Why do I get hot and cold at night?

There are many different factors that can cause our temperature to fluctuate during the night. Some of the most common ones are:

FOOD: have you eaten a heavy meal before going to bed? Some types of foods really are sleep killers. If your metabolism is working at full capacity during the night this can cause you to overheat.

DRINKS: drinking coffee or beverages with caffeine before going to bed can not only make us too energised to fall asleep, coffee can also increase our body temperature. Consuming too much alcohol can also cause night sweats. As Dr med Lutz Graumann puts it: "A no-go for good sleep is alcohol. The moment we drink alcohol, there is absolutely no restorative sleep. You can even see that your resting heart rate is elevated by up to 10 beats the whole night just because it."

EXERCISE: doing sports has a positive impact on our sleep but if we are completing a hard workout just before going to bed our temperature can be elevated. This can make it more difficult to fall asleep and as our temperature drops during the night we could become cold.

HORMONAL CHANGES: women's sleep is impacted by hormonal changes throughout their lives. From menstruation to pregnancy and menopause these hormonal changes can lead to hot flashes at night and sudden temperature increases. Dr Rebecca Robins, (PhD, researcher Harvard Medical School) explains: ”Hot flashes are common during menopause, a life stage that unfortunately carries with it significant sleep difficulties for women. Those experiencing menopause commonly also report more insomnia than other life stages. Specifically, research shows that 61% report insomnia symptoms.”  

ILLNESS & INFECTION: infections can lead to fevers and as a result we overheat and start to sweat at night. If our sleepwear becomes wet we can afterwards become cold and start to shiver. Some other illnesses such as cancer, heart disease and chronic stress have also been linked with night sweats and fluctuating sleep temperatures.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA: sleep apnea not only makes it difficult to breathe at night, it has also been linked to night sweats.

BEDROOM TEMPERATURE: a bedroom that is too hot or too cold can impact our sleep temperature during the night. During the REM sleep phases our natural thermo-regulation ability is impaired making it even more important to have the right ambient temperature when we sleep

BEDDING & SLEEPWEAR: bedding and sleepwear that aren't breathable can trap in heat making it easier to become overheated. As a result you start to sweat and if you have the wrong fabrics next to your skin you can become wet and cold. Professor Torbjörn Åkersted (Stockholm University) explains: "Sleep is vital. By understanding the factors that affect our sleep and by changing a few habits we can have a big impact on our sleep quality and wellbeing. Sleepwear and bedding that help to manage temperature and sweat during the night can support the body's natural thermo-regulation."