The human body is able to thermoregulate, which means it can maintain its own body temperature. The body can do this by absorbing, producing, or emitting body heat as needed in an attempt to stay within healthy, normal ranges.
Your body temperature fluctuates throughout the day, and it may surprise you that core body temperature actually drops at night. This drop in temperature is what triggers the body sleep. But if the body temperature naturally lowers during the night, why do some people seem to emit so much heat while sleeping?
There are a few things that could be going on. First, there could be a physical or medical reason that the body isn’t cooling properly. For example, there may be a hormone imbalance or high metabolic rates.
But there are other factors that could affect body heat during the night have less to do with the body’s physical well-being. One of these factors can be the temperature of the air in the room. Generally, the best sleeping temperature is a room that is in the 60’s. Pajamas and bedding should be made of a material that breathes and allows airflow, such as cotton. Other materials could trap heat close to the body and prevent it from cooling down naturally.
The actual mattress that you sleep on can affect body heat during the night, too. Many mattresses trap heat and prevent the body from cooling naturally. Foam mattresses, for example, can trap heat. When it comes to foam, look for open cell technology since that is the coolest mattress to sleep on out of the foam types.
If you are looking for the coolest mattress to sleep on, consider the following types:
- Innerspring mattress: the most common mattress type sold, but avoid styles that include foam in the comfort layer since that can prevent airflow.
- Airbed mattress: This mattress type has air chambers to adjust firmness, and since it has air under the comfort layer, it promotes airflow and increases the body’s chances of staying cool during sleep.
- Latex mattress: The latex material traps heat less than many foam models. Latex might be found in the comfort layer of other types of beds such as those mentioned above.
Before buying a mattress, talk to the sleep experts at Sleep and Dream. We can tell you about the latest materials, technology and more.
Many people who make adjustments such as lower room temperature, cotton bedding, and a breathable mattress find that they emit less body heat during the night than before, and as a result, wake up more rested.
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