off quickly before bed can help your body cool off. After you towel off, your skin remains slightly moist as the remaining water evaporates, which has a cooling effect on the body. While you can take a cold shower to cool off quickly, you don’t need to keep the shower temperatures frigid. A lukewarm rinse can do the trick, or even a hot bath as long as you’re sure to do it at least an hour before bedtime.
On a psychological level, taking a quick shower in the evening can serve as an effective relaxation technique. The warm water and gentle steam can create a calming environment that helps to alleviate stress and anxiety. This can be particularly beneficial for those with busy or demanding lifestyles, as it provides a dedicated time to unwind and transition from the challenges of the day to a more serene state of mind.
Incorporating a quick shower into your nightly routine can also serve as a boundary between the activities of the day and restorative sleep. This separation can help you mentally disconnect from electronics, work, and other stimuli that might interfere with relaxation and sleep. By establishing this transition ritual, you signal to your body and mind that it's time to switch gears and prepare for rest.
Lower the Thermostat or Reduce Layers
If you like to be cool at night but also want the comfort of blanket layers, you may need to lower your thermostat several degrees to avoid sweating in sleep. Do yourself a favor and unplug any unnecessary electronics and turn off all lights, since electronics and incandescent bulbs let out a lot of heat. If you don’t want the extra cost of a higher electric bill, try selecting more lightweight sleepwear and pack away the blankets for sleeping in colder months.
Sleep Cool at the Best Price
Don’t settle for night sweats when you can avoid them at lower prices. Sweating at night while sleeping is not only uncomfortable; it also ruins sleep that could be improving your physical health.
At Mattress Warehouse, we’ve taken serious steps to deliver the quality of sleep you know you deserve. We developed bedMATCH, a one-of-its-kind sleep diagnostic program, to pair you with mattress options ideally suited for your height, weight, and sleep preferences. It even considers your body type when identifying the best sleep options for you — without any price bias.
Stop by Mattress Warehouse to participate in our free bedMATCH program, or take the five-minute online bedMATCH quiz today. Your best night’s sleep is still ahead!