What could possibly be heating your room up may take you by surprise. Getting hold of the situation is not as difficult as identifying the problem. Here are few tips that will help you understand why my room is so hot and how can I .sleep cool.
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Why Is My Room So Hot?
What could possibly be heating your room up may take you by surprise. Getting hold of the situation is not as difficult as identifying the problem. Here are few tips that will help you understand why my room is so hot and how can I .sleep cool.
1. Insufficient Insulation
Scientifically speaking, the key reason for higher room temperatures is due to the inability of windows and doors to keep the heat from coming inside. i.e. inadequate insulation.
Usually double pane windows allow for considerably lesser heat to pass through, keeping the temperature rise under control.
This might be one of the factors that hasn’t grabbed your attention as yet.
Therefore, it is important that the doors and windows are well insulated.
Insulated window coverings can also be of great help when you’re trying to beat the heat.
2. Windows Facing The West
If you are wondering, why is my room so hot compared to rest of house, here is the answer.
If your bedroom window(s) are facing North or West, the room would be heated up considerably more than rest of the house, especially during summers.
Although windows facing the West and North are desirable for houses in colder climate areas, they’re definitely one of the lesser known reasons for a hotter room.
This is where insulation and window overhangs come into play.
They reduce the amount of heat entering the room, making it slightly cooler by dropping the temperature down a bit.
You can also use thermally lined blinds to limit the sunlight that enters your room.
3. Faulty Ductwork
Since there is a whole ventilation system that works to provide the optimum temperature for comfortable living, it requires maintenance and frequent cleaning. This can be a cause of why my room is so hot.
If you’re experiencing temperatures higher than usual, despite the temperature range varying much outside, chances are that the air ducts have been clogged with dust and debris, or there is a leakage somewhere.
Leaks in the ventilation system and un-insulated ducts lose much of the cooling before it reaches your room.
Both conditions call for repair and maintenance work to bring the temperature down.
4. High Ceilings
High ceilings are often built for their expansive look and grand appearance but the cons are often always ignored.
Rooms with high ceiling usually have long windows, which means more sunlight and hotter rooms.
If the ventilation system is perfectly alright, no windows are facing the West, and the insulation is acceptable, and your energy bills are still going up, its because of the high ceilings.
High ceilings prolong air circulation and it takes more than usual to cool down the whole room.
The air conditioner needs to stay switched on for longer, in turn increasing your electricity bills.
5. Bedroom Location
If your bedroom is located above the garage, chances of it being hotter are greater than ever.
This is because these rooms have three exposed walls compared to the one of other bedrooms.
That means 3 times more heat than an average room.
Secondly, such rooms are usually the last on the receiving end of the duct-work, hence a reduced airflow.
Other factors that may contribute to heating your room up include bad duct designs and installation.
While other factors may be easier to spot, it can be quite a task to figure this out.
Having an expert review the duct design of the home can tell you about certain gaps and their fixable measures.
6. Bedding
Another factor contributing to a hotter room could be your mattresses, sheets, pillows or even pillow covers.
Many bedding materials are good insulators and do not allow heat to pass through, thus retaining heat and making the overall sleep experience hotter.
If you have a big room that takes time to cool, you can always go for breathable sheets, latex foams or cooling mattress toppers like Chilipad.
How to Sleep Cool (in a hot room)
Now that you understand the possible causes of a higher room temperature, it is easier to select your solution accordingly. No more experiments and testing. Here are a few possible solutions on how to sleep cool at night.
1. Chilipad:
A revolution in bedding technology, Chilipad aims to provide you the most cooling sleeping experience, as the name suggests.
With its cube operated micro-tube system, it lets cool water run through the tubes in the mattress, letting you sleep cool.
One of the solutions that directly addresses the sleeping hot problem.
Especially designed for individuals residing in hotter climates, Chilipad is one of its kind.
No more sleeping hot, even on the hottest days of the year!
So how does this Chilipad work?
The ChiliPAD uses hydro-powered mattress pad coupled with thermal regulating control units. You have the power to control in the palm of your hand with a remote control.
What does hydro-powered really mean? Simple it circulates cool or warm water through its mattress pad to reach you set temperature.
Dual Controls Available:
Do you share a bed with a significant other? Do you fight for control over the thermostat?
No problem, ChiliPAD solves that issues with a unit that adjust temperature for each side of the bed.
Each user has a range from 55-115 degrees Fahrenheit making it possible to suit any type of sleeper.
Two Different Models to Choose From:
There are two models to choose from the ChiliPAD and the OOLER. So what’s the difference you ask?
Well that is easy to sum up in a few sentences. First, the ChiliPAd is a bare bones remote control unit that works great.
However, you do have limited control. For instance, there is no variable fan speed and no timing or scheduling options. That will limit your control on how to sleep cool at night.
The OOLER is one cool machine (pun intended). This machine offers variable fan speed control, wake up timer, and the ability to create a custom schedule.
Lastly, the best part is the OOLER is controlled by an App on your smart device. You create a custom schedule and your bed will be cool or warm before you crawl into it for the night.
Okay, All tech stuff aside, the basic unit works just fine.
Single or Double Units:
Both the ChiliPAD and the OOLER are available in single and double units.
My Personal View:
Okay, this is a great machine if you understand the purpose and its limitations. First this will not replace having AC in your house.
It does a great job of cooling and warming. I think it’s extremely useful for couples that have different needs for sleeping temperatures.
I opted for the less expensive model as I don't see the advantage of using the app. The remote unit works great and the money you save you can buy the best hotel pillow for yourself.
The Ooler Niche:
That is where this thing shines. I am a hot sleeper and want the room colder, my wife is cold and wants the room hotter. We fight over the thermostat all the time.
OOLER, problem solved we set the thermostat in the summer to 72 Fahrenheit (I would set it on 66 if she would let me). At 72 the room is not cold enough for me and not hot enough for her.
This is where the OOLER goes to work, I set my side for 65 degrees and she sets hers for 85 degrees.
I see this as the biggest advantage this machine offers.
What its Not:
If you have no AC in your house and it’s 100 Degrees outside this will not do what you think it will. ChiliPAD states in their ads “not meant to replace conventional AC”.
Cons:
Okay there is some cons to talk about but I feel the good far out way the bad, but I want to point out a couple of things that do bug me a little.
First, the water tank could be bigger, I did run it out of water in the middle of the night before. But, I have learned to check if now and its never happened again.
Second, this was a con at first but then turned into a pro for me. The fan is a bit loud, but after a few nights I got use to it and now it drowns out other noises in my neighborhood that use to wake me.
Final Advice on How to Sleep Cool:
I see two main reasons to buy these units. First, this is awesome for couples as I mentioned above. For that reason, I give it five stars.
Second, if this is for single users or couples who wants to leave the thermostat set at 72 degrees for instance and then adjusts ChiliPAD or OOLER to do the rest.
These are quality units and if you buy them for the right reasons, you will be pleased and will finally answer that question on how to sleep cool at night.
Bed Jet 3
If you need a lower cost option then checkout the Bed Jet 3.
Similar features to the ChilPAD but less money. This unit is deliver heating and cooling and offers single and dual zone units.
They offer free returns on Amazon for 30 days. As always please check current return policy before purchasing.
2. Sleep at a Lower Level
Sleeping at a lower level than the bed, affects how hot or cool you sleep.
How?
Since warm air rises, and cooler air being dense, stays down, the air on lower levels is cooler.
Therefore, this lets you sleep cool, and beat the summer heat.
3. Go for a Gel Mattress
Memory foam mattresses retain heat and could be one of the biggest reasons why you might have been sleeping hot.
Although there are other advanced mattresses pads to let you sleep cool, gel mattresses are one of the simplest solutions to sleeping hot.
Working just like a cooling gel pad, this works best in an air conditioned room.
The gel in the bed layering gets cooled down swiftly, making the bed cold and cosy, and your body temperature prevents it from getting too cold during the night.
Also check out are reviews on top 5 cooling mattresses.
4. Take a Shower Before Sleeping
Another measure that can be taken to sleep cool, is showering before you go to bed.
Sleeping with damp hair keeps you cooler throughout the night and prevents your body temperature from rising.
5. Cool Bedding
Not only can you find water cooled mattress pads like Chilipad, but there are multiple bedding options that you can invest in.
From cooling pillows to temperature regulating sheets and comforters for night sweats, there is a wide variety to choose from.
In other products, a lower thread count usually indicates a cooler fabric.
Keep that in mind when purchasing your next duvet cover or any bedding item for that matter.
6. Sleep with Cotton Clothes On
No matter how tempting sleeping without clothes on may be, you should sleep with some light absorbent clothes on.
Sleeping with cotton pyjamas or shirts on soaks up the sweat and lets air pass through.
This keeps you cool through the night, which our body can not do on our own.
Removing a sheet layering or two from the bed also makes a difference, since the more the sheets, the more heat they retain.
Sleeping in a hot room is nothing less than worst nightmare.
