Rising temperatures in the spring and summer can make our sleeping environment more uncomfortable, which in turn can often cause us to wake up at night drenched in sweat. Although perspiration is a natural reaction of the body and brings some benefits, excessive sweating can negatively impact our sleep.
With this in mind, we’ll take a look at which bedding materials reduce sweating and help regulate body temperature. In addition, we’ll give you a few tips on how you can reduce the amount you sweat at night.
Why do we sweat?
Perspiration can be triggered by a number of factors, such as high temperatures, hormonal changes, excessively warm clothing, a fever or even strong emotional reactions such as anxiety. Medications or our diet can also influence how much we sweat.
The main purpose of sweating is to regulate our body temperature. The body secretes fluid to the outside via sweat glands, which evaporates on the skin. Our body temperature goes down slightly when this evaporation draws heat from the blood vessels under the skin. Sweat also helps to ward off bacteria and other substances.
What is night sweat?
The body has millions of sweat glands, most of which are located on our forehead, under our feet and on the palms of our hands. At night, the main causes of excessive sweating are too high of a room temperature, too much humidity and the wrong pyjamas or bedding.
Some people suffer from excessive sweat production, called hyperhidrosis. This can occur either regularly throughout the day or more frequently at night. Sufferers wake up more often due to these sweating attacks, which leaves them feeling exhausted and lacking energy the next morning. To protect these sleep disturbances from affecting our overall health, it’s important to use bed linens which keep us cool at night.
How does our sleeping environment influence how much we sweat?
The optimal temperature for deep and restorative sleep lies between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, your body can easily maintain a stable temperature of 36 degrees while releasing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.
High temperatures cause our body to produce higher volumes of sweat; if we sweat profusely enough, these attacks can cause us to wake up. The body thus releases about half a litre of sweat per night. If the temperature is too low, our body has to work too hard to maintain its temperature, which makes it difficult to both fall asleep and stay asleep.
What bed linen for sweating: What to consider when choosing materials?
Good bed linens should be able to regulate the body temperature and prevent heat from building up under your duvet and bedding. Breathable materials or fabrics facilitate this, as the mesh structure allows both warm air and moisture to pass through it to the outside and dissipate.
Bed linens made from natural materials are particularly known for their breathability. These help us sleep when it’s hot and wake up less frequently. They feel smooth against the skin and have a cooling effect. These materials include:
Renforcé bed linen
Renforcé is made with cotton and is a great fit for those who tend to sweat a lot. Cotton is one of those materials that can absorb moisture incredibly well. Renforcé bed linen is made by using the plain weave and is a medium to fine fabric.
This fabric is not only absorbent, but also extremely tear-resistant. It’s often used as a bed linen for children for this reason. It is also well-suited for allergy sufferers, as it is kind to the skin.
Seersucker bed linen
The crepe-like structure of the seersucker bedding also helps to promote air circulation. Seersucker bed linen is also generally made from cotton and therefore has similar properties to Renforcé bed linen.
A different, more complex method is used to produce seersucker bed linens, however. This is why they are usually priced a bit higher.
Percale bed linen
Cotton percale is a very soft fabric that feels soft on the skin and is an excellent addition to your bedroom. Percale has a smooth surface and is therefore popular in summer, but can also be used all year round. Percale is also tear-resistant and easy to care for.
The sheets in luxury hotel chains are often made from cotton percale, which is why this material is often referred to as “hotel bedding.”
Satin bed linen
“Satin” actually refers to the weave with which the fabric is made, not the material from which it is made. In English, satin made from cotton is known as “sateen.” The smooth, shiny surface found on one side makes the bed linen feel pleasantly cool against your skin. Although sateen bed linen is tightly woven, it still retains cotton’s excellent breathability.
Silk bed linen
Silk is a very popular fabric for clothing or bedding as it provides an exceptional degree of comfort. Silk has antibacterial properties and does not trigger any allergies or irritations. In the summer, silk bed linen keeps the body pleasantly cool. It is also often combined with other fabrics, such as silk satin.
Which pillow for heavy sweating?
Since we emit a lot of heat through our heads, it’s a good idea to have a breathable pillow. Either natural fillings such as wool, light down and feathers or viscose pillows with foam are good choices.
The cover of the pillow should also be made of an air-permeable material to allow breathability. For the sake of convenience, go with fabrics that have a smooth surface and are easy to wash.
Cooling bed linen to prevent sweating from Zizzz
At Zizzz, we carry bed linens made from the best natural materials. We offer both cotton percale and satin bedding for you to choose from, both of which are great for people who tend to sweat at night. Best of all, our bed linen is certified organic and environmentally friendly.
We offer satin bed linen in its natural écru colour; no chemicals are used in its production process. Our percale bed linen can be purchased in different colour combinations to fit any bedroom; they’re one colour on the top and another on the bottom, so you can turn them over to give your bedroom a completely new look. For children, we also have a kid’s satin duvet cover on offer which comes in our classic lucky star motif.
Conclusion
Sweating at night is a natural process the body uses to drive its temperature down. Night sweats can negatively impact our sleep and affect our productivity. That's why bedding to prevent sweating that feels cool against the skin and balances the temperature is a good choice. These fabrics include cotton percale, satin, seersucker, renforcé and silk.