The importance of getting a good night’s sleep is becoming even greater with all the additional responsibilities that seem to come with living the fast-paced life of our modern world. Unfortunately, many Americans seem to struggle with this, as it is estimated that nearly 1 out of every 3 adults do not get enough sleep in our country. While there are many factors that may contribute to this staggeringly high amount of people, one area of major concern is excessive sweating while sleeping, otherwise commonly known as night sweats.
A recent study found that excessive bed sweating while sleeping, or night sweats, affected nearly 41% of people within a 30 day timespan. There are many simple explanations as to why one may experience excessive bed sweating at night. This could be from eating spicy foods or drinking hot beverages just before bed, hot weather or a warm sleeping environment, too many blankets or wearing too many clothes while sleeping, exercising shortly before bed, or even things like stress and anxiety are known to cause night sweats in people.
Thankfully, there are also some very simple steps to help reduce or eliminate bed sweating at night.
Experts recommend avoiding certain foods or beverages just before bed, at least one hour. You may also try to set the thermostat to a cooler temperature just before going to sleep, or even opening up your window on a cool night, or buying a fan for your bedroom to help circulate the air while sleeping. Swap out those heavy comforters for cooler fabrics such as cotton or try wearing less clothes to bed. Bed sheets can make a huge difference too. Flannel sheets will be warmer than cotton or satin sheets. Maybe even try taking a cool shower or bath to lower your body temperature just before bed.
All of these are great tips to try and eliminate or reduce excessive sweating at night, however, some mattresses are prone to absorbing and retaining body heat throughout the night, making it more difficult to fight back against excessive sweating. For instance, memory foam mattresses have been shown to sleep warmer, as they utilize body heat to form around your body. You can try to eliminate how much heat they store by buying a mattress topper or sleeping on a platform support system instead of a box spring as this will increase the airflow, but, the fact still remains that your mattress may be the main culprit of your night sweats. Thankfully, there are better options out there for the sleeper who is prone to excessive sweating.
Aside from using heat to allow the mattress to form around your body, the main reason why many mattresses sleep too hot is from poor-breathability, or a limited amount of airflow. To help combat this, many different types of cooling mattresses have now hit the market.
Becoming an ever popular option, a cooling mattress may be just what you need to finally get that perfect night's sleep without having to wake up in a pool of your own sweat!
The technology behind cooling beds.
The technology behind these new inventive cooling mattresses is rather unique, and they can be made from many different types of materials. When shopping for your new cooling mattress it may be best to understand what mattress components, or materials, are most cooling.
- Coils and Springs- These are most commonly made from steel and are used in the mattresses support core. These layers create a lot of open space, allowing air to flow through more freely.
- Open Cell Foams- Most latex mattresses have open celled foams, leaving an abundance of open space in the material. Increased air passage allows heat to leave the mattress more freely. Memory foam, on the other hand, is a closed cell foam, causing more heat retention. Although, some companies are now producing open-cell memory foam.
- Gel Infused Foam- The process of infusing gel into memory foam has become a popular practice among manufacturers. Infusing gel in the mattresses is less about air flow and more about the cooling properties of gel. Since gel is partially a liquid it does not retain heat as easily.
- The Use of Copper- Copper infused mattresses are a great way to reduce the amount of heat that is stored inside. Copper is naturally heat conductive, which means that it quickly absorbs any heat and transfers it away from the body, helping to keep both your body and the mattress cool.
These are just a few of the new techniques developed by manufacturers to help eliminate the excessive back sweating issue that many people seem to experience. If you are considering a cooling mattress, take a look at The Taylor & Wells Glacier series, as they are a great option for a hot sleeper.
Other products to help fight against bed sweating.
Along with your cooling mattress, you may want to consider purchasing cooling sheets, a cooling mattress cover or mattress protector, or even cooling pillows! The Taylor & Wells brand offers many additional products that will help you sleep cool at night.
If you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us on our website under the contact us link on the bottom of the page. You can always give us a call or stop in at one of our many locations. We have many sleep specialists that will be more than happy to help you find the product that fits your needs. We understand how valuable it can be to get the right fit for a great night's sleep.
Night sweats could also be a sign of an underlying medical issue.
Keep in mind, If you have exhausted all options and are still finding that you sleep hot and wake up in sweats, it may be time to consider seeing a medical health professional, as there are some medical conditions that cause night sweats.
Bed sweating may be linked to hormonal imbalances or changes such as menopause. Night sweats have also been linked to things like infections, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), depression, some cancers (although most undiagnosed cancers come with additional symptoms), medications, autoimmune disorders, drug addiction or substance abuse disorders, problems with your thyroid, sleep disorders, or even tuberculosis. So please be sure to keep yourself in healthy and great shape!
