We’ve all been through it. Those middle-of-the-night sweats when we feel hot and sweaty all over. From our room temperatures to our pajamas, getting hot while we sleep is very common and is experienced by 57 percent of adults. A majority of the time, one of the reasons why we get those middle-of-the-night sweats is because our pajamas or bed linens are excessively warm, therefore resulting in us feeling overheated, experiencing hot flashes, or sweating profusely. When it starts to become a bigger issue is if we’re starting to feel like we’re falling under the weather. Common colds or even the flu can also certainly result in us feeling hot at nighttime, which is why it’s important to know what the root cause of night sweats may be linked to. Ahead, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about why we may experience heat sensitivity and the facts linked to it.

The bedroom may be too hot or humid

One of the more obvious reasons why we feel hot during our sleep is because our bedroom is too warm or humid which can definitely disturb your sleep. In order for us to successfully fall asleep, a drop in body temperature is needed (there’s science linked to this) as hotter surroundings will interfere with your body’s ability to cool down in the way it needs. In this instance, humidity also comes into place and can actually be worse than a hot bedroom alone. If your room temperature is to blame, it may be time to invest in a fan or an A/C to help mitigate the hot sweats. The ideal sleeping temperature is somewhere between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thick pajamas and bedding

More often than not, thick pajamas can lead to your body overheating while you sleep, this is because your body is trapping more warmth than it’s releasing, thus making sleep rather uncomfortable. Always remember, the thicker the bedding and pajamas, the more likely you’ll your body is to overheat. In addition, your mattress may be one to blame as well, as memory foam mattresses trap more heat than spring mattresses.

Exercising too close to nighttime

Believe it or not, exercising too close to nighttime can in fact impact your sleep and create night sweats. This is because workouts increase your body temperature, which can actually override the drop in your body temperature needed to sleep efficiently. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’ve been working out before bed and are feeling hot while sleeping, try to avoid working out an hour before bedtime.

Stress-related issues

Stress and anxiety have a lot of impact on the body, making it harder and harder to get the proper rest we need. When we’re stressed, our bodies release the hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which can increase our heart rate and circulation levels. This essentially leaves us feeling warmer than usual. If you’re one to experience sleep apnea, feeling hot during the nighttime is very common as breathing cuts off temporarily and our brains signal us awake for more oxygen.

Pregnancy or Menopause

During pregnancy, hormones tend to change resulting in our bodies having more blood while pregnant, ultimately upping our body temperature. As for menopause, declining estrogen can certainly be a culprit, and is commonly linked to experiencing hot flashes and common menopause symptoms.

Experiencing Illness

Illnesses are a common factor when feeling hot while we sleep as our bodies are tying to fight something off. Whether it’s the common cold, Flu, COVID, Strep throat, Bacterial infections, or pneumonia, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor to make sure we’re properly taking care of ourselves and getting enough sleep.

Final thoughts

As one of the most common issues adults experience, feeling hot in our sleep can impair our bodies’ ability to get the proper rest and rejuvenation we deserve, however, once we’re able to get to the root core of the problem, we can feel better equipped to address these issues and their common causes.