Hot Sleeper vs Cold Sleeper: What Type of Sleeper Are You?

Are you a hot sleeper and find yourself waking up in the middle of the night sweating? Or, are you a cold sleeper and constantly wake up trying to find more blankets to get warmer? Whether you are a hot or cold sleeper, quality of sleep is directly linked to your body temperature and whether you can maintain a quality core temperature during the night.

The Importance of Body Temperature and Sleep

As humans, we are constantly regulating our body temperature for different activities. According to this HuffPost article, “Falling and rising body temperature over the 24-hour day is an important contributor to the body’s sleep-wake cycle: dropping body temperature helps you fall asleep and stay asleep at night, and rising temperature stimulates alertness in the morning.”

Therefore, if you are a hot sleeper and cannot stay asleep because you are tossing and turning then you are going to wake up feeling groggy. Same goes if you are a cold sleeper and you are constantly waking up feeling like you are in an icebox. The good news is there are certain things you can do to regulate your body temperature.

Tips For Hot Sleepers

If you are one of those people who wake up sweating then there are certain things you can do in your environment to reduce your body temperature needed for sleep.

1. Sleep with the room at a cool temperature. Many studies claim that it is ideal to sleep with your room temperature between 60-67 degrees. This might not be realistic (or economically feasible) if you live in a hot place like Houston, Texas but you should try to sleep with the A/C about 2 degrees lower than you normally would have it during the day.
2. Control your bedroom’s temperature throughout the day to be cooler in preparation for the night. Try looking into blackout curtains or blinds to block sunlight throughout the day so that you do not have to work too hard at night to cool down your room before bed.
3. Take a warm shower or bath before bed. That’s right! It might seem counterintuitive to take a warm or hot shower before you go to bed, but after you get out, your body will work to start cooling you down which can jumpstart your body’s cool temperature needed for quality sleep.

Want more tips? Check out our 9 Tips for Hot Sleepers  post.

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Tips for Cold Sleepers

There is so much information on how you can sleep cooler at night, but what about those of you that wake up shivering ?! If you are a cold sleeper then you can also do things to help elevate your temperature for better sleep.

1. Wear socks. This might seem silly to wear socks in bed but it is common knowledge that if your feet are warm, that your body tends to feel warmer. So, invest in some cute and cuddly socks to wear to bed and if you get too warm you might find them in your sheets in the morning!
2. Pajamas. Silk pajamas are great at helping your body regulate your internal body temperature. If you are cold it will help warm you and if you are warm it will help make you cooler! But…if you get extra cold then you may want to look at owning some flannel options.
3. Cuddle up with the right blanket. Getting the right blanket for your beauty rest is important but there are a few things to consider. If you sleep alone or your partner is also a cold sleeper then consider a nice and fluffy down comforter. If you are the cold one sleeping next to a furnace, then consider a cotton option which can make you warm at night but is also breathable for your partner.

Want more tips? Check out our 8 Tips for a Cold Sleeper post!

Those are just some of the tips that might help you sleep better whether you are a hot sleeper or a cold sleeper. However, the answer might also be your mattress! It is important to consider the actual surface you are sleeping on when trying to sleep cooler or warmer at night.

The Right Mattress for Hot Sleepers

When you sleep, your body heat is transferred to your mattress. If you are a hot sleeper, your mattress should have breathable components so that your body heat doesn’t become trapped and create a furnace! Thinking about airflow, cooling technologies and products that help wick away body heat are imperative. Some of these to consider are individually wrapped coils, latex and more.

Check out our Best Mattresses for Hot Sleepers.

The Right Mattress for Cold Sleepers

People who sleep hot may think you are the lucky one if you sleep colder, but they do not wake up shivering and craving more blankets! When exploring ways to sleep warmer at night make sure you take your mattress into account. There are various components that retain heat, such as traditional memory foam or viscoelastic foam that can help you from reaching for more blankets multiple times a night.

Check out our Best Mattresses for Cold Sleepers.

Texas Mattress Makers has Something for Hot and Cold Sleepers

We are excited to share the Texas Mattress Makers experience and expertise with you through our website. If you have questions or concerns about sleeping hot or cold at night, or just getting a new mattress, we recommend you visit one of our showroom locations to get an expert opinion. We are happy to help you as you explore your mattress options and provide the answers you want to know about sleep! Take our Mattress Quiz today to get a mattress recommendation by one of our experts!

You can shop online by comfort level, mattress type, mattress size, and budget, or come and visit any of our convenient Houston-area locations today!