Why Your Bedding Might Be Triggering Your Night Sweats

What are night sweats?

Sleep is the bedrock of our health and wellbeing. Often feeling like a luxury, sleep is essential for your body and brain to perform a tabula rasa, or a reset. If you don’t get enough sleep, you can suffer emotionally, physically and mentally. 

Night sweats aren’t just feeling too hot in bed, but a continued disruption of your sleep from sweating. Sufferers are often woken up soaked through their night clothes, despite the room temperature being cool. It’s uncomfortable and can be alarming, but also not that unusual, as the Sleep Foundation advises 40% of people visit their doctor with this condition. Other symptoms of night sweats are:

• Feeling cold after a bout of sweating
  
• Difficulty sleeping after an episode of night sweats
  
• Repeated sweating throughout the night
  

Who suffers from night sweats? 

Anyone can suffer night sweats, both children and adults, but women tend to be affected more than men. Women who are pregnant or going through menopause are more likely to experience sweating at night. Both are due to the fluctuation of hormones during these phases of a woman’s life.  

In both menopause and perimenopause, estrogen levels lower, which makes it harder for the body to regulate temperature and night sweats occur as a result. During pregnancy, hormonal surges, increased blood flow and higher body temperature will bring on a bout of night sweats.

What are the causes of night sweats?

As discussed, women sweat at night due to a reaction to their hormones, but there are other reasons why we perspire on our pillows:

• Medication – some antidepressants, steroids and painkillers can cause excess sweating at night
  
• Anxiety 
  
• Alcohol or drug use
  
• A condition called hyperhidrosis 
  
• Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea
  

If your night sweats aren’t due to the above reasons, you should consult your doctor. The NHS states that sweating profusely when asleep can be a cause for concern if it falls into the following categories: 

• Regularity – they occur very often
  
• Accompanied by a high temperature, cough or diarrhoea
  
• Loss of weight
  

Why might your bedding be triggering your night sweats?

Night sweats can often be linked to your bedding choices, even if you keep your room cool. The fabric type, weave, and weight can all influence how heat and moisture build up around your body. When bedding restricts airflow or fails to wick away sweat, your body may work harder to cool down, leaving you overheated and restless. Understanding how these factors affect temperature regulation will help you choose materials that keep you comfortable all night.  

Material Matters

If there’s no medical reason for sweating at night, your bedding could be the culprit. If it does not offer enough breathability and traps heat and moisture, your body reacts by sweating to cool it down. Synthetic materials such as polyester, microfibre or nylon will trap heat and won’t wick away moisture. Instead, it’s best to switch to cotton or, better still, bamboo fabric, as it has many cooling properties:

• Highly breathable, bamboo encourages airflow.
  
• Naturally thermoregulating, bamboo cools you down when the temperature is hot, adjusting you to the temperature for a rejuvenating rest. 
  
• Moisture-wicking – you’ll remain dry and comfortable all night long
  
• Antibacterial, odour-resistant and absorbent, bamboo fends off dirt
  

Fabric weave and weight

Blissfully soft and invigorating, when bamboo fabric is mixed with rayon, the effect is smooth and silky to the touch. Compared with synthetic fabrics, bamboo rayon is lighter and feels supple against the skin. Lighter, breathable bedsheets will also prevent overheating as they have less weight. 

A bedding’s thread count is important if you sleep hot; if it’s too high (over 500 thread count), it’ll trap heat. However, if a thread count is too low (less than 180), it won’t be durable. The ideal thread count for bedding depends on the fabric; bamboo bedding should be in the ideal range of 250-350, but for cotton, it should be in a range of 200-400. 

Our 100% Bamboo Bedding Set has been commended by our customers for its breathability during hot weather, “Softest and most incredible bed sheets I’ve ever tried. 100% recommended and have been a godsend during this hot summer with ultimate breathability and softness. Going to purchase another set!” 

Sleep Environment

Sleep experts also recommend bamboo for those who find it difficult to sleep in the heat. 
Our medical expert, Dr. Seeta, says, “Natural materials such as bamboo, cotton, linen, are ideal for temperature regulation. These fibres are breathable, moisture-wicking, and allow for passive airflow. In contrast, synthetic materials tend to trap heat and moisture, increasing the risk of night sweats, overheating, or repeated awakenings due to temperature fluctuations.” 

To summarise, we’ve provided a checklist on the main things to look for when selecting the best bedding for night sweats:

• Natural, lightweight fibres are best, such as linen, cotton and bamboo
  
• Breathability rating – not an official metric, but rather a guideline on the breathability of the fabric
  
• The GSM-90-130 GSM – the ideal grams per square metre are light to midweight fabrics, and ideal for cooling you down
  

It’s a good idea to modify your bedding environment if you’re too hot. Don’t lie under too many sheets and blankets, as this can trigger night sweats. If you don’t have a mattress protector, it’s time to invest! Shielding your mattress from dust and dirt, a protector can prevent allergic reactions, which increase your metabolic rate, and this, in turn, causes you to sweat. Don’t just swap your fitted or flat sheets for breathable natural fabrics, but also change your pillow cases. They can help to cool you down, because if your head is hot, your whole body temperature rises too. Please read our blog post on the best bedding sets for hot sleepers for more information on the coolest fabric choices.

Solutions

Don’t sweat it! There are solutions to night sweats. The Sleep Foundation recommends some easy ways to remain cool at night:

• The ideal temperature of your bedroom should be 60-68 degrees Fahrenheit
  
• Wear loose-fitting and breathable pyjamas or night clothes
  
• Sleep on cooling bedding and sleep products
  
• Unwind before bedtime by practising yoga or meditation
  
• Drink plenty of water during the day
  
• Avoid spicy foods and limit alcohol and caffeine  
  

Some more cool tips

Store your bedding in the fridge so it's cool in time for bedtime. Ideal Home suggests sealing your sheets in a freezer bag to protect them inside the fridge. In a study from 2024, The Lancet medical journal endorses keeping a fan on at night to keep you cool. If you’re concerned about your night sweats and they have been occurring regularly, they’re getting worse or are accompanied by other symptoms, you should consult a medical professional. 

To avoid getting hot under the collar, add a breathable Hybrid Bamboo Pillow to your bed set-up. Active O2 Micro-pods™ inside the memory foam promote airflow, while contouring to your sleeping position, aligning your neck and spine. Our organic bamboo cover is moisture-wicking, so you’ll remain dry throughout the night.

A cool foundation, such as our Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Pro, which is made up of six layers, with one dedicated to our BioCell Foam™, will counteract the heat of memory foam by infusing it with cooling bamboo. Topped off with a hypoallergenic and thermoregulating bamboo cover, our mattress keeps you at the best temperature for a deep sleep. With a layer of encapsulated springs to isolate motion transfer, it prevents both allergies and movement from disrupting your slumber. Please read our blog post on cooling bamboo bedding products for night sweats for further recommendations from our range. 

Say Goodnight to Sweats

In conclusion, if you want your bed to be the coolest place to be, bamboo will breathe new life into your set-up. Please choose from our Bamboo & French Linen, 100% Bamboo Bedding or Signature+™ for highly breathable and super soft sheets every bedtime. Improving your sleep after one night, you’ll never wake up in a cold sweat again. Shop our blissfully cooling bedding sets here.     

FAQ

1. What is the ideal thread count and GSM for cooling bedding?

When choosing sheets to help with night sweats, pay attention to both thread count and GSM (grams per square metre). For bamboo bedding, a thread count between 250–350 delivers optimum breathability; for cotton, aim for 200–400. Fabrics heavier than 500 thread count or with a GSM over 130 tend to trap heat and moisture. Look for lightweight sheets around 90–130 GSM to keep you cool and comfortable.

2. Which natural fabrics besides bamboo are best for hot sleepers?

While bamboo is one of the most breathable options, other natural fibres can also help combat night sweats. Linen is highly breathable and moisture‑wicking, making it ideal for hot climates. Organic cotton is soft, durable and allows airflow, while Tencel (made from eucalyptus wood pulp) offers excellent temperature regulation and a silky feel. Any of these sustainable materials can create a cooler sleep environment.

3. How does a mattress topper or protector reduce night sweats?

Using a breathable mattress topper or mattress protector can make a big difference for hot sleepers. A topper made from gel‑infused memory foam or latex with a bamboo cover adds a cooling layer, wicks away moisture and improves airflow. Meanwhile, a hypoallergenic mattress protector shields against dust mites and allergens that can raise your metabolic rate, keeping both you and your mattress cool and clean.

4. Are there lifestyle changes that can help prevent night sweats?

Yes. Staying hydrated during the day, limiting alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods, and maintaining a balanced diet can all help minimise night sweats. Try to establish a calming bedtime routine—practising yoga, meditation or gentle stretching can reduce stress and regulate body temperature. Keeping your bedroom between 16–20 °C (60–68 °F) and using a fan for extra airflow also promotes a cooler night’s sleep.

5. Do cooling pillows work for night sweats, and what should you look for?

Cooling pillows can make a noticeable difference if you overheat at night. Look for pillows filled with gel‑infused or ventilated memory foam, which dissipate heat more effectively than traditional foam. Covers made from bamboo or other moisture‑wicking fabrics further improve airflow and keep the pillow dry. If you suffer from neck pain or need more support, a hybrid pillow that blends memory foam with active cooling technology offers both comfort and temperature regulation.

Fact-checked by: Dr Seeta Shah