To This Day…
To this day, I don't know one human who has told me that they like waking up in a puddle of their own sweat. Sometimes it's the actual individual because they have a condition that causes them to sweat a lot at night. Sometimes it's actually just their bedding. A common question that is often asked is: Can bedding cause night sweats?
The answer is yes.
But the main thing we have to talk about today is
- Why it causes night sweats
- How to prevent it so you don't have to worry about it anymore.
Let's get started.
Why Does My Bedding Make Me Sweat?
So far, this is what you know:
Can bedding cause night sweats? Yes.
Why does my bedding make me sweat? Let's discuss it.
There are two main reasons why you will experience night sweats, and I've mentioned them:
- Your body
- Your bed
Your Body
When it comes to your body, the reason why night sweats might occur is simply because it's natural for your body to heat up at night.
As you go to sleep, your body actually starts to cool. To combat your body cooling too much and to stop you from freezing, heat is often emitted through your hands, your feet, and other parts of your body.
However, it's important to note that some of these factors can cause your body to release even more heat when you sleep:
- You work out regularly
- You have a high metabolism
- Changes in hormone levels (common during menopause)
- Stress, alcohol, and caffeine
It's important that you rule out any of these factors before we move onto the next reason, which is your bed.
What Kind of Bedding Causes Night Sweats?
We need to understand how bedding material works before we move on.
For any fabric that makes up your bedding material, it’s important that there’s airflow. This allows heat to move freely through the fabric, allowing you to cool off much quicker.
It is also important that the fabric can handle moisture to ensure that you are not waking up in a puddle of sweat.
When it comes to your bedding, if your bedding uses synthetic fabrics, then we have found your culprit. Synthetic fibers are known to trap moisture and heat. This is because the fibers are not built to let air flow freely through them.
Since air cannot flow freely through them, your bed becomes a radiator and emits a lot more heat than usual. Because of all this heat, you will start to sweat a lot more.
Because there's nowhere for the sweat to go, you end up waking up in a pool of your own sweat. Synthetic fibers are known to be unable to handle and regulate temperature effectively.
Some examples of synthetic fibers include polyester and microfiber.
Summary:
- Bedding needs good airflow and moisture-wicking capabilities to prevent overheating.
- Synthetic fabrics (like polyester and microfiber) trap heat and moisture because air cannot flow through them, turning your bed into a radiator.
The Best Bedding Materials for Night Sweats
The first thing, which is likely the most important, is just choosing the right bedding material. You'll be surprised at how different you feel when you're sleeping on a different material.
Many people just think that all materials are the same, but that isn't the case. Let's talk about each of them.
Linen (The Airflow King)
Linen is highly praised for its ability to last decades, be safe for hypoallergenic and sensitive skin, get softer with every wash, and for being a natural fabric.
What it is also praised for is its ability to regulate your body temperature and to handle moisture effectively.
The reason for this is because of the flax fibers, which it is made from. High-quality linen is made from long-staple fibers that tend to be hollow. T
his allows the air to flow freely through these hollow fibers. This in turn makes you cooler at night, but in a good way that stops you from sweating.
Because of these hollow fibers, the fabric also acts like a mini vacuum.
Why this is important to you is because even if you do still sweat, linen is actually able to absorb water up to 20% of its weight. That means it can absorb the sweat that is accumulating from your body, but still remain dry.
Even if you sweat, if you're in linen, you'll have a great night's sleep in a dry bed.
Summary
- Linen is made from hollow flax fibers that promote massive airflow and temperature regulation.
- It can absorb up to 20% of its weight in moisture, pulling sweat away from your body while still feeling dry to the touch.
Wool (The Moisture Magnet)
Wool is an interesting fabric to use for your bedding material, but it can be used because of its ability to absorb. Much like linen, wool is known for absorbing moisture very effectively.
Summary:
- Wool is highly absorbent and naturally wicks away sweat.
- It functions as a strong "moisture magnet" to keep you dry at night.
Bamboo (The Eco-Cooler)
Bamboo is known for aggressively handling moisture very well. This is because it can handle heat very well too. For hot sleepers, this is a very good fabric to have because bamboo is built for cooling you.
The only downfall for bamboo is that it doesn't last very long. So, you're going to have to constantly change it. Some people might argue that it does last, but it won't last at the same quality it was when you first got it.
Summary:
- Bamboo is highly breathable, handles heat well, and offers excellent cooling for hot sleepers.
- It lacks long-term durability and will degrade in quality much faster than materials like linen.
Cotton Percale (The Crisp Classic)
Cotton percale is a good option for hot sleepers as well because of the weave.
It is called cotton percale because the weave that the fabric is made from is called the percale weave. This is much better than the sateen weave.
When looking at weaves, each weave has an over-under structure. This means one thread goes over, and one thread goes underneath.
When looking at a sateen weave, this weave follows a four-over, one-under structure. This means for every four threads that go over, one will go underneath them.
This is terrible for hot sleepers because it traps heat. It has a silky shine, but it makes the fabric much denser because the airflow is constricted.
This means that it will trap heat a lot more and cause you to sweat.
When looking at cotton percale, this weave structure follows a one-over, one-under structure. This means one thread will go over, and one thread will go underneath.
This straightforward weave allows for much more airflow to go through, releasing any heat that has been accumulating much more effectively.
Summary:
- Cotton percale uses a crisp, breathable one-over, one-under weave that promotes excellent airflow.
- Avoid sateen weaves, as their four-over, one-under structure creates a dense fabric that restricts airflow and traps heat.
Thread Count, Tog, and Weight: The Golden Rules
Thread count is one of the things you should look out for if you're a hot sleeper. The thread count is a way for advertisers to show the softness of a bedsheet.
The only issue is that it has been over-exaggerated immensely. After a certain thread count, it's not going to benefit your life.
Anything above 500 for a thread count will not benefit you; it will actually be worse for you as a hot sleeper. How thread counts work is that it measures how many threads are in a certain area of a fabric.
The issue is, the more thread there is, the less space there is, and the denser the fabric becomes.
This means there is less airflow, which means it will trap heat, and it will cause you to sweat.
Knowing the tog of your duvet is also important. This is essentially the measurement that you should use to see the thermal resistance of a duvet. In other words, how well it traps heat.
A 4.5 tog is what you want to aim for. This is the level that is designed for summer duvets and hot sleepers.
It provides just the right amount of insulation so that it's not trapping too much heat, but it's also at the right level where you still have this tucked-in feeling that makes you feel very comfortable when you're going to sleep.
Summary:
- Avoid thread counts higher than 500; heavily packed threads restrict airflow and trap body heat.
- Look for a low duvet tog rating (ideally 4.5) to stay cool while still getting that comforting, tucked-in feeling.
Don't Forget the Mattress and Pillows
The mattress and pillows play a very big role in causing you night sweats.
If you look at your mattress, if you have memory foam, this is also a problem. The way that memory foam works is that it uses heat to take the shape of your body.
This allows you to feel that "hugged" effect. The cost of this, however, is that heat is stored in that mattress. This means it contributes to you actually feeling sweaty at night.
When you go to sleep, usually your body is under the covers. That means your body that's under the covers is going to be very warm.
Your body adapts and cools off by transferring that heat and emitting it out through other parts of your body. This is important for you to know because usually, the place where the body chooses for that heat to be emitted is your head.
This means your head will usually be hotter than usual, and that's usually why you wake up feeling like your head is sweaty.
Summary:
- Memory foam mattresses trap body heat by design in order to mold to your shape, contributing heavily to night sweats.
- Your body vents excess heat through your head, making the breathability of your pillow crucial for temperature regulation.
5 Quick Lifestyle Tweaks to Stop Waking Up Drenched
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Room temp (16-20°C): Room temperature is extremely important when it comes to not sweating in your sleep. It's always suggested to set it around 16 to 20°C.
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Breathable Sleepwear: Breathable fabrics will always help you sleep more comfortably.
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Cold Water by the Bed / Fan Circulation: This isn't one that has to do with your bedding, but it's a small thing that you can do just because you are a hot sleeper. I'm sure that having a cold glass of water by your bed or having a fan on can really help cool your body off and ensure that you aren't burning up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Memory Foam Cause Night Sweats?
Yes, it does. Memory foam is dense and non-breathable. It uses heat to form the shape that your body makes so that you have this hugged-in feeling.
That comes at a cost because it uses heat. The heat is going to be trapped in the mattress, which translates to you feeling sweaty.
Summary:
- Memory foam relies on body heat to conform to your shape, making it naturally non-breathable.
- The trapped heat is bounced back at your body, resulting in night sweats.
What Is The Best Duvet Tog For Menopause?
Because you generally heat up during menopause, it's important to go for a low tog. This ensures that you're not getting too uncomfortable when you go to sleep.
Summary:
- A low tog rating (around 4.5) is highly recommended for menopause to prevent overheating.
- It provides a light layer of comfort without trapping excess thermal energy.
Can Pillows Cause Night Sweats?
If it is the wrong material, yes, it can cause night sweats. It is always better just to opt for natural fabrics that are made from long-staple fibers. This ensures the air can flow freely through the fabric so that you're not trapping heat in your pillow, which can cause you to sweat. Always go for natural fabrics like linen. Linen is known for being a very breathable fabric.
Summary:
- Synthetic or overly dense pillow fabrics trap the heat emitting from your head.
- Natural, breathable fabrics like linen ensure your head can vent heat effectively.
Is Bamboo Or Linen Better For Sweating?
Both are good for handling hot sleepers. But if you want something that lasts you decades, then go with linen. Linen is the only fabric out of the two that gets softer as you wash it, and it will also get stronger as you wash it. It is the reason why many people opt for linen in warmer climates. It takes care of your skin and prevents you from feeling too sweaty.
Summary:
- Both fabrics are excellent for hot sleepers, but linen is significantly more durable over decades.
- Linen actually improves with age, getting softer and stronger with every wash.
