While discussing this site with a friend, I got introduced to a new problem that people have. She asked me about the best fans for her bedroom and how to not overheat while sleeping. Of course, I offered to help and do some of the research myself to help. Here is what I found about sleeping cooler and I hope it helps you too!
You can prevent overheating while sleeping by trying a few tips below:
- Wait 30 minutes after a hot shower before bed
- Blackout Curtains to help prevent your room from getting too hot
- Use air conditioning to bring down the temperature of your room
- Use thinner blankets
- Try some bedroom fans for air movement
- Replace your cotton sheets with bamboo sheets
- Grab a Gel Pillow below
- Wear clothes designed for sleeping, such as pajamas.
Most people head to bed in a t-shirt and other regular clothing items. The first recommendation is working on the actual temperature of the room first. Next, try new sheets, like some bamboo sheets and get rid of the cotton sheets. If that doesn’t help, then trying some bedroom fans for sleeping and some pajamas for sleeping is the last option.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, I just love sleep more than most people. Some people suffer from other disorders and life changes that only a medical professional can diagnose properly. Such as women going through menopause or other hormonal changes. Speak with your doctor if these tips do not help you.
How to Cool Down at Night
First things first, lets talk about how to cool down before bed. Ive written about good sleep habits and some things that you shouldn’t do before bed, like taking a hot shower or bath. Lets cover this real quick.
No Bath’s or Shower’s Before Bed
Wait at least 30 minutes after a bath, shower or soak in warm water to let you body cool back down to it’s normal temperature before you hop in bed.
When you hop right out of the shower, into some sleepwear and into bed, you are essentially causing your body to store that extra heat underneath the covers. By allowing yourself a cool-down, you are not bringing all that extra warmth to bed.
No Big Meals or Snacks Before Bed
Give your body a few hours after a meal before you head to bed. It will take your metabolism a while to process these meals and an not only cause restlessness, but your body temp to elevate as well.
If you must eat before bed, keep it small and healthy. Food like raw vegetables and fruits are easier for your body to process so these can be some healthy snacks about an hour before bed.
Snacks high is sugar, fat and protein take your body’s metabolism longer to process. You want to avoid these before heading to bed, and give yourself about an hour after eating any snacks. This helps to ensure your body is not actively working to process any food before you get comfortable under the sheets.
Avoid Cuddling or Spooning
I know, I know, at the end of the day, some people just want to fall asleep holding each other. I get it. I remember my first year of marriage too! If you suffer from night sweats, or overheating while sleeping, then you may want to stay to your side of the bed.
If one person is overheating before sleeping, you may end up sharing that with them. Instead, stay on your side of the bed and try to spread out as much as possible. Leave enough room for a little airflow between your arms and legs. After all, we want to sleep cooler, right?
A little difference can help a lot!
How to Keep Cool in Hot Weather
If you have tried the above tips and you still cant figure out how to not overheat while sleeping, try these tips.
We first touched on your personal heat source, you. Lets cover some of the ways you can cool down your sleeping area to help keep you cooler at night.
Air Conditioning and Fans
I am not going to cover the air-conditioning part in depth, since it is the most obvious change. Lowering the temperature in the room can help you prevent overheating while sleeping. If you have other people in the home that don’t like a colder house at night, it may be time to find a new roommate, spouse, kids or family. They are nuts and you are normal.
If lowering the temperature in the home is not an option, you can try other methods such as fans for the bedroom and personal air conditioning devices.
If you need some good fans for your bedroom, check out my reviews here and how they help when sleeping.
Sometimes, just a light breeze flowing across a leg stuck out of the side of the sheets is all your body needs. I know it is tempting to let it blow over your face, but resist that urge. You don’t want a fan to blow dust and debris in your face and get into your sinus’s. That is a whole new issue instead of how to not overheat while sleeping.
Drinking Cold Water Before Bed
No chugging big glasses of ice water, but a small amount of cold water before bed can make a small difference! Too much water and you will find yourself waking up and going to the bathroom.
You can also keep a little water by your bed in case you need a little cooling. Just remember to keep it light and no soda’s or sugary drinks. Water is perfect.
Bring the Cold to You
Awww yessss. I’m gonna blow your mind…. ready for this? Put your sheets and pillowcases in the freezer a few hours before bed. Crazy right?
Look, if you are like me and constantly flip that pillow to the cold side, you are going to love this. You just gotta try it once! Be careful though, it may change your life!
Cold compresses work well too, especially under your pillow. I like mine under my pillow anyway. Yu may like yours under your knees or around your back. Try it yourself and see if that helps.
Blackout curtains. Sometimes the room is warmer because of that pesky ball of fire 100 million miles away. The audacity of that celestial object to shine into your room and heat up your belongings without your expressed consent is just crazy. Yes, I am talking about the sun.
Blackout curtains can help keep your room cool through the day and into the night.
Things to Keep You Cool at Night
Night sweats? Overheating at night? Here are some items you can sleep with that will help you cool down and can be found just about anywhere. My favorite is Amazon and Walmart, but hey, sometimes Target has something good too! If your overall goal is to learn how to not overheat while sleeping, then give these a look!
Bamboo Sheets
Bamboo sheets, like these on Amazon, are thermo-regulating. Very much like silk sheets, they are cool when it is hot and warm when it is cool. I have an entire article dedicated to The Pro’s and Con’s Bamboo Sheets here.
Cooling Pajamas’s
Cooling Pajamas’s, like these on Amazon, are made from spandex and bamboo. These ingredients don’t hold heat like cotton does. This results in a cooler sleep.
The reviews on that particular product linked above tell the story that you really should check out for yourself.
Equilibrium Sleep Set
If you want a GREAT set of silk sleepwear, check out my recommendation of restlab’s Equilibrium Sleep Set here.
Keep Cool at Night Gadgets
Ready for the fun stuff? Sometimes trying different things to not overheat while sleeping helps, but it just doesn’t COMPLETELY fix the situation and you gotta get some gadgets. Luckily, this is my favorite part!
It could be because I just love plugging things in that make a whirring noise, or my wife is wrong about me. No, she’s right. I do love gadgets!
BedJet 3 Climate Comfort for Beds
I am going to ask you to check this one out and read the reviews for it. Always read the reviews! This is a super quiet cooling and warming system for your bed. No wires, no electricity and no water to leak anywhere. How is this possible? Check it out on Amazon below.
SöMN Kömforte Dual Zone Comforter
Got a sleeping partner that likes it hot and you want it cold? PROBLEM SOLVED.
This dual zone comforter helps to regulate the temperature on each side to either stay cool, or stay warmer. It works by having 150 grams of luxury microfiber on one side and 300 grams on the other. You may be searching for how to not overheat while sleeping, but your sleeping partner may feel otherwise.
The reviews are great and apparently, pets have a favorite side too! Do your pets like it cold or warm? Find it on Amazon below and check out the reviews yourself.
Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling Pillow
This cooling memory foam pillow is filled on both sides with an exclusive gel layer that is designed to stay cool through the night. It also retains its shape, making it suitable for all types of sleepers.
This particular product has a price that seems to bounce around, so you may want to add it to your cart and keep an eye on that pricing.
It has some mixed reviews, but overwhelmingly positive. A name brand pillow like this comes with a warranty and if you can find it under $100 it is a good deal. Check the pricing and reviews below!
How to Not Overheat While Sleeping Conclusion
If you are searching for how to not overheat while sleeping, I hope there is enough value here for you.
First try to cool yourself, then cool the room, then spice it up with some gadgets. Sounds like a recipe for success, right?
I personally love sleeping with cold pillows and throwing a leg out from under the sheets, but somewhere in the night, I completely flip the other way and want nothing to do with cold. Everyone is different!
If none of this helped you, check out this article on WebMD about night sweats. Sometimes, overheating while sleeping may be medical related. It never hurts to ask your doctor!
Happy Sleeping!
