Night sweats · Guide
Bedding for Night Sweats: How to Set Up a Bed That Copes
Night sweats wreck sleep twice. First you wake up hot and damp. Then, a few minutes after you throw the covers off, you are cold and reaching for them again.
In this guide
Short answer
Bedding cannot stop night sweats, but it can shorten the hot-then-cold cycle. Put natural fiber next to your skin, choose an open weave, and use thin layers with one you can throw off fast. A cotton fitted sheet and a six-layer muslin blanket are a good start.
Why does sweating at night leave you so cold?
Women on r/Menopause describe the same pattern again and again: a hot flash, a soaked bed, then a chill. In a November 2024 thread about what to sleep in, one woman wrote about the move that changed her nights:
“I switched to linen sheets and I only wear cotton pajamas. It’s been a game changer. I still get hot flashes but I’m way less sweaty. I don’t go through the burning sweaty phase to my sweat freezing and I’m cold phase.”
— r/Menopause, November 2024
When your sheets and pajamas are wet, the moisture keeps drawing heat from your skin long after the hot flash has passed. So the goal is twofold: let heat escape during the flash, and keep wet fabric away from your skin afterward.
The US National Institute on Aging suggests simple steps for hot flashes at night, such as keeping the bedroom cool and dressing in layers you can remove (NIA: Hot flashes, what can I do?). Your bed should follow the same idea.
What is the best bedding for night sweats?
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Choose natural fibers next to your skin
This is the advice that comes up most. Cotton, linen and wool absorb moisture and let it move away from you. Polyester and microfiber tend to leave it sitting on the surface. For the layers that touch you, sheets, pillowcases and the first blanket, choose cotton or another natural fiber.
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Pick an open weave over a dense one
Even within cotton, the weave matters. A crisp percale or a light muslin lets air through. A heavy, tightly woven fabric holds more heat. Our double-layer muslin fitted sheet set is 100% cotton double gauze, and our deep-pocket percale sheet set is 100% organic cotton in a percale weave.
Cotton next to your skin
Double-Layer Muslin Fitted Sheet Set
- Fitted sheet and two 20 × 35 in pillowcases in 100% muslin cotton double gauze
- Full, Queen, King and Cal King, with a 17-inch pocket
- Dune, White, Blue and Green
Good to know: It is sold as a set with a fitted sheet and pillowcases only. There is no flat sheet in the box.
From $84.95
See the sheet set-
Layer thin blankets instead of one heavy one
One heavy comforter gives you two choices: all of it or none of it. Two or three thinner layers let you drop just one when a flash comes, then pull it back when it passes. A six-layer muslin blanket is a natural base layer.
The base blanket
AltiCoddle™ Six-Layer Muslin Cotton Blanket
- Six layers of 100% muslin cotton in an open weave
- Four sizes, from a 50 × 60 in throw to a 95 × 110 in king, measured at full stretch
- Pre-washed once and hand-checked before it ships
Good to know: On its own it is a light-to-medium cover. Keep it out of the tumble dryer.
From $69
See the blanket-
Add one layer you can throw off fast
Keep a lighter top layer within reach: a quilt, or a second blanket folded at the foot of the bed. When a flash comes, push only that layer away. When you cool down, pull it back.
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Consider a light microfiber layer
Our GlaciRest™ lightweight bed blanket is a light layer in a heat-dissipating microfiber that feels cool on contact and wicks moisture. Because it is a synthetic, many people use it as a top layer over cotton sheets rather than right against the skin.
Which fabrics work best for night sweats?
| Fabric | Moisture | Heat | Best used as | Cherish option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton muslin | Absorbs it and lets it move away | Open weave lets air through | Base blanket, all night | AltiCoddle™ six-layer |
| Cotton double gauze | Absorbs it and lets it move away | Light, open weave | Fitted sheet and pillowcases | Double-layer muslin sheet set |
| Cotton percale | Absorbs it | Crisp, light weave | Sheets | Organic percale set |
| Microfiber | Wicks it along the surface; feels cool on contact | A light layer, but a synthetic | Top layer over cotton | GlaciRest™ |
| Polyester fill or fleece | Absorbs little, so sweat sits on the surface | Holds heat | A cold room or the sofa | — |
What should you wear to bed with night sweats?
Loose and natural. In r/Menopause threads about pajamas, cotton comes up again and again, along with loose cuts and shorts instead of long pants.
One honest warning: cotton stays damp once it is soaked. Light, open-weave cotton dries faster than heavy cotton jersey, but nothing is magic. The practical fix is a spare set. Keep a clean nightshirt by the bed, change, and go back to sleep.
Our pajamas are mostly 100% muslin cotton, a light open weave, in long-sleeve, short-sleeve and shorts styles. There is more on fabric and fit in our guide to pajamas for hot sleepers.
Night sweats after having a baby
New parents are often caught off guard. Many sweat at night in the first weeks, as hormones shift. If the sweats are heavy or last, mention them at your next appointment. The same bedding rules apply, plus a few extras:
- A waterproof mattress protector. It protects against sweat, leaks and baby accidents.
- A towel on your side of the bed. It is faster to swap a towel at 3 a.m. than to change the sheets.
- Two sets of sheets. One on the bed, one clean and ready.
- Lots of water. You lose fluid when you sweat, and more if you are breastfeeding.
A simple night-sweats bed, step by step
- Waterproof mattress protector, if you sweat heavily.
- 100% cotton fitted sheet, percale or muslin.
- Cotton pillowcases. Our muslin pillowcases come as a pair. Keep a spare to flip to.
- A breathable base blanket, such as six-layer muslin.
- A light top layer you can push off.
- A fan you can reach, a glass of water and a spare nightshirt.
When to see a doctor
Night sweats in menopause and after birth are common. But night sweats can also come from medications, infections and other conditions. The UK's public health service lists several causes worth checking (nidirect: Night sweats). See a doctor if the sweats are new and you cannot explain them, if they come with weight loss or fever, or if they keep you from sleeping. Bedding makes the nights easier. It does not treat the cause.
Frequently asked questions
What fabric is best for night sweats?
For sheets and the layers that touch you, choose natural fibers like cotton, linen or wool. They absorb moisture and let it move away. Avoid polyester and microfiber right against the skin.
Is a muslin blanket good for night sweats?
Many people find it helps. Muslin is open-weave cotton, so heat and moisture can escape, and six or more layers still feel like a real blanket. It works best as one layer in a stack you can adjust.
Should I use a cooling blanket for night sweats?
A light microfiber layer can feel good during a flash, but it is a synthetic. Some people find it leaves them too cold between flashes, so it helps to have it as a layer you can remove rather than your only cover.
How often should I wash sheets if I have night sweats?
Weekly at least, and sooner if they are soaked. Rotate two sets so there is always a clean one ready.
Can I return bedding if it does not help?
Every Cherish product comes with our 100-Night Guarantee. If you are not happy within 100 nights, write to us and we refund what you paid. You keep the product.
Keep reading
See our blankets and full range.
AltiCoddle™ six-layer muslin
Double-layer muslin sheet set
Muslin pillowcases