How to Stop Overheating While Sleeping

Overheating while sleeping is extremely common and can be caused by many different factors. The good news is that there are a few ways to stop this uncomfortable feeling from occurring so that you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer!

To help all sleepers achieve more successful snoozing, the Kyvno team researched this subject and created a guide to help prevent overheating during sleep. Keep reading to learn more about what causes so many people to overheat at night and how to stop it from happening to you!

Why Do We Get Hot at Night?

To fix the problem of overheating while sleeping, we first need to learn what is causing this issue. Let’s start by breaking down the science of what is happening to our bodies at night.

The circadian rhythm is known as the 24-hour biological clock responsible for releasing melatonin to signal the brain when it is time to go to sleep. While this is true, the circadian rhythm also does a lot more to induce sleep, including regulating the body’s core temperature.

While studying sleep patterns, scientists found that most mammals will begin to experience a drop in body temperature before and during sleep. Further research indicates that the circadian rhythm follows a pattern throughout the 24-hour day that controls the body’s temperature. By following this pattern, scientists found that a person’s internal temperature will begin to drop at night (indicating that it is time to sleep) and will continue to decrease throughout the night. Then, in the morning, the brain signals the body to wake up by increasing its core temperature and warming up throughout the day.

What Causes Overheating at Night?

After learning that your core body temperature drops at night, you may wonder why you struggle with overheating while sleeping. Here are a few explanations for why this may be happening and, best of all, how to stop it!

You Sleep in a Room that is Too Hot

Thanks to our circadian rhythms, our body associates being warm with being awake. Therefore, when we try to fall asleep in a room that is too hot, it becomes very difficult to have a restful night of sleep!

You Sleep in a Room that is Too Humid

Humidifiers are great for increasing the air’s moisture levels and keeping the nasal and throat passages from becoming too dry while we sleep. However, too much humidity can make your overheating while sleeping worse!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests that humidity levels should be between 30 and 50 percent within the home. Anything over the recommended levels can make it feel harder to breathe and slow down the body’s sweat from evaporating, making you feel hotter.

You Have the Wrong Sheets

Some bed sheet materials tend to trap more heat than others. Understanding the difference between these materials can help you decide if it’s time to change your bed sheets. This may help prevent tossing and turning at night from being too hot.

You Have the Wrong Bed

Lastly, similar to bed sheets, some mattresses tend to trap more heat which can also cause overheating at night. The materials used in a mattress all play a role in how well temperature is regulated. This is why, for most sleepers, a cooling mattress can completely transform sleep.

While there are other causes for overheating while sleeping, such as a medical condition, these are the most common and easiest to fix.

How to Stop Overheating While Sleeping

Now that we know more about how our body temperatures work and what may be causing us to wake up in the middle of the night from being too hot, we can work on fixing this issue!

So, whatever your reason for overheating while you sleep may be, here are some of Kyvno’s top tips for staying cool throughout the night:

Make the Room Cooler

Keeping your room cool while you sleep is the first line of defense against overheating while sleeping! Adjusting your room temperature nightly to somewhere between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit is a great place to start (which is the ideal temperature for sleep). If this doesn’t work, adding a fan or two may do the trick!

Take a Hot Shower or Bath

You may be surprised to see this tip on our list of ways to stop overheating while sleeping. However, as we learned earlier, as your body temperature drops the brain signals the body that it’s time to sleep. So, to help signal this to your brain, take a warm shower or bath. Not only will this relax you, but after stepping out and drying off, your body temperature will begin to drop and continue to decrease throughout the night!

Sleep on Light, Cooling Sheets

If you prefer morning showers, you can always try switching up your sheets instead. Light weight, airy sheets made of cotton, silk or bamboo are the best for increased airflow. And don’t forget to switch out that heavy comforter for something lighter!

Don’t Let Your Pets Sleep with You

If you’re overheating at night, you know that any added body heat can increase your chances of a night full of tossing and turning. Try putting your furry friend in another room or letting them sleep in their own bed on the floor and see if this helps prevent you from overheating while sleeping.

Upgrade Your Mattress

Finally, if you struggle with extreme night sweats or overheating while trying to sleep, it may be time to get a new mattress!

The Best Mattress for Staying Cool at Night

The Kyvno memory foam mattress is made up of three different layers to provide optimal physical comfort, including gels-cooling beads and other breathable materials that encourage airflow. This allows air to circulate freely instead of collecting heat, which is why it is the best mattress for staying cool all night long!

To learn more about the Kyvno adjustable mattress and get your hands on your own, click here to start shopping!

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