If you’re anything like me, you too have trouble sleeping in the winter. For some reason, whenever the temperature drops, so does my ability to lull myself to sleep. The issue is that I’m always cold and am practically shivering as soon as I hit the sack. So to figure out how to catch some zzz’s and make myself cozy, I’ve once more turned to my research for some tips on how to get warm in bed.
Now, I know what you might be thinking — “Just heat your bedroom!” Well, I would if it weren’t for my partner. You see, sometimes, even soulmates have different ideas of what their ideal temperature is. And while my partner loves to pretend we live in Antarctica, I’m just looking for that good, toasty feeling under the sheets. Luckily, I now know how to solve this issue and can confirm I’m sleeping as soundly as a baby.
Some of the solutions I’ve tried may cost you next to nothing, while others may require a shopping spree. Overall, I’m confident most of these will let you relax and send you off to dreamland in just a few minutes. But before I get to that, let’s discuss why sleeping in a warm bed could actually improve your sleep pattern.
» NAVIGATION «
Why Being Warm in Bed May Help You Sleep Better
Now, I don’t have an exact scientific explanation as to why I favor sleeping in a warm bed while my partner loves lowering the thermostat at night. It seems that each person has a preference, and because of that, figuring out the right temperature for sleeping is super tricky. Namely, it depends on your age as well as your health, not to mention your tolerance to stuffiness.
What I can tell you is that your body has an internal thermostat that tells it when it’s time to go to bed. Your temperature naturally drops as the time to snooze approaches.
The problem is that if you’re already cooled down and you’re sleeping in an uncomfortably cold room, you’re bound to wake up! Worst of all, some people even swear they often have nightmares if they’re cold when sleeping, although that may again be down to how pleasant the temperature is to them in particular.
The key solution to your problem is comfort. No matter if you prefer to be warm or cold while sleeping, you shouldn’t go overboard. Lowering the temperature further could make you shiver in despair, whereas overheating the bedroom could make you sweat, causing you to suddenly wake up all anxious.
Ideally, the bedroom temperature should be anywhere between 15.5–19.5 °C or 60–67 °F. But even that’s not usually the case with most people.
Still, unless you want your heating bills to skyrocket, I suggest getting warm in bed by using stuff you probably already have at home. My tips should help you make up for the difference between the standard and your ideal temperature, lulling you to sleep in no time at all.
8 Ways to Get Warm in Bed Quickly
Of course, giving you all the details about these solutions is the only way for you to figure out what may or may not work for you. However, I’ve found that there’s more to getting warm in bed than meets the eye.
In some cases, you may need to change things up in your bedroom to ensure no cold gets in. In others, it all comes down to what you wear to bed and how snuggly you really want to be.
1. Layer Up the Bed
The cheapest solution I’ve found is layering the bed with all sorts of blankets and pillows. Of course, getting good-quality, thicker sheets, such as those made of flannel, is a must as well. But to better insulate the bed, you’ll need to cover up, just like you’d do if you were going outside.
I personally like having a few pillows to sleep on, one I actually lay my head on and the rest to serve as fluffy armor around my head. Then, I get my warm comforter and top it off with a cozy blanket (or two), preferably one made of fleece or wool.
Even those huge handmade wool blankets could work. You can make them yourself in like an hour, and they’ll keep you warm throughout the winter, as well as serve as throw blankets all year round. I prefer the narrower ones, though — they’re amazing at keeping your feet warm.
2. Consider Buying an Electric Blanket
If you live in a particularly strong climate where the winters are on the verge of freezing, I suggest buying an electric blanket. The best part about these is that they’re warm and snuggly on their own. But they come with the added benefit of adjusting the temperature to your liking.
This particular one is made of fleece and comes with three warming settings. Best of all, it automatically shuts off after three hours. You won’t have to wake up during the night to turn it off, or worse, check if it has overheated.
No products found.
I also like the one by MaxKare, which comes in a festive red color, and this one by Bedsure, which is available in a few sizes.
3. Get a Mattress Topper
Of course, if you want to invest in a memory foam mattress to sleep better, feel free to do so. However, foamy mattresses may get too hot during the night, so a topper may be a better solution.
Memory foam toppers allow you to really sink into your mattress and get truly comfortable. Additionally, foam traps your body heat against you, so you’re unlikely to feel cold at night.
- MEMORY FOAM: 3 inches of soft memory foam provide a...
- BAMBOO CHARCOAL: Bamboo charcoal is infused in the bed...
- PROTECT YOUR TOPPER: We recommend using a Lucid...
- CERTIFIED FOAM: All Lucid memory foam is CertiPur-US...
Still, to prevent sweating while sleeping, I’d suggest getting a ventilated topper, such as this one, for optimal temperature regulation.
4. Close the Bedroom Windows and Doors
Obviously, if the cold bothers you and doesn’t let you sleep at night, it’s imperative to make sure no cold air gets into the bedroom. Because of that, I make sure to close all the windows and the door to keep the heat in.
Now, this may prove a bit difficult for you, as the air in the room is bound to get stuffy. Sometimes, that gives me a headache — I feel like I can’t breathe properly.
So, on those nights, I do crack open a window slightly. I close it during the night if it gets too cold.
I wouldn’t recommend doing this when it’s freezing outside, though. It might be better to open the door and risk some of the heat leaving the room. In that case, you can always just layer the bed with some more blankets.
5. Consider Better Insulation
With proper insulation, getting warm in bed would prove much easier, as the heat would remain in the room throughout the night. Besides, the insulation would probably save you money in the long run as you won’t be spending all that much on heating.
However, as you can imagine, this isn’t a quick fix. If it’s too late to insulate your bedroom now, I suggest going with any of my other solutions. Wait for the cold to go away to start a home improvement project.
6. Wear Quality Warm PJs
Just like in the case of sheets, I’d recommend getting yourself some flannel PJs to keep warm at night. Alternatively, you can opt for silk pajamas as these let you stay warm but should not make you sweat profusely.
Silk has never been my material of choice, so I often opt for flannel pajamas. Still, I do make sure not to get the ones with high necklines. Those can be somewhat uncomfortable to sleep in and can often make me feel as if I’m wearing a turtleneck.
Something like this would work; you can always button the top down if you suddenly feel hot during the night under your mountain of blankets and pillows.
7. Put on Some Thick Socks
Even when I was a child, my mother would make me wear warm, thick socks to bed in the winter. My feet are always cold, so wearing socks in bed has become a norm for me, and I do still choose wool ones to keep warm in bed.
- Designed for Extreme Temperatures: For optimal level...
- Incredibly Soft and Comfortable: Brushed fleece lining...
- Superior Cushioning in the Footbed: With reinforced toe...
- Moisture Wicking: Merino wool mens crew socks absorb...
I’ve found these to work quite well, so I always have a few extra pairs on standby. Besides, they’re great for other settings as well. If I’m hiking or playing sports, their reinforced soles allow me to stay comfortable for quite a while. On top of that, they absorb moisture and sweat.
8. Wear a Knit Cap
My final tip may be a bit controversial, especially if you think wearing a knit cap to bed is something only grandmas would do. However, I’ve found that by wearing a knit hat, my body retains heat better. If my legs, arms, and head are covered, the cold can’t get to me so easily — there’s no way for it to pass through.
Depending on the quality and the material of the cap, you may or may not feel itchy during the night. So I’d save this one for extreme weather when the cold has gotten to your bones, and you’re really shivering. My other solutions should keep you quite warm anyway, so a cap might be too much on some occasions.
Final Thoughts
And there you go — this is precisely how I get warm in bed on those cold winter nights.
Granted, I may occasionally go a step further. I sometimes take a warm shower, bring a bottle with hot water to bed, or drink a cup of something warm, such as tea, cocoa, or even just plain old milk. But in essence, layering the bed with blankets and pillows, as well going for warm PJs and some thick, thermal socks ensures you don’t feel chilly at all.
Hopefully, some of these solutions will let you get a good night’s rest without shivering through the night. And if anything, most of them are affordable or would only require you to consider more durable materials when shopping for sleep gear. Who knows, that may prove to be more cost-effective in the long run!
