How to Cool Down Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

Cooling & Hot Sleeper Comfort

To cool down your bedroom, keep the heat out during the day, let cooler air in during the evening, and move the air around at night. Close curtains or blinds while the sun is on the windows, open windows once it is cooler outside than in, add a fan, and keep your bedding light. This guide puts those steps in order, so you know what to do in the morning, the afternoon, the evening and at bedtime.

You do not need air conditioning or a big budget. Most of the best fixes cost very little, and many can be done in a few minutes.

What temperature should your bedroom be for sleep?

Your body temperature dips slightly as you head towards sleep, and a bedroom that is too warm can get in the way of that. The Sleep Charity suggests an ideal bedroom temperature of around 16 to 18°C, and notes that temperatures above about 24°C are likely to cause restlessness, while a very cold room of around 12°C can make it hard to drop off.

These are guidelines rather than rules. Some people, including some older adults, feel more comfortable a little warmer. A simple room thermometer takes the guesswork out, and it helps you see which changes actually make a difference in your room.

Why does your bedroom get so hot?

Before you fix it, it helps to know where the heat comes from. A bedroom usually warms up for a mix of these reasons:

• Sun on the windows. Direct sunlight through glass heats a room quickly, especially south and west-facing rooms.
• Heat rising through the house. Warm air rises, so upstairs and loft bedrooms often feel the hottest.
• Leftover heat from the day. A room that has been warming for hours can stay warm long after sunset.
• Little airflow. With the door and window shut, warm air has nowhere to go.
• Heat from you and your things. A partner, a pet, a laptop, a phone charger or a TV all add a little warmth.

The 24-hour plan to cool down your bedroom

Timing matters as much as the tools you use. Here is a simple plan you can follow from morning to bedtime.

Step 1: Block the sun during the day

Keeping the heat out is much easier than getting it out later. Close curtains or blinds on windows that get direct sun. Thermal or blackout linings, slatted blinds angled upwards and reflective window film can all help, and light-coloured linings tend to reflect more heat than dark ones.

Step 2: Shut windows when it is hotter outside

It is tempting to leave windows open all day, but if the air outside is warmer than the air inside, you are letting heat in. Many UK home and sleep guides suggest keeping windows and doors closed during the hottest part of the day and opening them again in the evening and overnight.

Step 3: Let cool air in once the sun goes down

As soon as it is cooler outside than inside, open windows to flush out the warm air. If you can, open a window in another room too, so air can pass through your home. Leaving the bedroom door open can also help air to move, if it is safe and practical for your household.

If you have a loft hatch, some sleep guides suggest opening it so that hot air has somewhere to go, but only do this if it is safe for you.

Step 4: Use a fan in the right place

A fan does not lower the temperature of the room, but moving air helps your skin feel cooler. Here are a few ways to get more from one:

• Place a fan near an open window in the evening to draw cooler air in.
• An oscillating fan spreads air more evenly than one that stays still.
• Choose a model with a timer if the noise bothers you at night.
• For a little extra cooling, some people put a shallow bowl of ice, or a frozen bottle of water, in front of the fan. It is a simple trick, and the effect is modest.

Step 5: Take the heat out of your bed

Your bed can trap warmth, so it is worth looking at it as part of the room:

• Go lighter on the duvet. A lower tog rating, or just a cotton sheet on very warm nights, can make a big difference.
• Layer your bedding. A sheet plus a throw is easier to adjust than a single heavy cover.
• Choose breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen or bamboo-style fabrics for sheets, pillowcases and nightwear.
• Pick lighter colours if you can, as they tend to absorb less heat than very dark ones.
• Chill your pillowcase. Some people pop a pillowcase in the fridge for a short while before bed for a cool start.

Our guides on what to wear to bed when you feel hot at night and creating a cooler sleep environment go into more detail on fabrics and layers.

Step 6: Cool yourself as well as the room

Sometimes the quickest win is to cool your body, not just the air:

• Have a cool, not cold, shower or bath an hour or so before bed.
• Rest a cool, damp flannel on your forehead or wrists.
• Sip water through the evening, and keep a glass by the bed.
• Some people find that cooling their feet helps. Try a cool foot rinse, or a pair of cotton socks chilled in the fridge.
• Keep alcohol, caffeine, spicy food and big meals away from bedtime, as they can leave you feeling warmer.

What to do about the heat sources in your room

Small things add up. A few quick checks can stop your room from warming itself:

• Turn the heating off in the bedroom, or turn the radiator down
• Unplug chargers and switch off the TV, laptop and other electronics
• Swap any incandescent bulbs for cooler LED bulbs
• Keep the lights low in the evening
• Close the doors to rooms that have been heating up, like the kitchen
• Ask pets to sleep on their own bed if they make you too warm

Quick fixes for a very hot night

On those sticky nights when the room is still warm at bedtime, try this short list:

1. Open as many windows as is safe, and use a fan to move the air through.
2. Take a cool shower and leave your hair slightly damp.
3. Strip the bed back to a single cotton sheet.
4. Wear light, loose nightwear or keep it minimal if you prefer.
5. Cool your pulse points. A cool flannel on your wrists or neck can feel very refreshing.
6. Move to a cooler room if you can. Ground-floor rooms are often cooler than upstairs ones.
7. Stay hydrated, but avoid large amounts right before sleeping.

Common mistakes when cooling a bedroom

• Leaving windows open all day. If it is hotter outside, this lets heat in. Open them in the evening instead.
• Keeping the curtains open in the sun. Direct sunlight is one of the biggest heat sources.
• Making the room freezing. Very cold rooms can make it harder to fall asleep too. A comfortable, cool room is the goal.
• Piling on layers just in case. Choose layers you can add or remove easily.
• Pointing the fan straight at your face all night. This can leave some people with a dry throat or stiff neck.
• Trying everything at once. Pick two or three changes and give them a week.

Keep building a cooler, calmer night

• Not sure why you feel so warm? Read why do I get so hot at night for the most common causes.
• Get more ideas in how to sleep cooler at night: 15 simple tips.
• Give your whole room a refresh with how to make your bedroom more sleep-friendly and the ultimate sleep-friendly bedroom checklist.
• Add a calming wind-down with the ultimate evening routine for better sleep.

Frequently asked questions

Final thoughts

Cooling a bedroom is mostly about timing. Keep the sun out by day, let the cool air in as the evening arrives, and make your bed light and breathable. Start with two or three of the easiest steps tonight, notice what helps, and add more as you need to. Small changes can make your room feel calmer and more comfortable for sleep.