How to stay cosy in bed this winter

Too hot, too cold? Finding the right temperature in bed can be tricky. And maintaining it can be even harder. As we enter the chilly months of winter, thermostats go up, layers go on, but the temptation to wrap up extra toasty in bed can lead to disturbed sleep. Waking several hours later drenched in sweat or tangled in additional blankets. Go too far the other way though, and you run the risk of waking up frozen. So what’s the solution? How do you achieve the perfect balance and stay the right side of snuggly all night long?

Finding – and keeping – the optimum warmth while you sleep, is definitely easier said than done. Here we take a closer look at factors that can influence your body heat and, more importantly, how you can control it.

What can affect your temperature in bed?

– Illness

Winter is the cold and flu season and as your body fights the infections it can often lead to a high body temperature at night.

– Hormones

Female hormones are frequently guilty of raising women’s body temperatures. Pregnancy, menstruation and menopause all influence hormone levels, which in turn can cause changes in body heat. There are also a number of long-term illnesses that can affect hormone levels – such as thyroid disease – leaving both men and women vulnerable to temperature fluctuations. Which, although small, can be enough to make you uncomfortable under the covers.

– Medication

Anti-depressants and other commonly prescribed drugs can make you hotter, particularly at night time.

– What you wear

Do you wrap up like an Eskimo for bed or prefer to go au naturel? Whatever your preference, it can have an impact on the quality of your sleep. As, whilst you may feel comfortable at first, wear too much to bed and you could soon be overheating, wear too little and you might find yourself shivering in the early hours.

– Room conditions

What happens when the central heating flicks off, do climates plummet in the middle of the night? Or do you leave the heating on but wake up in a hot sweat? Getting the timings right with your heating system is essential to maintaining a pleasant sleeping environment.

– Duvet and bedding choice

Don’t forget to check the tog of your duvet. The higher the tog rating the warmer the duvet, with 10.5-13.5 tog perfect for winter. Purchasing an ‘all-season’ duvet is a great idea, as these combine a number of togs to create the ideal weight for the season and giving you flexibility all year round.

– Your mattress

An easy way to control the heat is by changing your mattress. A quality, breathable mattress can help you to maintain a steady temperature throughout the night, preventing you from overheating or getting too cold.

Find out what works for you

With the possibility of so many factors affecting your sleeping conditions, what can you do? The trick is to spend a little time discovering what works best for you.

Play around. Would a boost of central heating in the middle of the night do the trick or could you switch it off earlier but wear pjs and use a thicker duvet?

With an awareness of all the considerations – and a little trial and error – you can create the ideal conditions for a great night’s sleep.

Buy your new mattress today

Here at Dreamers Bed Centre, we have a fantastic collection of quality mattresses that can help to control your temperature and keep you comfortable whilst you rest.

We highly recommend taking a look at our cool memory foam mattress range. Whilst standard memory foam beds can lock heat in, these innovative mattresses use a high-density foam which regulates body temperature – so you can enjoy a better night’s sleep whatever the season!

To find out more about these, or any of the mattresses we have available, call the team on 01942 275 464 or email info@dreamersbedcentre.co.uk.