What are cooling blankets? Can they really help me sleep?
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luana-main-2270550">Luana Main</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p>
<p>You wake up exhausted from yet another hot night of tossing and turning, with very little sleep.</p>
<p>So you might be tempted to buy a “cooling blanket” after reading rave reviews on social media. Or you might have read online articles with <a href="https://www.news.com.au/checkout/home-and-garden/bedroom/bedding/best-cooling-blankets/news-story/118ce05eba1e7d5cdff3aeadae5ae940">taglines such as</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Stop waking up in a puddle of sweat with our roundup of the best cooling blankets – including a top-rated option from Amazon that ‘actually works’.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But what are cooling blankets? And can they help you get a restful night?</p>
<h2>We know a cooler bedroom is best</h2>
<p>First, let’s look at why a cooler environment helps us sleep better at night.</p>
<p>Our body’s internal temperature has a <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm">circadian rhythm</a>, meaning it fluctuates throughout the day. A couple of hours before bed, it drops about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079203000236">0.31°C</a> to help you fall asleep. It will drop about <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7323637/">another 2°C</a> across the night to help you stay asleep.</p>
<p>During sleep, your internal temperature and skin work together to achieve a balance between losing and producing heat. Your skin has sensors that pick-up changes in the environment around you. If it gets too warm, these sensors let your body know, which may cause you to kick-off blankets or bed clothes and wake more often leading to poorer sleep quality.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thensf.org/what-is-sleep-quality/">Sleep quality</a> is an important component of sleep health ensuring you get the physical, mental and emotional benefits that come from a good night’s sleep.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132318300325">ideal temperature</a> for sleep varies depending on the season and type of bedding you have but falls between 17°C and 28°C. Keeping your sleeping environment within this range will help you to get the best night’s rest.</p>
<h2>So what are cooling blankets?</h2>
<p>Cooling blankets are designed to help regulate your body temperature while you sleep.</p>
<p>Different technologies and materials are used in their design and construction.</p>
<p>We’re not talking about <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2206487/">hospital-grade</a> cooling blankets that are used to reduce fever and prevent injury to the nervous system. These use gel pads with circulating water, or air-cooling systems, connected to automatic thermostats to monitor someone’s temperature.</p>
<p>Instead, the type of consumer-grade cooling blankets you might see advertised use a blend of lightweight, breathable materials that draw moisture away from the skin to help you stay cool and dry through the night. They look like regular blankets.</p>
<p>Common materials include cotton, bamboo, silk or the fibre <a href="https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-is-tencel/">Lyocell</a>, all of which absorb moisture.</p>
<p>Manufacturers typically use a <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/best-sheets/best-thread-count-for-sheets">thread count</a> of <a href="https://www.trustsleep.com/how-do-cooling-blankets-work/">300-500</a>, creating air pockets that enhance airflow and moisture evaporation.</p>
<p>Some blankets feature a <a href="https://getrest.com.au/blogs/all/unveiling-the-secrets-of-q-max-the-key-to-a-perfect-nights-sleep">Q-Max rating</a>, which indicates how cool the fabric feels against your skin. The higher the value, the cooler the fabric feels.</p>
<p>Others feature <a href="https://www.trustsleep.com/how-do-cooling-blankets-work/">phase change materials</a>. These materials were developed by <a href="https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2009/ch_4.html">NASA</a> for space suits to keep astronauts comfortable during a spacewalk where temperatures are from roughly <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/spacewalk-spacesuit-basics/">-157°C to 121°C</a>. Phase change materials in cooling blankets absorb and hold heat producing a cooling effect.</p>
<h2>Do they work?</h2>
<p>If you believe online reviews, yes, cooling blankets can cool you down and help you sleep better in warmer weather or if you get too hot using normal sheets and blankets.</p>
<p>However, there is little scientific research to see if these consumer-grade products work.</p>
<p>In a 2021 <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/9099">study</a> exploring sleep quality, 20 participants slept for three nights under two different conditions.</p>
<p>First, they slept with regular bed sheets in an air-conditioned room with the temperature set to their preference. Then, they used cooling bed sheets in an air-conditioned room where the temperature was set 3°C higher than their preference.</p>
<p>Participants reported good sleep quality in both conditions but preferred the warmer room with its cooling sheets.</p>
<p>This may suggest the use of cooling bedding may help provide a more comfortable night’s sleep.</p>
<p>But everyone’s cooling needs varies depending on things like age, health, body temperature, the space you sleep in, and personal preferences.</p>
<p>So while these products may work for some people who may be motivated to leave a good review, they may not necessarily work for you.</p>
<h2>Are they worth it?</h2>
<p>There’s a wide variety of cooling blankets available at different prices to suit various budgets. Positive customer reviews might encourage a purchase, especially for individuals experiencing disrupted sleep at night due to heat.</p>
<p>Yet, these cooling blankets have limited scientific research to show they work and to say if they’re worth it. So it’s up to you.</p>
<h2>What else can I do if I’m a hot sleeper?</h2>
<p>If a cooling blanket isn’t for you, there are other things you can do to stay cool at night, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>using air conditioning or a fan</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>placing a damp towel under or over you</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>wearing lightweight or minimal sleepwear and avoiding thick or synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, that can trap heat</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>if you usually share a bed, on hot nights, consider sleeping by yourself to avoid excess body heat from your partner.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>On a final note, if you often struggle with hot, disturbed sleep, you can check in with your health-care provider. They can see if there is a medical explanation for your disturbed sleep and advise what to try next.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/244158/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, Research Associate, Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luana-main-2270550">Luana Main</a>, Associate Professor in Applied Sport Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p>
<p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-cooling-blankets-can-they-really-help-me-sleep-244158">original article</a>.</em></p>
