10 Tips to Sleep Cool
Sometimes, you need to kick up the thermostat to get cozy in your bedroom. But when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, heat isn’t the answer. In fact, as you sleep, your body temperature lowers naturally, so if it gets too hot, it can disrupt your entire sleep cycle.
Sleeping in a cooler environment not only stimulates sleep — possibly relieving insomnia — but also allows your body to shift more comfortably through the essential sleep stages.
So whether you’re a hot sleeper or simply finding yourself uncomfortable lately, we’ve rounded up some of the top tips to help you get a better night’s rest. Let's dive in!
1. Turn your room temperature down to 60-68F.
In the winter, you may be tempted to turn the heating up. While this might feel extra cozy, it could actually majorly affect your sleep quality. Research shows that too much heat could wake you up at night and decrease the amount of deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which severely disrupts your sleep quality.
Experts warn it can cause anything from late-evening insomnia to early-morning awakenings. Keep your room temperature between 60 and 68F to lower your body temperature and sleep more soundly.
2. Crack the window, even in winter.
In Europe, it’s common to sleep with the window open or cracked year-round. This not only helps keep the room cool and your body temperature lower; it also helps keep the air in your bedroom from being too humid and stuffy. If you live in a quiet area, the natural sounds of the outdoors may also prove to be great white noise to help you fall asleep faster. If you’re in a city, you can try sleeping with a fan on.
3. Avoid large meals before bed.
For many of us, dinner is our largest meal of the day. However, digesting that big, hearty meal can prove tricky for the body. As a result, the energy your body expends trying to digest that food may make you hotter, resulting in night sweats and other problems. To avoid this, eat lighter meals for dinner that will be easier on your stomach.
4. Keep room between you and your partner.
We all love a good snuggle. But, sleeping too close to your partner can cause your body temperature to rise at night, interrupting your sleep cycle, resulting in a restless night. For a cooler night’s sleep, avoid getting too close to your partner and sharing their body heat while you sleep. It may even be worth investing in a giant bed — like an Alaskan King — which gives you plenty of room to spread out.
5. Sleep au-natural or in breathable cotton.
Avoid wearing fabrics that are heavy and aren’t breathable for your skin, like silk or synthetics. Cotton or light linens are the best choice for keeping cool while you sleep. If you’re comfortable enough to sleep in the nude, that’s also a great choice. Being naked only with your comforter, allows your body to regulate its temperature, which could reset your internal thermostat and prevent overheating and sweating at night.
6. Make sure you have the right sheets.
If you have fleece, silk or polyester sheets, they may trap extra heat your body doesn’t need at night. Instead, opt for natural fabrics that will allow your body and skin to breathe naturally at night. You want to choose a natural material that’s breathable and moisture-repellent.
Our two favorite choices are bamboo and cotton. These sheets allow your body to breathe naturally at night and regulate temperature, providing the most comfortable sleep of your life.
7. Stick your feet out.
This may sound weird, but your feet are great at helping to regulate your body temperature. So if you’re feeling too hot in bed, stick your feet out from under the sheets or covers to cool down. And don’t let the intrusive thoughts win – the monsters won’t get your feet as soon as they’re out. You should avoid wearing socks to bed, too, as these can also cause you to overheat.
8. Don’t sleep with too many blankets.
In the summer, this probably isn’t a problem. But in the winter, we all want to snuggle up under a big pile of blankets. However, all those layers can cause your body to overheat at night, even if a window is cracked and the thermostat is turned down.
9. Wool blankets help regulate heat.
Wool is well-known for being warm, but it also has a natural ability to regulate heat. Because of this, wool is an excellent choice for a blanket if you tend to sleep hot, or are just looking for ways to keep cooler and more comfortable at night. By keeping heat and moisture away, wool blankets can keep you comfy all year round, especially in winter months.
10. Get a giant mattress that sleeps cool.
Not all mattresses are made equal. Today, top-quality mattress companies can install a cooling core or use different materials that affect how your sleeping surface performs at night. These special layers don’t trap heat and moisture, allowing better thermoregulation at night. So, if you’re a hot sleeper, getting a top-quality oversize mattress can be a game-changer. It is so big that there’s enough room to sleep with your partner without sticking to each other, and the top-quality craftsmanship ensures they stay cool throughout the night.
Curious how a premium mattress can help you sleep cooler at night? Shop our Alaskan King mattresses and discover the unique thermoregulating power of our HyperCool™ material.
