Best Mattress for a Hot Sleeper

There are typically two kinds of people: those who are always hot or those who feel a chill wherever they go. Do you typically “run hot” during the day and especially when sleeping? It’s not uncommon to feel like you can never cool down no matter how low the thermostat goes. Unfortunately, this often leads to sleep deprivation. 

Are you a hot sleeper? If so, it can be tough to get into a comfortable position and stay asleep for long stretches of time. You might be wondering why you sweat at night. When your body is unable to cool down, it keeps you alert. The result is a lack of sleep followed by feelings of fatigue throughout the day. For those who share a bed with a hot sleeper, it can disrupt their sleep as well since there’s likely to be a lot of tossing and turning during the night. You may not fully wake up during the night, but it’s likely you’re not achieving deep sleep either.

Thankfully there’s new technology available that provides cooling comfort for hot sleepers so they can get a good night’s rest. The Eight Sleep Pod is the only bed of its kind that maintains comfort and adds the unique effectiveness of water-powered thermal technology to regulate body temperature through the night. How does it work? Simply set up the Pod on a compliant bed frame or platform and zip on the cover. Next, fill the Hub with water, and lastly, set your ideal sleep temperature with the Eight Sleep app on your smartphone. 

The Pod is an ideal solution for hot sleepers because it adapts to how hot or cold you run while sleeping without disrupting your sleep (or anyone else’s).. Even if you’ve found your ideal temperature, different seasons, stress on the body, and other environmental factors can skew this number a few degrees in either direction. In addition to its customization, it tracks sleep phases, heart rate, and other body functions and adjusts temperatures based on your particular needs at different phases. The result is more consistent, better sleep which improves your overall health and quality of life. In short, this smart technology personalizes the sleep experience to ensure better health.

Tips to Cool Down if You’re a Hot Sleeper

There’s no one reason why you may run hot while sleeping. It could be the season, condition of your room, or part of your body’s physiological makeup. Your ideal sleeping temperature may also change as you get older, if you’re dealing with a temporary illness, or suffer from certain health conditions. Whatever the root cause is behind your internal temperature running hot can be alleviated with a few tips.

Change the Room Conditions

There are multiple ways to cool down your body temperature in conjunction with using the Pod to adapt to your sleeping habits. The first is monitoring the room temperature. Does it feel stuffy or warm? Is there adequate ventilation? Turn down the thermostat a few degrees or turn on a fan at night to circulate air. A bedroom should be cool, dark, and quiet to align with better sleep. Prep your room a few hours prior to going to bed so that it’s in the ideal conditions when you lie down. 

Exercise in the Evening

Cool down with an evening workout followed by a relaxing shower. While some may think exercising before bed may result in the opposite of a good night’s rest, it can actually prepare the body for a cooldown period. During a workout, the body temperature rises, much like a warm bath or shower, to provide a calming way to wind down. Exercise is also beneficial to alleviate stress and anxiety, which often prevents people from falling asleep.

Switch What You Wear to Bed

Another way to cool down if you’re a hot sleeper is to change your bedding or pajamas. If you use heavy materials for either, it immediately can raise your body temperature or keep you warmer throughout the night. Opt for lightweight fabrics that don’t hug the skin. They should feel loose and comfortable. By swapping out what’s generating more heat, you can have a better night’s sleep without having to make drastic changes in your lifestyle.

Take Note of “Trigger” Foods

Finally, take note of the foods and beverages you consume throughout the day, particularly in the evening. Spicy food, alcohol, and caffeine can warm up the body and lead to acid reflux, heartburn, or restlessness, none of which are conducive to sleep. If you suffer from sleep deprivation, assess if your diet may be the cause, and learn more about the 10 foods to eat before bed to help you sleep.

Get in the Habit of a Good Night’s Rest

In addition to changing the temperature of your room and bed to help achieve regular sleep, there are other tips to promote better bedtime habits.

  • Practice meditation or deep breathing. The chaos of the day doesn’t always settle down right away when you’re trying to sleep. By intentionally quieting your mind, it can prevent the common culprits of poor sleep, such as stress and anxiety. 
  • Eat less in the evening. Certain foods can wreak havoc on the digestive system and keep you awake at night. Avoid heavy meals in the evening to prevent upset stomach, bloating, or other symptoms that prevent quality sleep. 
  • Get a ceiling fan. Even if you have the air-conditioner running, sometimes it takes circulating air to fully be able to cool down. A ceiling fan or floor fan is a smart investment to make.
  • Reduce the amount of caffeine you drink in the afternoon. Caffeine is known for keeping people up at night. Try to limit your intake to the morning hours, especially if you have trouble falling asleep. This may be the simple change you need to fall asleep more easily.
  • Stay consistent with your sleep patterns. It’s recommended to get eight hours of sleep per night. However, don’t try to overcompensate for lack of sleep on the weekend because it can throw off your body’s natural cycle. Try to get the same amount of sleep every night.
  • Turn off phone notifications. Text messages, calls, and social media alerts distract us daily and can be a huge disruptor of quality sleep. Turn off the volume and shut off notifications completely as you sleep, if you can. Seeing the screen light up can be as distracting as hearing it go off.

See How Better Sleep Can Make You Feel

When it comes to our health, we typically look to getting a good night’s sleep as last on the priority list when it should be at the top. It’s linked to how our body and mind functions. It affects our moods, how we feel physically, and helps to prevent more serious health conditions from settling in. That means the more we sleep, the more energy we’ll have to follow a regular exercise routine, be mindful of what we eat, and eliminate extra stress from our day. 

The concept of “getting more sleep” sounds practical enough for most people, but unfortunately, many don’t know where to start. By taking advantage of the technology available today and using the best mattress for a hot sleeper you’re already taking the first step to better sleep. Syncing up the Eight Sleep Pod with the Eight Sleep app provides data about your sleep habits and patterns to use as a baseline as you improve your health. 

The app shows you trends of your sleep patterns, when you wake up during the night, and how many hours you typically get. This can guide you to where you currently are and what goals to set for your sleep health. The sensors in the Pod technology show you exactly when your body temperature changes and why. (It’s like a personal trainer for your sleep.) You may be surprised to find the differences in the amount of sleep you think you get and what you actually achieve — but then you can take solid steps to get better rest.

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