Night sweats relate to heavy episodes of sweating during sleep, to the extend that your bedding and clothes often become drenched. Not only can this be extremely frustrating, but it can quickly become uncomfortable and disruptive.
In this article, we’ve explored the common reasons why you might sweat at night, some simple ways to combat night sweats, and the best bedding to invest in if you’re prone to overheating.
Common reasons we sweat in our sleep
Night sweats can be frustrating at best and uncomfortable and disruptive at worst. But what are the main reasons people struggle?
Menopause
If you’re over 40 years of age and you’re struggling to sleep at night as a result of sweating, menopausal hot flushes might be why.
While they can be uncomfortable and disruptive, don’t worry; you’re not alone. In fact, up to 75% of women experience the same thing, with some of the best sheets for menopause including cotton, linen, silk, or eucalyptus.
Monthly cycle
Something else that can affect women is their menstrual cycle and the fluctuations in hormone levels that follow. This can lead to uncomfortable night sweats that contribute to disrupted sleep.
Medication
Excessive sweating at night might be one of the common side effects of any new medication you’ve started taking, including some antidepressants and hormone replacements. If night sweats are interfering with your sleep and keeping you up at night, it might be worth talking to your doctor or pharmacist about alternative solutions.
Anxiety
Not only are stress and worry common symptoms of insomnia, which already makes it difficult to get to sleep, but they can also contribute to you regularly waking up sweating at night.
Night sweats and anxiety often go hand-in-hand, so if this sounds like something you’re suffering from and struggling with, find out how to combat stress in our guide: how to reduce anxiety at night.
Infection
Sweating at night is a common response from your body to infection, or a way for it to show you that you’re coming down with illness. If you suddenly begin to struggle with night sweats for no apparent reason – especially if combined with other symptoms - it’s worth getting in touch with your doctor to prevent a worsening condition.
Alcohol
If you’ve been on a night out, or just spent an evening drinking more alcohol than usual, you might wake up sweating and find your sheets and duvet drenched. This is quite common, though, so nothing to be alarmed about! Put simply: your body tends to overheat while processing the alcohol.
Eating habits
Something as simple as your diet can also have an impact on the amount you sweat at night. For instance, eating a spicy meal too late in the evening can make it difficult to comfortably get to sleep, as your body reacts to and metabolises the food.
Bedding factors that affect body heat and sleep
If you’ve suffered for a little while, night sweats can begin to feel like an unfortunate but inevitable part of life. Fortunately, though, this needn’t be true, and there are some simple ways to improve your situation, including the type of duvet you buy and the materials you choose.
1. Duvet tog
Duvet tog is crucially important when choosing new bedding, and certainly something to consider if you struggle with night sweats.
Essentially, tog means the level of warmth that a duvet provides, with 13.5 tog referring to the cosiest bedding that’s perfect for keeping you toasty in cold weather.
However, this can quickly become too hot if you’re prone to overheating (or the temperature isn’t near-freezing), and you might want to consider something cooler, like an all-seasons duvet.
If you want to learn more about the different levels of duvet warmth, check out our guide: the ultimate duvet tog guide.
2. Duvet filling
If you’re struggling with night sweats, you might want to reconsider the type of duvet you sleep with, as the filling could be contributing to your overheating.
If your current duvet is filled with a low-quality fibres, you’re likely falling victim to low-breathability, poor temperature regulation, and restricted airflow, which can make your quilt feel extra warm. And if you’re a serial sweater, that’s the last thing you need!
Instead, opt for a duvet filling that keeps you cool and dry at night, by regulating and adapting to your body temperature as you sleep. In other words, bedding that cools you down when you’re beginning to overheat.
3. Type of fabric
Just as it’s important to choose a breathable duvet filling, you should also consider the fabric of your duvet cover.
Picking out a breathable and moisture-wicking fabric that keeps you cool and dry at night is essential if you’re particularly prone to night sweats. Think natural materials like silk, cotton, and linen.
What is the best bedding for night sweats?
Now we know the reasons for sweating at night and what you can do to combat overheating, it’s time to take a look at some of the best types of bedding to enhance your sleeping experience.
The best cooling sheets for night sweats
If you struggle with night sweats, it’s absolutely essential that you choose bed sheets that are both breathable and moisture-wicking, to keep you dry even on the warmest evenings. With this in mind, look no further than eucalyptus silk, whether you favour fitted sheets or flat sheets.
Eucalyptus silk one of the best fabrics for night sweats, making it the perfect pick. Not only is it great at keeping you comfortable in any temperature, but it’s also made with cool-to-touch technology that stays fresher for longer and keeps you snug and cosy without overheating. And best of all; it’s luxuriously soft and completely sustainable.
The best duvet for night sweats
Through a combination of organic eucalyptus silk and natural bamboo filling, we’ve created the perfect duvet that keeps you cool and comfortable no matter the temperature – even if you struggle with night sweats.
Breathable, moisture-wicking fabric means each night is a dry one, with cool-to-touch technology ensuring you never wake up feeling hot and flustered. Just like our bed sheets, our eucalyptus silk duvets are luxuriously soft and indulgent, guaranteed to enhance your sleeping experience.
Discover Ethical Bedding's soft, organic All-Season Duvet
The best pillow for night sweats
No sweat-resistant bedding set is incomplete without a comfortable pillow and pillowcase combination, and there are few better fabrics than eucalyptus silk (and a natural bamboo filling) when it comes to keeping you cool and dry.
Browse Ethical Bedding's Organic Eucalyptus Silk Pillowcases in various colours
Keeping your head and shoulders comfortable can go a long way towards healthy and undisturbed sleep, as well as helping you drift off faster, so consider the benefits of eucalyptus for your next night sweat pillow:
- Breathable
- Moisture-wicking
- Hypoallergenic
- Luxuriously soft
Shop Ethical Bedding's moisture-wicking organic pillow
The best blanket for night sweats
Any bed deserves a quality blanket to complement soft and silky bedding and pillows, so don’t settle for anything less than luxury. Eucalyptus silk is among the best blankets for night sweats; it’s an excellent example of quality fabric that keeps you cool and comfortable at night - and most importantly: dry.
This cosy material will keep you snug, while the breathable fibres ensure constant airflow to prevent you from overheating, providing the perfect finishing touches to your bedding.
Shop Ethical Bedding's Luxury Eucalyptus Blanket
Night sweats are something that impact many people across the UK, for numerous reasons. But that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to damp bedding and uncomfortable nights.
With the right bedding, you can transform your sleeping experience for the better, and enjoy total luxury every night. For even more expert insight from our sleep experts, head on over to the Ethical Bedding blog.
