You’re not alone if you’ve found yourself tossing and turning while struggling to sleep well during hot summer nights. While it’s lovely to have the sunshine and warmth during the day, it’s never fun sleeping at night in a bedroom that feels like an oven! Warm weather can play havoc with your sleep, leaving you feeling restless and exhausted. In this blog post, we’re sharing our top tips on how to cool down your bedroom at night.
Hot Tip: The ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18°C (60-65°F).
10 top tips for cooling down a bedroom at night:
- Encourage Airflow
Open windows and interior doors to create a cross-breeze that circulates cooler air throughout your room. The more airflow, the better.
- Block Out the Sun
Keep curtains or blinds drawn during the day to stop the sun from heating up your room. Blackout curtains are especially effective at reducing heat gain.
- Open the Loft Hatch
If you have an attic or loft space, open the hatch. Hot air naturally rises, and this gives it an easy escape route, helping to reduce the temperature below.
- Swap Heavy Bedding for Lightweight Sheets
Ditch the duvet and sleep with a lightweight cotton sheet or a low-tog summer duvet. Breathable fabrics will help regulate body temperature and reduce night sweats.
- Use a Fan with Ice
Position a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in front of an electric fan to create a DIY air conditioner. The fan will circulate cooler air around the room.
- Choose Light Cotton Sleepwear
Wearing light, breathable cotton is better than sleeping naked—it absorbs sweat and helps your body stay cool. Take a cool shower or bath before bed to lower your core temperature.
- Watch What You Eat and Drink
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or heavy meals close to bedtime. These can raise your body temperature and disrupt sleep. Stay hydrated by drinking cold water throughout the evening and keep a glass by your bed.
- Size Matters When Sharing a Bed
If you’re sharing your bed, make sure it’s wide enough—at least 5ft (150cm)—to give both sleepers enough space and reduce heat buildup.
- Consider Sleeping Separately
Two bodies in one bed naturally increase heat. If you’re still overheating, consider separate beds during especially hot nights.
- Choose a Cooling Mattress or Bed Frame
Invest in a bed designed with temperature-regulating features such as moisture-wicking fabrics, breathable layers, or built-in cooling technology for enhanced comfort during summer months.
As well as bedroom temperature, sleeping well depends on various factors in your bedroom environment, including light, noise and the comfort of your bed. Discover how to create the perfect bedroom sleep environment.
First published in 2020, republished 01.06.25
suffer from copd wgat is the best way to keep bedroom cool at night
Hi Michelle, thank you for your comment. To help cool down your bedroom at night, you could open the window and interior doors to create a cross-breeze that circulates cooler air throughout your room. You could also swap heavier sheets and duvet for lighter cotton sheets and a lighter duvet, as well as wear lighter cotton pyjamas. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or heavy meals close to bedtime. These can raise your body temperature and disrupt sleep. Stay hydrated by drinking cold water throughout the evening and keep a glass by your bed. Please check out our blog post for more tips.