Overheating in bed is a common occurrence for many and can lead to uncomfortable nights, both for you and the whoever might be laying next to you.
This is both completely normal, and at times very frustrating. While humans are some way off from being able to control their body temperature themselves, there are several things you can try to lower your body temperature while in bed.
Whether you sometimes wake up feeling stuffy or soaked through to the point of wondering if you’ve actually wet the bed for the first time in 30 years, overheating during the night is something that happens to us all.
But before we dive into these tips and cooling methods, a little science to set the scene, because there are many factors that can affect the body temperature throughout the night, from your environment, the air around you, what you eat before bed and even your bedding.
Why does our body temperature change during the night?
The change in your body temperature is a perfectly natural occurrence and will happen no matter where you are, what mattress you are using and what the temperature is in the room. That’s right, there is almost nothing you can do about the changes in your core temperature, it’s a very natural part of our circadian rhythm as the body moves through its sleep cycle and into rem sleep.
Due to your natural hormones, your body temperature will begin to drop in the evening as the body prepares itself for sleep. Throughout the night your body temperature remains fairly steady but begins to rise as you get closer to your natural waking period.
Why am I waking up so hot?
OK, so while we know that it’s completely normal for the body temperature to go up and down during the night, there are numerous factors that can aggravate the situation.
Your mattress
Most modern mattresses do a pretty good job at keeping you cool during the night, but some are much better than others. Older mattresses are often simple, basic designs without any real thought put into heat moderation.
The old mantra was that memory foam mattresses were comfortable, but you paid for it with a hotter night’s sleep, may have been true in the past, but the technology incorporated into modern memory foam mattresses means that they often do a great job at keeping you cool.
While we talking about your bed – and sorry if this sounds unbelievably obvious – but don’t sleep with blankets if you have trouble with your natural heat. You might be able to go to sleep warm and snug, but that extra layer probably won’t let you stay that way.
What can I do?
There are several options with mattresses that keep you cool, ranging from the simple designs to the technologically advanced. How far you want to go along that road will depend on your budget, and how severe your sleep problems are.
Temperature controlled mattresses are now becoming very popular but vary wildly in price.
Tempur-pedic mattresses offer phenomenal heat control and the kind of comfort we can usually only dream of but do come at a cost.
90-night sleep trial
10-year warranty
Prices from £2,149
Turf and Needle Orginal Mattress is another popular choice that comes at a much lower price.
100-night sleep trial
Limited Warranty
Prices start from £450
Chili offers the kind of sleep set-up that might sound a little space-agey to some but comes highly recommended by athletes and high-performing individuals across multiple industries.
Their water-based hydronic pad can be controlled by an app or your phone or via a small remote control. Once you set the specifications you wish, you can lie back and enjoy a great, cool sleep.
90-night sleep trial
2-year warranty
Prices start from £499
2. Your Bedroom and House
Do you ever walk into somebody’s house in winter and immediately begin sweating because of the room temperature? The truth is that so many of us keep our houses artificially hot or cool at a temperature that is completely unnatural for us and it can have a really affect on our sleep cycle and even our ability to fall asleep. Too many night’s like this can really begin to affect our health, so this is an issue that is really worth addressing.
You may want to contrast those chilly winter evenings with roasting central heating, but this kind of temperature when you are sleeping is likely to lead to sleep problems.
Even within your own body, the temperature is often different when you sleep, with your core temperature usually slightly higher than your head. The general rule of thumb is that your head should be slightly cool when you are falling asleep – with research suggesting the best temperature for sleep in is around 17 degrees Celsius – that’s roughly 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
For those of you living in very hot environments, try closing all of the windows, blinds and shutters during the day. A scorching summer heat can really heat up a house quickly if light is beaming into it all day and this can make it hard to fall asleep in a stuffy bedroom.
What can I do?
One option is to utilise the timer that comes with most modern central heating systems these days and adjust it for your natural sleep cycle. Unless you are living somewhere near the Arctic, the chances are you don’t need the heating blazing at 35 degrees Celsius all night long. Why not try to mimic your sleep temperature with your natural circadian rhythm. Your body’s lowest core temperature usually occurs around 3 am, from there it slowly begins to climb. If you like that slightly toasty room temperature to wake up to in the morning, set your thermostat to come on an hour before you wake up.
It could also be a simple as just leaving the window open and allowing air to naturally circulate through your bedroom while you’re sleeping, especially during summer when the temperature is high anyway.
Fresh air not only keeps us cooler but is likely to lead to a better and more comfortable overall night’s sleep anyway.
3.Your Partner
Now this one might be a little harder to change, but I think we’ve all slept next to somebody who feels like the surface of the sun during the night and who’s temperature affects your own night’s sleep. If you’re lucky, you might have the good fortune to sleep next to somebody who’s body temperature runs along the same lines as you, but then again you might not.
What can I do?
This is a difficult one – like telling somebody that their snoring is driving you to the point of wanting to smother them with their pillow, explaining to a partner that their body temperature during the night is unbearably hot can be difficult – after all, there’s really nothing they can do about it.
But just like snoring, it’s always best, to be honest in these situations. Explain the situation to the person and try to find a compromise between what you both need. Who knows, maybe they will say they often feel too hot but thought it was how you liked it!
In this case, opening a window and allowing cooler air to enter the room can be a good middle ground as changing the thermostat might well affect the other person’s body temperature. Or perhaps even using a fan in the bedroom can provide that pleasant middle ground so both you and you partner feel comfortable during the night.
Sleep Hacks to a cool night
We all love a life hack and luckily for you with have plenty of suggestions to help you fall asleep quickly and not wake up constantly throughout the night feeling excessively warm and far from comfortable. Here are our tips to stay cool during the night.
Exercise
If you exercise before bed, your body heat will naturally be at a higher temperature than it normally is before sleeping. Now, of course, we’re not going to tell you not to exercise, but it is worth bearing in mind if you find yourself roasting during the night. If you can, finish exercising a few hours before go to sleep to allow your body heat to return to its natural level.
A cool shower before bed
An excellent way to lower your body temperature slightly before jumping into your snug bed. Notice how we said cool and not ice-cold? An ice-cold shower will provide such a start you’ll likely feel awake after it and may prevent you from sleeping after you go to bed.
If a full cold shower sounds on the verge of madness, why not simply place your feet into cold water. The pulse points located in our feet and ankles are highly sensitive to temperature, so this should cool down not only your feet but your whole body quite quickly and leave your body at an pleasant temperature for sleeping.
A Cold Water Bottle
We’ve all heard of a hot water bottle right, well, how about a cold water bottle? They are a great option to have in the bed if you wake up feeling hot and can be applied to your pulse points (neck, wrists, knees and ankles) for great effect.
Be warned, this might take some getting used to as it can alter the sleeping environment that you are used to.
Eating Habits
I think we all knew there would be something food related, right? If we eat a heavy meal, rich in carbs, fats or spices close to going to bed, the body has to work hard to process it all. Spicy food tends to be hot when it goes in and continues to make you sweat long after. Try having a light meal before bed, this should help your body digest the food better and hopefully lead to a more comfortable night.
And it probably goes without saying but snacking in bed can also cause your body temperature to rise. Those cookies just before bed sounds like a great idea, but it’s just something else that the body will need to process during the night.
Chill your Sheets
Yes we are deadly serious here. By putting your sheets in a cool bag and placing them in the freezer for 20 minutes or so, then placing back on your bed, you will have a wonderfully cool bed to lie down in when you go to bed. While we’re on sheets, natural material, like cotton often provides a cooler night’s sleep than synthetic materials.
If you try all of these hacks and nothing is working, it might be worth seeking professional advice.
Conclusion
Waking up hot and sweaty is an uncomfortable experience and it can be difficult to get back to sleep after, leaving you to toss and turn for hours. If this is happening to you, then think carefully about how you are sleeping, your mattress, your environment – and maybe even that love of your life next to you.
Like many issues that affect sleep, heat is something that you should experiment with to get just right. Maybe that’s with a new mattress, or maybe something as simple as leaving the winder ajar while you sleep or something as drastic a chilling your sheets before sleeping.
