Being cold at night is very unpleasant and interferes with sleep. Bed linen, duvet, pajamas, hot water bottle, hot drinks… A tour of solutions for sleeping well when it’s cold with our health experts.
When it’s too cold, the body creates heat to compensate. The muscles contract and that requires a lot of energy from the muscles, which is not conducive to falling asleep or quality sleep. “Excesses in temperature, heat waves or extreme cold, fragment sleep and make it less recuperative“, confirms Dr. Marc Rey, neurologist, sleep specialist and President of the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (InVS). And it’s a vicious circle because the lack of sleep favors the feeling of cold. To fall asleep easily and have a restful night, the body must be as relaxed as possible and muscles relaxed.
► Keep a room temperature around 18-19°C at night. This is the ideal temperature for sleeping well and avoiding nocturnal awakenings, according to theAdeme, the Ecological Transition Agency. A temperature confirmed by Dr Marc Rey. Also, to minimize drafts and heat loss, it is advisable to close the shutters and to opt for thick curtains as well as a bottom door.
► Ventilate your homeat least 10 minutes a day, even when it is cold for wick away moisture and renew the air. And a room with fresh air is easier to heat.
► Prefer a cotton pajamas rather than synthetic material, in order to avoid sweating and thus getting even colder.
► Prioritize them sheets and duvet covers in cotton, an insulating and breathable material that allows air to circulate. Under the sheets, the mattress protector (cotton or bamboo fiber) absorbs moisture, especially in case of night sweats, and is thermoregulator.
► Invest in a thick and warm duvet : in goose or duck down, in natural material, or a model in synthetic material that is anti-perspiration or equipped with thermoregulation technology that guarantees a warm night. A duvet should ideally extend 20 to 40 cm on each side of the bed so as not to feel any air entering when lying down. Another aspect not to be overlooked: the weight of the duvet which must be more important in winter than in summer: approximately 270 gsm for a winter model in natural material and between 300 and 450 gsm for a winter model in synthetic material. Another tip: people who sleep together can opt for two small duvets so you can wrap yourself in it.
► Return the winter side mattress which helps retain body heat. The winter side is often made of a wool filling or a material that retains maximum heat. The winter side is where the label is sewn. If there is no or no label visible on the mattress, the winter side is recognizable because it is more inflated than the summer side which is flatter.
► Stretch two to three hours before sleeping, starting with the neck, arms, fingers, stomach, legs and then feet. “The cold felt can lead to muscle tension with a closed and curled up position. To fight against this, we can make small stretching to help blood circulation and warm up the body: soften your triceps, bend from right to left while lifting your arms, stretch the front part of your thighs…“, indicates Magali Bastos, physiotherapist and creator of the Instagram account MadamePhysio. In general, the practice of regular physical activity also increases daily thermogenesis.
► Take a hot drink in the evening, like herbal tea (not tea!), “but not too hot to avoid perspiration and cool the body“, would like to point out Raphaël Gruman, dietitian-nutritionist. It should not be abused either because the infusions are diuretic and getting up to go to the bathroom at night can interrupt sleep. “In general, it is advisable to stay well hydrated throughout the day. (the air being drier in winter, in particular because of the electric heaters)”, he continues.
► Keep your socks on in bed, to fall asleep more easily. The extremities of the body like the feet and the hands are the parts most prone to vasoconstriction (when peripheral or cutaneous blood vessels contract to limit heat loss and thus preserve core temperature) and therefore cold. Especially when you’re static, like in bed. To keep warm, we favor socks silk or 100% wool ideally because they are thermoregulatory and we do not choose them not too tight – so as not to block blood circulation and avoid getting even colder.
► Put a hot water bottle at the foot of the bed (under the duvet so that it stays warm longer) before going to sleep and respecting the precautions for use. In general, it is recommended to leave the hot water bottle for up to 20 minutes. She warms the bed but we avoid sleeping with it to avoid the risk of burns. Moreover, we will prefer dry hot water bottles as with flax seeds or cherry pits rather than a hot water bottle (it may wear out, “drop” and burn you) to heat in the microwave. We respect the instructions for use (no overheating, maximum time in the microwave according to the power…).
► Before sleeping, you can take a foot bath with a handful of coarse salt, a few drops of essential oil ofeucalyptus, of ravintsara or of lavender (take into account the contraindications of essential oils: pregnancy, children under 7 years old…). “In dilution, a few drops of true lavender (not recommended pregnant women and before the age of 12) allows you to enjoy a moment of rest and relaxation, ideal before sleeping“, recommends Magali Bastos.
What to eat when it’s cold?
“When we wish increase thermogenesisthat is, to increase the temperature of his body, it is necessary to supply the body with certain specific nutrients, two to three hours before going to bed“, indicates our dietitian-nutritionist.
- A portion of low GI complex carbohydrates (wholemeal or wild rice, wholemeal pasta, legumes, wholemeal bread, spelled, millet)
- A tablespoon of vegetable fats (olive, walnut, flaxseed oil…).
- A velouté of parsnips, squash, sweet potato, leek, cabbage which are warming vegetables. To which we add spices (cinnamon, clove, chilli, paprika…) or ginger which, “in small doses can cause increased thermogenesis“, explains Raphaël Gruman.
- For dessert, a compote, a fruit or a dairy product.
Thanks to Raphaël Gruman, dietitian-nutritionist, to Dr Marc Rey, neurologist, sleep specialist and President of the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (InVS) and to Magali Bastos, physiotherapist