Soaring temperatures don’t have to sabotage your sleep. Here are some expert tips, plus when to talk to your doctor about night sweats.

If the summer temps and humidity are messing with your sleep, you’re not alone. With record weather sweeping across parts of the United States and Europe this summer, the heat is on. And experts say it can definitely mess with your shut-eye.

“The rise in temperature and changes in sunset and sunrise affect sleep duration and quality,” says Carleara Weiss, PhD, RN, a sleep consultant in private practice and a sleep science adviser for Aeroflow Sleep (a New York City–based company that makes CPAP equipment for people with sleep apnea). The longer hours of light may make it harder to get to bed earlier, and the heat may keep you up — or have you tossing and turning in a pool of sweat, she says.

The bed is already a warm environment because there’s less air flowing around you than when you’re standing up or lying in a hammock, for example. You (and any bed partners) are also contributing a lot of body heat, says Roy Raymann, PhD, a Vista, California–based sleep technology researcher and an adviser to Somnox, a company that makes a sleep robot designed to reduce stress and help people sleep.

If the ambient temperature swirling around your bed is hot and humid (as it might be during summer), that makes it tough to sleep. Our body temperature drops one to two degrees right before and during sleep to preserve energy and help the body focus on other mechanisms, and it prefers to ease off to dreamland when the room temperature is slightly below normal, Dr. Weiss explains.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that your thermostat read between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for ideal sleep.

Beyond adjusting the temperature of your air-conditioner — and for times when adjusting the AC is not an option — try these steps to chill out and sleep well, even on the steamiest days of summer.

To regulate temperature, consider closing the blinds to reduce heat buildup during the day. While this might sound like a small shift, it can actually make a substantial difference. When closed, insulated cellular shades can slash solar heat that comes through windows by up to 60 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Don’t want to invest in something that spendy? Even medium-colored fabric drapes with white plastic backings can reduce heat gains by 33 percent.

Winding down mentally and physically can aid your body as it tries to cool down physiologically. “Try to avoid stressful activities, heavy meals, and intense exercise in the evening,” Dr. Raymann says, since these factors all tend to make our bodies feel hotter.

And if you choose to drink alcohol earlier in the day, do so in moderation (up to one drink per day for women, up to two per day for men) and finish your glass at least 4 hours before you hit the sheets. Research suggests sipping too close to when you snooze may disrupt slumber.

If you don’t have AC or it’s not powerful enough, Weiss suggests placing a bowl with cold water and ice in your bedroom. Position a fan behind it and facing toward your sleeping space to amplify the fan’s cooling effects. If you live in an area where it’s hot and humid, try to keep the humidity at or below 50 to 60 percent, Raymann says. (According to the National Asthma Council Australia, ideal indoor humidity levels are between 30 and 50 percent.) A dehumidifier or wall-mounted humidistat connected to your HVAC system can aid in moisture control.

Speaking of moisture, a shower before bedtime can trigger a natural cooldown effect, explains Logan Foley, a Spencer Institute–certified sleep science coach in Seattle and the managing editor for Sleep Foundation. It may sound counterintuitive, but a systematic review of 5,322 studies published in Sleep Medicine Reviews in August 2019 found that a warm or lukewarm shower (between 104 and 109 degrees F) one to two hours before bed can significantly improve sleep. Your body will feel relatively cool stepping out of the shower into your home’s temperature, and will continue to cool down as it prepares for rest.

There isn’t much scientific research on the effects of sleeping naked, Foley says, but some people do say that sleeping naked helps them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Sleeping sans clothes can help your body maintain a cooler core temperature and promote better sleep thanks to the extra airflow and lack of layers. “If you choose to sleep naked, consider taking a shower before bed to keep your sheets clean longer and ensure you have comfortable bedding so you don’t get too cold at night,” Foley says.

If sleeping in the buff isn’t for you, choose pajamas made with natural fibers like cotton, light wool, or silk. A study in the August 2019 issue of Nature and Science of Sleep found that compared with synthetic materials like polyester, sleepwear in natural fabrics actually helped people fall asleep faster.

Traditional spring mattresses do tend to allow for cooler sleeping than foam or latex mattresses, Consumer Reports testing has found.

But many newer foam and other mattresses are designed with temperature-regulating components, says Foley, who is involved in sleep product evaluations for Sleep Foundation. “Advanced polyfoam or open-cell polyfoam, for example, is designed with small air bubbles that increase breathability and reduce heat retention.”

“There are pillows, sheets, and pajamas made with materials selected to provide a slight cooling quality,” Raymann says — but know that their cooling capabilities are limited.

Fabrics like bamboo, cotton, and Tencel are breathable and can wick away moisture, Foley says, but they don’t actually change the temperature of the space. These might offer a limited amount of relief, but to get a better effect Raymann recommends using them along with other cooling mechanisms (such as a fan or air conditioning).

Whether it's due to a dream, stress, the ambient temperature, or something else, it can be totally normal to wake up sweaty every so often, even if you follow all these cool sleep tips.

“Sweating is a sign that your body is actively trying to cool down because it is too warm. If you now and then wake up during the night and feel a bit clammy or sweaty, that can be regarded as normal,” Raymann says.

If you wake up nearly every morning soaked in sweat, consider using a thermometer to track your morning body temperature and visit your doctor to discuss if your hot sleep may be due to an underlying medical issue or medication you’re taking, Raymann says. It’s important to get any underlying medical condition diagnosed and treated. And it’s important to figure out a way to sleep cooler, as consistently sleeping so hot that you’re waking up sweating can lead to reduced sleep time and decreased deep sleep, research has indicated.

Certain medical conditions and medications can cause night sweats, including menopause, sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea), cancer, and autoimmune diseases, Weiss adds. Antidepressants and hypertension drugs may also make someone wake up sweaty, so if you’re taking those and struggle with profuse night sweating, talk to your doctor about potentially switching prescriptions or how to better regulate temperature at night.

By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

It’s a problem because less sleep increases risk of lots of chronic health problems, and can interfere with cognitive function and mood.

Middle-aged and older adults have worse cognitive function when they get too little or too much sleep, a new study suggests.

It’s something you do every day, but most of us miss the mark. Here’s what top sleep experts had to say about getting better rest.

The U.S. Senate’s Sunshine Protection Act raises questions about the pros and cons of daylight saving and standard time.

People who are exposed to bright light at night may experience changes in their heart rate and insulin levels that are associated with an increased risk...

But the new data underscores that any exercise is better than none, when it comes to bettering sleep quality. 

A new study found that frequent intake of cannabis may increase the likelihood a person will sleep too little or too much.

By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.