At some point in my life, not all that long ago, I started to sweat in my sleep. I often wake up in the morning, sheets in a tangle, and my body is anywhere from damp to drenched. Of course, when you're sharing a bed with your SO, the heat only increases, which doesn't help the situation. Fear not — figuring out ways to stay cool at night if you're a sweaty sleeper is not an impossible task. It just means having a few cool-down tricks to pull out of your pajama sleeve.
Now, if you too are a sweaty sleeper, there are causes that might be less obvious than wearing too many layers or having an extra thick down comforter. On one hand, there can be some serious reasons for night sweats, such as infections or a hormonal imbalance, according to the American Osteopathic Association. On the other hand, sweating in your sleep isn't necessarily something to worry about. It might be because your room is too warm, or because of a medication you may be taking, or anxiety. It can even be because you eat too many spicy foods! Does any of that sound familiar?
Whatever it may be, there are ways to bring the temperature down and keep it cool. Take some tips from the pros below.
Yes, even in the dead of winter, if you are a sweaty sleeper, you should consider the temperature in your room. Your environment is a huge factor when it comes to sweating.
"The first move is to keep your room cool," Bill Fish, sleep science coach from Tuck.com tells Elite Daily. "I recommend keeping the bedroom between 60 degrees and 67 degrees Fahrenheit."
One more tip? Make sure you aren't letting in too much sunlight during the day. Keep those blinds down, y'all.
Who would have thought that your mattress materials play such a major role in your sweat level? Well, they do, and Fish says you really should consider finding a mattress that "sleeps cool." What does that mean, exactly?
"A mattress that utilizes coils or an innerspring system allows for the most airflow, while memory foam mattresses tend to sleep a bit hot," Fish explains over email.
"If you do feel like your mattress sleeps warm, there are plenty of cooling mattress covers on the market that repel heat away from the body."
Yes, this might mean saying goodnight, so to speak, to your flannel PJs with the cute dogs on them.
"You should also wear loose-fitting clothing that's breathable, light-weight, and natural," Fish says. "Cotton clothing tends to trap heat, whereas some moisture wicking options like silk or bamboo will help to keep you cool."
And hey, if you want to take it all the way, sleep in the nude. Fish says getting naked in bed allows your body’s natural thermoregulation process to take place without all those darn clothes in the way.
This might sound counter-intuitive, but sometimes it's the oddest tricks that actually do the trick.
Anita Mahaffey, an environmental sleep specialist and founder of cooling sleepwear brand Cool-jams explains to Elite Daily over email that temperature regulation can also play a role in many cases of chronic insomnia. So if you're hot and sweaty and have trouble sleeping, these two things might be related.
Mahaffey has a pretty interesting trick for battling a case of the sleep sweats. Not only should perspiring sleepers keep a cool room, she says, but do that while you also try placing a hot water bottle at your feet.
"This rapidly dilates blood vessels, and therefore actually helps lower core temperature, and can push the internal thermostat to a better setting overall," she explains.
Not only is this a good habit to add to a bedtime ritual, but taking a cooling shower can do a lot to help keep you cool when you hit the hay.
Matthew Ross of The Slumber Yard tells Elite Daily that a cold shower simply drops your body temperature before going to bed, which can both help with the sweats, and help you get to sleep faster.
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