Are you sure it's your bed that's too hot? In some cases, it very well might be your mattress that is retaining instead of dissipating the heat radiating from your body. However, if this is true, then how can one person feel hot when another feels fine while sleeping on the same mattress?
In this article, we're going to explore some of the reasons why you may feel too hot during the night and some tips on how to battle your mattress heatwave.
Here Are Some Reasons Why You Feel Too Hot While You Sleep
- Room temperature: If the thermostat in your bedroom is set too high, it can make it difficult to sleep. This can happen during summer nights and even in the middle of winter.
- Bedding materials: Today, bed sheets are bedding available in a wide variety of materials. Higher-quality bed linens and accessories often help regulate body temperature. This is especially true when it comes to pillows and sheets. No one likes to sleep on a hot pillow, and that's why turning the pillow over to sleep on the cooler side in the middle of the night is so comfortable. The best pillows help draw body heat away.
- Mattress quality: This is a significant cause. A mattress that inhibits proper air circulation can trap heat and make us feel too hot. Inferior-quality foam and early-generation foam mattresses weren't the best at drawing hot air away. Today, top-quality memory foam and hybrid mattresses help a person feel cooler while sleeping.
- Medical conditions: This is the one most people don't think of. Especially as we age, certain medical conditions, such as hyperthyroidism, may lower sleep quality because it makes you feel too hot. In addition, some medications may cause a side effect of increasing body temperature.
- Hormonal changes: It's well known that women go through hormonal changes during menopause, and as a result, they may experience hot flashes and night sweats during the middle of the night. Some research now indicates that men may also experience hormonal changes.
Here's Why Your Mattress Gets So Hot
If you're wondering if it's you or your mattress, it may help to read a previous article we've prepared. Yes, many factors can make you feel too hot at bedtime, but a lower-quality mattress is one of the common culprits. After you've read over the reasons why your mattress gets so hot, we'll share some of the best ways to help alleviate this issue in the next paragraph.
How Cooling Sheets Improve Sleep Quality
Several materials can feel cooler to the touch and help you avoid excessive sweating at night. You might even want to learn more about the 7 most expensive sheets in the world and how they can help you sleep.
- Cotton: Cotton is a natural fiber, and it is breathable and absorbent, making it an excellent choice for warm weather and people that feel too hot at night. It allows air to circulate and wich away moisture, which can help regulate body temperature. Certain weaves and fabric weights of cotton do this better than others.
- Bamboo: Yes, bamboo. Materials science has developed a process by which bamboo is becoming increasingly popular due to its durability, softness, and moisture-absorbing characteristics. It's also naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic.
- Linen: Linen has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years longer than cotton. It is a lightweight and breathable material that is ideal for hot weather, especially if you don't have an air conditioner. Some varieties of linen have thicker, less refined threads and a loose weave that allows for air to circulate and wick away moisture. This helps you stay cool and dry during the night.
- Tencel: Tencel is man-made, and it's sourced from the eucalyptus tree. It has excellent moisture-absorbing properties and is well known for its durability and softness.
- Silk: Who doesn't love silk sheets? Silk is a luxury that's definitely worth it when it comes to sheets and pillows. It is smooth and cool to the touch. It's lightweight and breathable, making it a good choice for warm sleepers. Some of the most expensive sheets in the world are made from silk.
Circadian Rhythms And Elevated Heart Rates
You probably are already familiar with some of the ways circadian rhythms can be thrown off by traveling to a different time zone. It's the reason why you might feel sleepy even though it's not anywhere near close to bedtime.
What you may not know is that as we sleep, we go through different stages and that some of these stages may elevate the heart rate. An elevated heart rate can also be a result of a bad dream or feeling stressed about something. One of the most common results is a slight increase in body temperature, and it can be this that makes us feel hotter during the night.
Here Are Some Of The Best Mattress Materials That Draw Heat Away
- Latex foam: Latex foam-type mattresses are good for breathability and temperature control. This material features natural, open cells that allow air to circulate through the mattress in order to dissipate heat and keep you comfortable.
- Cooling gel-infused foam: These mattresses are specially engineered to draw away heat from the body. This is accomplished by a layer of gel infused into the foam. The key attribute of this gel is to absorb and shed heat.
- Innerspring: Mattresses with inner springs contain flexible coils for support. These coils allow the free flow of air through the mattress. Any body heat generated is modulated by this natural airflow.
- Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses give you the best of both worlds by combining the benefits of innerspring coils and motion-isolating memory foam.
For more information about these types of mattresses and the brands that feature them, visit The Bedding Mart. It's a widely accepted fact that your sleep quality has a significant effect on your physical and mental health. This is even more so the case as we get older.
If you're not sleeping well or you're thinking of getting a new bed, please consult with one of our sleep experts. They can answer all your questions and help you identify a sleep profile for yourself that you can then use to improve the quality of your sleep.
