For Cooler Sleep, Your Bed, Bedding & PJs Matter

If you have ever woken in the middle of the night in a sweat, you know how uncomfortable it is to be overly warm in bed. To keep cool, start by keeping your bedroom temperature set around 65 degrees at night. Beyond that, pay attention to what you’re sleeping on and in. Some mattress materials tend to retain more warmth than others. For example, you’re more likely to “sleep warm” on a foam mattress, although natural latex memory foams are designed to sleep cool.

There are other bed-cooling technologies on the market, including mattress pads made with water cooling systems, with technology that promises to absorb your body heat, and even one with a microprocessor-controlled, air-driven climate control machine originally designed for astronauts, to name a few. When purchasing sheets, keep in mind that a higher thread count means a tighter weave, which means less breathability. Opt for a thread count of between 200 and 400, in moisture-wicking materials like cotton or linen. Be strategic about your pajamas, too, to help regulate your body temperature throughout the night. Cotton, silk, or bamboo PJs work best. Even better for a cool sleep, try sleeping au naturel!