What to Do When It’s Too Hot to Sleep

For most people, the best temperature for sleep is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. As you prepare to fall asleep, heat is drawn away from your body’s core, allowing your body temperature to drop. This lower temperature is critical for sleep onset and also leads to deeper sleep throughout the night.

But hot weather can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Research has shown that a higher nighttime temperature leads to insufficient sleep by limiting the natural drop in body temperature, promoting wakefulness, and reducing the amount of time spent in deep sleep and REM sleep.

If you're hot and can’t sleep at night, below, we've shared several tips to help lower the temperature in your bedroom and keep your body temperature from increasing so you can get the rest you need.

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Draw the Curtains

Closing the curtains or shades, as well as the windows themselves, will help keep both light and heat out of your sleeping space. Sunlight transmits heat into your bedroom. If you need to go to bed while it's still light outside, closing the curtains or shades will limit or stop the sunlight from heating the room. You can also close them during the day when you're not sleeping to prevent heat buildup in your bedroom.

Light also prevents your brain from releasing melatonin, the hormone responsible for initiating sleep. When less light is available, such as after closing curtains, this signals the release of melatonin into the blood and makes it easier to fall asleep.

Drink Cool or Iced Water

Drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated is good for overall health. Drinking cool liquids also helps to keep body temperature down, especially in hot surroundings. When the temperatures rise, you may need to drink even more water to replace the water your body loses through sweat in its effort to stay cool.

Use Comfortable Clothing and Bedding

Wearing loose and lightweight clothes and using cooler bedding materials can have a positive effect on sleeping in hot weather.

• Wear more comfortable clothes: Sleeping in lighter and looser clothes during warmer weather may help to keep you cooler. Also, removing or limiting the use of thick blankets can help reduce heat and body temperature as you sleep.
• Invest in lighter sleeping materials: Bedding materials that allow for better airflow or improved breathability, like cotton, linen, or bamboo, will help you stay cooler.
• Use a cooling mattress or pillow: Cooling mattresses, toppers, and pillows are designed to improve airflow around the body, to help reduce the temperature and improve comfort.
• Freeze sleeping materials: One way to ensure that your sheets are cold is to freeze them. This can be accomplished by placing them in a plastic bag to reduce moisture, sealing it, and then placing it in the freezer. You can also freeze an eye mask to wear on your face.

Take a Warm (Not Cold) Shower Before Bed

This sounds counterintuitive, but a warm shower or bath one to two hours before bedtime can help lower core body temperature afterward, making it easier to fall asleep. A cold shower may feel refreshing but doesn't always promote the same cooling response.

Don't Exercise Right Before Bed

Exercise generates heat and increases body temperature, which can make it more difficult to fall or remain asleep, especially in hot weather. Routine exercise is important to help maintain good health and has been shown to help improve sleep. But exercise is best done more than 90 minutes before bedtime, giving your body time to cool down.

Avoid Sharing a Bed

When two bodies are in contact or in close proximity to each other, they generate and radiate heat, which can increase the temperature of the surrounding area. As a result, sharing your bed with another person or a pet may lead to increased heat. 

Sleep on the Floor

If you sleep alone and still feel hot, an alternative could be sleeping on the floor. This may be cooler than sleeping on a higher bed frame, because warm air rises. If you aren't comfortable directly on the floor, you can try putting your mattress on the floor or using a platform bed that's much lower to the ground.

Be Careful With Alcohol and Food

Avoiding alcohol before bed can help you sleep better, too. Drinking alcohol can cause you to urinate frequently and lose water from your body. As a result, you can become dehydrated, making it more difficult to stay cool through sweating.

Certain eating habits may also negatively affect your ability to sleep well. Eating large or heavy meals within two or three hours before bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Also, eating hot or spicy foods before bed can increase body temperature, affecting sleep onset and quality.

Adjust CPAP Humidity Settings

If your CPAP includes a heated humidifier or heated tubing, consider adjusting the humidity settings if you find the air feels too warm or humid. Some people are more comfortable using a lower humidity setting during hot weather, while others may still benefit from added humidity if they sleep in an air-conditioned room that dries out the air. If you're unsure which settings are right for you, talk to your doctor or equipment supplier before making significant changes.

Prevent CPAP Mask Leaks

Sweating can also make it harder for your mask cushion to maintain a good seal. Washing your face before bed, keeping your bedroom cool, and cleaning your mask cushion regularly may help reduce air leaks. If perspiration continues to interfere with the fit of your mask, a fabric mask liner may improve comfort and reduce skin irritation.

Written by

Tochukwu Ikpeze, MD, Contributing Writer

Tochukwu grew up in New York and has a passion for creative and scientific writing. Tochukwu holds an undergraduate degree in Biology and Psychology, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science, and a Medical Degree as well. In his free time, Tochukwu enjoys reading, learning, exploring various topics pertaining to the human condition and conveying that information to the public through writing.

Reviewed by

Pranshu Adavadkar, MD, Medical Reviewer

Dr. Pranshu Adavadkar is a board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatrician with more than two decades of clinical experience diagnosing and treating sleep disorders in both children and adults. His clinical work focuses on conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and other sleep-related breathing disorders.