During the muggiest months of the year, figuring out how to stay cool while sleeping can make the difference between a sweaty, sleepless night and a good night’s rest. And for people who run hot all the time, it’s a year-round struggle to get their homes and bedrooms to a comfortable temperature.
It doesn’t help that the ideal temperature for sleep is actually a chilly 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation. There is good news, however. An overheated environment can be fixed with just a few tweaks to your sleeping situation, like cooling blankets and gels or lightweight toppers for when it’s ridiculously hot out. Ahead, we answer some common questions about hot sleep and highlight some products that, according to reviewers, make sleeping cool as easy as ever, as well as picks that we’ve personally tried and loved.
Why do I get overheated when I sleep?
Chelsie Rohrscheib, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and head sleep expert at Wesper, says that people get overheated “due to a wide range of reasons,” from “poor bedroom temperature control” and “heavy bedding” to “hormonal issues” and “certain medications.” In other words, it’s difficult to know exactly why you might be a hot sleeper, though it can help to scrutinize your bedroom setup and your medical history.
How do I stop being a hot sleeper?
Regardless of the cause, Rohrscheib says there are a few things you can do to stop being a hot sleeper. The first step is to keep your bedroom cool, between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Rohrscheib.
Beyond keeping your room chilly, you can also try to change your bedding, mattress and sleepwear. “Always use bedding that is made of breathable, natural material such as linen, and consider using multiple thin blankets so you can remove a layer as needed,” Rohrscheib says, adding that cooling beds or mattress toppers can also help.
By the same token, Rohrscheib says to avoid overdressing for bed and wearing synthetic pajamas that could trap heat. The general approach should be to “put time and effort into working out what your ideal sleeping environment is (e.g. investing in cooling sheets if that will help you get a good night sleep),” says Charlotte Gupta, Ph.D., a member of the Sleep Health Foundation and postdoctoral researcher at the Appleton Institute.
But let’s say your room is a cool 65 degrees, you’ve got the best linen sheets and a top-of-the-line fan blowing 24/7 and you’re still hot at night. At that point, it’s time to get help.
“If you’re consistently waking up due to feeling hot or sweating, despite making some changes to bedding and clothing, there might be an underlying medical cause,” says Joseph Dzierzewski, Ph.D., the vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. “It is important to discuss your experiences with your healthcare professional.”
Is it unhealthy to sleep in a hot room?
“Sleeping in a hot room may lead to insomnia and poor sleep quality, which can negatively impact your health,” says Rohrscheib, who explains that your body temperature has to drop by about 1 degree Fahrenheit to get to sleep. Gupta adds that sleeping in a hot room over time can lead to “chronic sleep loss,” which can lead to “increased physical and mental illness.”
“Typically if we are not comfortable with the temperature as we are sleeping, we will have poor sleep quality and this can occur even if we have our typical time in bed (i.e. we still have nine hours in bed, but our sleep quality is poor),” Gupta says. “This is likely to happen in summer and on individual occasions isn’t too much of a risk … But over time, if we are consistently getting poor sleep, this is a problem.”
How do I sleep without air conditioning?
Around 10% of households in the US don’t have air conditioning, according to a Brookings Institution report. Additionally, even if you are one of the many Americans that does have an air conditioner, not everyone can afford to run it day and night. Either way, the following tips can help you keep cool without an AC.
- Drink water: Staying hydrated can help you beat the heat. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends that adult men and women drink 13 and nine cups of water a day, respectively.
- Take a cold shower: A cold shower or bath before bed could cool you down, Gupta says, therefore facilitating a good night’s sleep.
- Use fans: While fans don’t always lower a room’s temperature, they can help you feel cooler by evaporating the sweat on your skin. Our favorite cooling fan is quiet, affordable and compact.
- Sleep with an ice pack: Place an ice pack behind your neck or in bed to lower to cool down your bed.
- Cook in the morning: Help keep your house cool by cooking during the first part of the day.
- Sleep in the basement: Heat rises, so you may find that the first floor of your house — or better yet, basement — is coolest.
- Look into government programs: See if your local government has any cooling centers, utility discounts or other assistance programs.
- Invest in cooling products: Finally, consider investing in the below products, all of which should help you sleep cooler in the summer.
Best sheets for hot sleepers
For cooling sheets that aren’t going to set you back too far, look no further than this set. Made of ultra-fine microfiber with moisture-absorbing technology that actually pulls moisture away from the skin, you only need to look at a few reviews to be convinced of their magic.
With more than 75,000 reviews, this 100% cotton sheet set is an Amazon favorite. The set comes with a flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases, and you can take your pick of anything from pastel solids to paisley and polka dots.
These top-rated lightweight sheets are made from organic cotton in a percale weave, which can help keep you cool and sweat-free. “They feel crisp like percale, which is what I wanted, so they would be cooling,” one reviewer writes.
The winner of our best linen sheets testing, this Parachute set is made from 100% European flax in a family-owned factory in Portugal. They're light and airy with the ability to get even softer after every wash, and the colors couldn’t be dreamier.
Made with bamboo rayon, these are designed to wick away moisture and even minimize smell. Just look how silky they look, too.
These editor-favorite sheets are made from 100% eucalyptus fiber, giving them a bit of a sheen and a cool-to-the-touch effect that’s simply irresistible for hot sleepers. “These are my favorite sheets!” writes one reviewer. “They are so soft and cool to the touch. I have been searching for sheets like this and I’m so happy! I usually sleep hot, but these are perfect; it’s like the perfect balance."
Best pillows for hot sleepers
This well-priced, high-rated foam pillow is infused with a temperature-regulating gel for a cool night’s sleep. “I too had bought every pillow on the market over the years and this one is certainly the most comfortable, most cooling and best support yet,” writes one reviewer.
The bamboo cover and shredded memory foam make this pillow super breathable, with one happy reviewer writing, “I normally toss and turn all night. I don’t think I’ve moved much since I started using the pillow; it’s absolutely wonderful.”
From the experts at Tempur-Pedic comes this cooling pillow with gel on both sides to keep you cool all night long. "By far the coolest pillow I’ve used, and I don’t think I’ve ever had to flip it over," writes one reviewer.
With cooling foam and a three-layer design meant to make it extra huggable (and who doesn’t want that?), this is one of our favorite pillows to sleep on night after night.
Best blankets for hot sleepers
Just because you run a little warm doesn’t mean you have to give up the comfort of a weighted blanket. This high-rated, editor-approved cooling weighted blanket is made of breathable bamboo, which can help regulate your body temperature.
There’s something about the weight of a comforter that makes rest so much nicer, and this cooling eucalyptus comforter adds weight without being too hot. “I’m a hot sleeper and needed something ‘cooling’ but couldn’t find the right thing until I found this," writes one reviewer
If a comforter is always too much for you, look no further than this linen quilt, which has thrilled Brooklinen shoppers. “I decided to spring for this linen quilt in the hopes that it would let me breathe at night,” writes one reviewer. “It’s perfect! Just thick enough to keep me warm, but breathable enough that I don’t wake up soaked in sweat.”
We’ve tried this weighted blanket for several months now and we absolutely adore it. Cool on one side and plush on the other, it’s available in both 15- and 20-pound versions.
Whether you’re taking a nap on the couch or you just want a light covering on your bed, we love this editor-approved luxurious and lightweight throw on a warm summer night.
Cooling accessories
After testing 15 popular fans over four summer weeks, we decided that Honeywell's QuietSet Tower Fan was our favorite. While it's compact and quiet, it still impressed with its cooling performance.
With more than 58,000 reviews on Amazon, this machine is a shopper favorite for how quietly it runs and, at the price, just how powerful its cooling powers are.
Personal fan more your jam? This vintage-looking cutie that reviewers love will sit on your nightstand and keep you cool while you snooze.
During our rounds of testing, the Vornado 660AE came out on top as the best floor fan. Beyond its power and durable construction, it's also compatible with Alexa, making it ideal for smart home enthusiasts.
Best mattresses for hot sleepers
A unique mix of a gel grid, supportive coils and foam make this one of the coolest mattresses on the market. According to the brand, the pocketed coils allow for greater airflow compared to many other gel and entirely foam beds.
This top-rated cotton mattress topper is filled with a down alternative to deliver comfort that reviewers love without heat and sweat.
Cool to the touch and deep enough to fit any mattress — and even additional topper — this is great for those who really want to protect their mattress while keeping it cool. And no, despite it being waterproof, it doesn’t make any sort of crinkling sound.