Cold or hot

Everyone is different. There are big differences in whether someone sweats easily or feels the cold.

The room temperature should be around 18 degrees. When windows are open in winter, cold, dry air flows into the room. A cold pocket forms near the floor. On one hand, this dry air can severely dry out the airways, potentially leading to breathing difficulties or a sore throat. On the other hand, you might be covering yourself with too many blankets. (It is better to briefly but thoroughly ventilate the room before going to bed.) Since your pulse and body temperature rise during the dream phase (also known as REM sleep), you may sweat. If you cover yourself at this point and then drift back into deep sleep, you will remain covered in the cold for an extended period. Your now-damp body, which is also lying in a damp environment, becomes tense, and you’ll feel poorly rested in the morning and even risk developing rheumatic symptoms.

See how important the right duvet is for you?

However, the bed climate is also influenced by the mattress and its cover. Materials that wick away moisture are ideal. While wool absorbs moisture well, it remains damp for a very long time. Try soaking a wool sweater in water and then wringing it out thoroughly. You’ll see that it’s still wet even hours later. Synthetic fibers, on the other hand—which some people dislike—quickly wick away moisture and dry faster. To ensure you don’t climb into a bed that’s still slightly damp the next evening, it’s important either way to leave the mattress uncovered for a long time during the day so it can truly dry out. In any case, it’s better to prevent excessive sweating from occurring at all during the night.