Why am I hot in bed even with cool aircon?

January 29, 2008 7:01 PM

How can I stop myself feeling/getting hot at night when the environment is cold.

I've already read this post around sleep but my problem is slightly different I think.

Even though we have aircon in our bedroom, in the summer when laying in bed I get what amounts to a hot flush which is odd since I'm male :)

Basically when laying on the bed I can feel my internal body temperature get hotter and hotter until it drives me bonkers and I get up. A cool drink or a cool shower before bed helps but not really. Laying on top of the quilt helps which puts a layer between me and the mattress (inner spring with a basic, not woolen underlay).

Fans etc not really an option as my wife has a muscular injury so a fan would basically mean she wouldn't be able to move the next morning. Besides shouldn't the aircon keep things cool enough? It ends up my wife is huddled under a blanket and I'm flopping about on top of the covers.

I feel like I may have a problem with heat regulation as parts of the left side of my face have burn scarring and my entire left arm has burn scars. Hence I've no sweat glands in those spots which may contribute.

How can I prevent/minimise these hot flush things?

posted by dasfreak to health & fitness (6 comments total)

Have you ever had your thyroid levels checked? When there are problems with the thyroid, it can make you sensitive to heat and cold, depending on whether you have too much or too little hormone. Are you very thin? If so, that might also point to a thyroid issue. It is a simple blood test to check the levels.
posted by 45moore45 at 7:05 PM on January 29, 2008

IANAD..but I believe that urinary tract infections can cause this.... Might be worth checking out...
posted by HuronBob at 7:21 PM on January 29, 2008

Keep your feet outside of the covers and cool. Sounds crazy but it works!! If they get too cool, try some thin, cotton socks. Give yourself a few nights to get used to bare feet and you'll sleep like a cool and comfy baby!!
posted by pearlybob at 8:10 PM on January 29, 2008

Do you have one of those foam mattresses? Those sort of hold heat in.
posted by gjc at 8:20 PM on January 29, 2008

Possible medical conditions aside (which you should get checked), the Chillow totally works.
posted by Caviar at 9:57 PM on January 29, 2008

Try sleeping with one foot uncovered.
posted by JujuB at 10:04 PM on January 29, 2008