But how can we combat poor sleep? There are a range of reasons why we may experience a bad night’s sleep. Stress, the effects of caffeine or alcohol, sleep apnoea, chronic insomnia, menopause, and being parents of small children are all reasons why we might either fail to sleep or wake during slumber. Another reason is overheating. Many of us experience nights where we wake in a sweat, and it takes time to mop ourselves up and sort out fresh bedding in the middle of the night, or else we grin and bear the clammy bedding we’re in, which is anything but pleasant!
Overheating during sleep can be caused by hormonal fluctuations, a hot climate or by non-breathable bedding. In this article, we’ll focus on bedding choice, and look at how cooling sheets can transform your sleep for the better.
Gain temperature regulation via your sheets
Gone are the days when you had to just deal with limited varieties of sheets available in the bedding market, some of which would leave you burning up at night. Nowadays, textile technology has stepped in and there are fabrics available that help ensure you can sleep soundly on a hot night, or when your body is running hot. You can get bamboo cooling sheets, linen cooling sheets, eucalyptus sheets (TENCEL™ sheets), and more!
Temperature regulating sheets, also known as ‘cooling sheets’, allow you to remain at a pleasant temperature, not only when you first get into bed, but for the entirety of the night.
How do cooling sheets help regulate body temperature?
To assist the body to remain cool during the night, cooling sheets work to wick moisture away from the body and allow for airflow to and from the body. Rather than trapping in all the body heat, the heat is released through the sheets. This way, you don’t end up sweaty, and drenching the bed.
Here’s more about how they work:
Moisture Wicking Abilities
During sleep, it’s normal for the body to perspire as a way of regulating temperature. An appealing drawcard of cooling sheets is their ability to wick moisture away from the body. Moisture wicking basically means that the fabric of your sheets draws sweat away from your skin, which in turn, helps to keep your body at a steady temperature. It also means that you feel dry, as moisture is collected in the cooling sheets, and then dried quickly. All up, you don’t end up with that sweaty, clammy feeling on the skin that you can experience with standard sheets.
Breathability
Not every sheet that boasts its moisture-wicking properties will also be breathable. However, the breathability of your sheets is equally important, as when the moisture is drawn away from your body, the sheets must then allow for airflow so that they can dry out quickly, rather than keeping heat and moisture trapped around your body. Choosing sheets that are breathable as well as moisture wicking is important.
Type of Weave & Thread Count
If you’re aiming for temperature regulation with sheets, then you need to consider the type of fabric weave and its thread count. Weaves like percale have a crisp and cool feel when you get into bed, and sateen, a very smooth feel. However, the denser the weave and the higher the thread count, the more likely your sheets will leave you feeling hot. This is because a tight weave allows for less airflow, meaning less breathability. So for temperature regulation with sheets, aim for more loose weaves and lower thread counts.
Cooling Sheet Material
Cooling sheets wouldn’t be cooling if they didn’t use the right fibres. Materials known for their thermo-regulating properties include fabrics like linen and cotton, however their thickness (thread count) will impact how breathable and cooling they in fact are.
New research into textiles has identified particular fibres that make for a more ‘cooling’ fabric. Bamboo has been found to be moisture wicking and breathable, and TENCEL™, which uses Eucalypt-derived cellulose, is known for its excellent moisture-wicking and cooling abilities.
By combining moisture-wicking fabrics, breathable weaves, and the right thread count, cooling sheets can significantly improve your sleep quality during warm nights, helping you stay fresh and comfortable.
Other factors to consider when it comes to overheating
Despite using cooling sheets, you may still find your bed is too hot at night. Factors that contribute to overheating include:
Your mattress
Mattresses can be made from various different materials, and the more synthetic those materials, the less breathable your mattress is likely to be. In particular, mattresses made from memory foam, polyurethane and polyester are prime culprits when it comes to a ‘sauna’ like sleep experience. So what can you do?
If you’re able to swap your mattress over for a natural latex mattress (known to release heat rather than retain it) or to a spring mattress (which allows air to circulate through its coils) then you are likely to experience less mattress heat.
If changing up your mattress at this point in time is not an option, seek out mattress toppers made from breathable materials, like natural latex, wool or bamboo. Again, avoid foam and memory foam if overheating is something you want to avoid. There are even gel cooling mattress toppers, designed not only for comfort but also to prevent overheating.
Then, cover your mattress topper with a cooling bamboo mattress protector, before throwing your cooling sheets on the bed.
Your comforter
If your doona/duvet/quilt or comforter is overly thick or made from a non-breathable material, then your cooling sheets won’t be able to work their magic. So ensure that you invest in a comforter that will help to regulate your temperature, no matter the season. In particular, seek out cooling comforters that offer similar attributes as your cooling sheets.
Your pillowcase
Your cooling sheets might leave you feeling cool, however you don’t want a sweaty face and hair. So consider investing in pillowcases made with materials that are also cooling. Look out for pillowcases made with ultra-breathable, temperature regulating TENCEL™. Or purchase a full Cooling sheet set, including sheets and pillowcases.
Your room temperature
Obviously room temperature plays a role in how hot you get at night. The recommended range for room temperature for optimal sleep is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6°C-18.3°C). The prime temperature for you may differ slightly, but it’s good to stick within this range. This means it’s a good idea to measure your room temperature to ensure it is not too hot or too cold.
Your health
If you’ve tried everything else to make sure your bedroom temperature and bedding are optimal, and you’re still overheating at night, it’s worth checking in with your physician and discussing the issue. Good sleep is really important, so if you’re waking repeatedly, it’s important to investigate why.
Cooling sheets at Olive + Crate
At Olive + Crate, we put in the time to identify the most premium cooling sheets on the market, and them to you. Why are our cooling sheets so amazing? For a start, they are made using 100% TENCEL™ lyocell. TENCEL fiber is made with Oeko-Tex 100 Standard certified fibers from Lenzing, Austria. What does that standard mean? The OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 label signifies that textiles have been tested for harmful substances. It establishes the standard for textile safety, covering everything from raw materials to the final product. Any item with this label has passed rigorous tests before being certified as free from harmful substances.
Genuine TENCEL fibers are created from renewable plantation eucalyptus. This closed loop manufacturing process uses far less water than linen and cotton production, and it results in nearly zero waste. That means that at the end of its life, our bedding gently returns to the earth 100% compostable, making it a certified bio-based product.
To top off those credentials, our cooling sheets have a silky-soft feel, are moisture wicking, and cool to the touch. Their thermoregulating properties leave you feeling comfortable and cool all year round.
In addition, these sheets have been designed with practicality in mind. They have deep pockets, so are easy to fit to the bed, and their reinforced seams mean they stay in place on your mattress. No shifting around as you move at night! Did we mention they are durable? With proper care with washing, these sheets should last you several years (anything up to a decade).
Finally, our TENCEL cooling sheets are hypoallergenic, so they resist allergens such as mold and dust mites. If you suffer allergies, you can relax knowing that your TENCEL cooling sheets won’t cause you problems. They are also a good option for those who suffer skin allergies, as they’re made from natural and breathable plant fibres.
