There’s a reason your body throws off the blankets in the middle of the night - and no, it’s actually not because your partner is a human furnace.
It actually has to do with the fact that your core body temperature plays a massive role in whether you sleep deeply or toss and turn. And nowadays as more people are chasing the holy grail of optimal sleep, temperature has become the one of the most hotly (pun intended) debated topics.
In this blog post we’re going to dive into:
- The science behind why sleeping cooler helps you sleep better
- How temperature regulation became the centerpiece of billion-dollar sleep brands
-
Simple, practical ways you can cool things down and upgrade your rest tonight
Why Your Body Needs to Chill (Literally)
Here’s the physiology in a nutshell - as you fall asleep, your core body temperature naturally drops by about 1 to 2°F. This decline signals to your body that it’s time for rest, helping initiate melatonin production and easing you into deeper sleep cycles.
If your core temp doesn’t drop - then your body stays in a state of low-grade alertness. You’ll take longer to fall asleep, spend less time in deep sleep, and likely wake up groggier - even after 8 hours in bed.
In fact, a 2021 study in the journal ‘Sleep Health’ found that warmer ambient temperatures were directly correlated with more night-time awakenings and decreased sleep efficiency. Experts tend to agree that the ideal bedroom temperature for most people falls between 60–67°F - which is actually much cooler than most bedrooms actually are.
Why Temperature Became the Hottest Topic in Sleep
While you hear increasingly about the benefits of getting more sleep; and hacks for how to improve the quality of your sleep - it may feel like talk of “cooling” or temperature regulation has taken up a disproportionate amount of the discourse… because it has.
One of the big reasons is the rise of the company Eight Sleep. They’ve raised over $160 million, mostly on the idea that temperature regulation is the cornerstone to improving sleep quality. They sell their heating and cooling mattress pods for $4,000–$5,000, and claim to “add 32% more deep sleep per night.” Their pitch is that your bed should be a recovery machine - with CEO Matteo Franceschetti saying bluntly “we want to build the Tesla of sleep.” They’ve built an army of proponents too - including athletes like Lewis Hamilton, NFL teams like the 49ers, and even popular personalities like Mark Zuckerberg - who all swear by the temperature-controlled beds for better recovery.
And while Eight Sleep may be the loudest, they’re not alone. ChiliSleep (now part of SleepMe) built a cult following with their water-cooled mattress pads. Oura and WHOOP now track skin temperature as part of their nightly readiness scores. And mattress brands like Tempur-Pedic and Serta have both launched cooling gel-infused memory foam mattresses to regulate body temperature as well.
The rationale for why we’re so fixated on temperature, is that it really feels tangible. It’s something you can control. And when it works, the improvement in how you feel is undeniable.
Real-World Ways to Cool Down Your Sleep
The good news is that you don’t need to drop $5,000 to sleep cooler. You can make a few strategic changes that will deliver outsized returns. Here are some of the most effective:
1. Lower Your Room Temperature
This is the big one. Set your thermostat between 60–67°F. If that’s not possible, open a window and/or add a fan. Airflow matters just as much as ambient temp. Bonus points for using a fan is that it can also double as a white noise machine.
2. Take a Hot Shower Before Bed
It sounds counterintuitive, but it works. A warm shower or bath dilates your blood vessels and moves heat to your extremities - causing your core temperature to drop faster once you’re out. Studies show this can reduce sleep latency by up to 36%.
3. Choose Breathable Bedding
Look for moisture-wicking and cooling fabrics - think bamboo, Tencel, or lightweight cotton. Heavy comforters and flannel sheets trap heat, working against your body’s cooling process.
4. Upgrade Your Pillow Game
Your pillow cradles your head and traps heat all night. A breathable, temperature-regulating pillow makes a bigger difference than people realize.
As you may have seen we recently launched a new, cooler Otter pillow, which includes: a cool-to-the-touch cover that feels instantly refreshing; gel-infused foam for active temperature regulation; an airy, breathable structure that prevents heat from getting trapped.
It includes everything we’ve learned about sleep ergonomics, now optimized for cool comfort. If you’re a hot sleeper, this pillow could be your new best friend.
Cooling Down to Level Up
Your body wants to sleep cooler, but if your environment is fighting against this, it will affect the quality of your sleep. The good news though is that implementing some of these small changes will go a long way. You wake up refreshed. You train harder. You show up sharper. And your sleep tracker reads out those super high sleep scores you dream about.
So if you’re serious about leveling up your sleep, start by turning down the heat.
