Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night sweating because you got too hot? That can happen to your baby, too, especially because their bodies aren’t good at regulating temperature yet. Because of that, you may see signs your baby is too hot while sleeping.
But don’t fret! It doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong with your little one, and there are easy ways to remedy the situation.
In this article, we discuss signs your baby is too hot while sleeping, what to do about it, and tips for keeping your baby cool at night.
Table of contents
- Signs your baby is too hot while sleeping
- What to do if your baby gets too hot while sleeping
- More tips for keeping your baby cool at night
- Helpful ways to prepare your baby for sleep
Signs your baby is too hot while sleeping
1) Red, flushed cheeks
One of the most obvious signs that your baby is too hot while sleeping is red, flushed cheeks. When your baby starts to get hot, their body will automatically circulate more blood to the essential areas (e.g., their head) to remove the heat and keep things cool.
This can give the appearance that your baby has been extremely active or playing hard even in the middle of the night when they’ve been asleep for hours.
2) Sweaty or clammy skin
Another one of the more obvious signs your baby is too hot while sleeping is sweaty or clammy skin. Sweaty skin is warm and wet to the touch, while clammy skin is cool and wet.
If you touch their forehead, neck, or scalp during the night and feel either of these conditions, your little one might be overheating while they sleep.
3) Feels warm to the touch
A third sign your baby is too hot is if their skin feels warmer than usual. Often, this sign comes before the sweaty or clammy skin mentioned above, but it can also happen after the wetness has evaporated.
If you suspect your little one is getting too hot at night, touch their neck, tummy, or back with the palm of your hand. If their skin feels warmer than usual, try implementing some of the solutions in the What to do if your baby gets too hot while sleeping section of this article.
4) Rapid breathing
When your baby starts to get warm on the way too hot, their body will automatically increase circulation (causing the red, flushed cheeks we already mentioned) and respiration in an attempt to stay cool.
Increases in respiration manifest as short, shallow, rapid breathing that makes it appear as if your baby has been involved in some form of vigorous exercise.
Note: Rapid breathing can also happen with medical conditions like fever, respiratory distress, and dehydration. If your baby’s breathing doesn’t slow down once they’ve cooled off, call their doctor right away.
5) Restlessness
If you notice your little one tossing and turning more than usual, it could mean they’re too hot.
All babies will move and make noises during the night, but if they’re kicking their legs, waving their arms, grunting, or turning their head more often, they might be overheating.
This happens because their body is working to stay cool instead of falling into a normal deep sleep that results in stillness.
6) Fussiness
Sometimes, your baby won’t be able to fall asleep at all at bedtime because they’re too hot. This can result in your little one becoming fussy, cranky, and even overtired.
What to do if your baby gets too hot while sleeping
Use a breathable mattress.
A breathable mattress provides airflow under your baby while they sleep, allows their natural body heat to escape, and keeps them cool all night long.
Breathable mattresses also keep your baby safe at night by allowing your little one to breathe straight through the material and eliminating the risk of accidental suffocation.
The Newton Crib Mattress, for example, is composed of mostly air (90% air by volume) to keep your baby cool and safe while they sleep.
Dress them in thinner clothing.
Another way to help them stay cool if you see signs your baby is too hot while sleeping is to dress them in thinner clothing.
Opt for thin onesies, pajamas, swaddles, or a sleep sack made from lightweight, breathable fabrics, like cotton.
Keep in mind that polyester, nylon, acrylic, and other synthetic fabrics can trap heat next to the skin and cause your baby to overheat quicker. Thin cotton is the best sleepwear for keeping your baby cool at night.
Adjust the room temperature.
Monitor the environment around your little one’s crib and do your best to keep the temperature at a comfortable level for sleep. For babies, the best room temperature for sleeping is between 68° and 72℉.
If you don’t want to keep the thermostat set that low all the time, turn it up while your baby is awake and then turn it down when it’s time to sleep.
Reduce the humidity in the air.
Humidity can make it feel hotter than it actually is and cause your little one to show signs of being too hot while they’re sleeping.
Consider running a dehumidifier at night to remove the moisture from the air and to provide a more comfortable sleeping environment for your baby.
Remove blankets.
From birth to 18 months, your baby should not sleep with blankets, pillows, bumpers, or any other items in their crib.
Not only does this prevent accidents from happening, but it also removes the likelihood that these items will cause your baby to retain heat and get too hot while they sleep.
Check for a fever.
In some cases, your baby may be hot while they sleep because they have a fever.
To check for a fever, gently place the palm of your hand on their forehead. If their skin feels sharply hot, consult with a doctor right away.
If they just feel a bit warmer than their usual body temperature, consider removing some of their clothing, changing them into a lightweight onesie, or reducing the temperature in their room.
Increase airflow.
Another solution to consider when you see signs your baby is too hot while sleeping is to increase the airflow in and around their crib.
If it’s safe to do so and the weather is cool enough outside, you might consider opening a window. If that’s not an option, set up a fan in their room to move the air around — but don’t point the breeze directly at your baby.
More tips for keeping your baby cool at night
Place a thermometer in their room.
To help keep your baby’s sleep environment at the proper temperature, place a thermometer in their sleep space (not in their crib nor within reach but close enough to give you an accurate reading).
You can choose from any of a large variety of thermometers at a variety of prices and with a variety of features. Pick the option that suits you and your baby best.
Prevent sun exposure during sleep.
Sunlight can raise the temperature of the space around a window by more than you might think. If your little one’s sleep space is close to a window, it could be causing them to overheat while they sleep.
Invest in some heavy blackout curtains to keep the sun’s rays at bay, and consider moving your baby’s crib to another part of the room to avoid the sun altogether.
Offer cool breast milk or formula.
If your baby will accept it, offer breast milk or formula before bed. Keeping them hydrated can help prevent overheating.
Avoid overheating during the day.
Another great way to prevent your little one from getting too warm at night is to keep them from overheating during the day. While they’re awake, dress them in thin, breathable clothing, avoid prolonged sun exposure, and keep their environment comfortably cool.
Doing so can make it easier for your baby to learn how to regulate their body temperature during both the waking and sleeping hours.
Helpful ways to prepare your baby for sleep
In many ways, keeping your baby from getting too hot while sleeping is all about creating the perfect environment for sleep.
While that includes many of the things we’ve talked about already — setting the right room temperature, dressing them in lightweight clothing, putting them down on a firm, breathable mattress — it also extends to habits and activities that go on throughout the day.
Here are some suggestions for creating the perfect environment for sleep so that your little one stays cool all night long.
Nap at the right time.
A nap too close to their night bedtime can interfere with your baby’s ability to sleep through until morning. Consider moving the afternoon nap earlier in the day by an hour or two to leave plenty of time for your little one to burn off all their energy.
So, for example, if your baby typically naps from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., try putting them down at 3 p.m. (or even 2 p.m.) so there’s a good stretch of time between when they wake from that nap and when you want them to go down for the night.
As your little one grows, you may even try eliminating naps altogether so they’re totally tuckered out by 7, 8, or 9 p.m.
Many parents find that they can easily do away with the morning nap because their baby is energized from a good night’s sleep. Then, after lunch, they’re ready for a nap by 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. Even if they sleep for two hours, there’s plenty of time to get tired again before bedtime.
Here’s a sample one-nap schedule to give you a basic idea of what you’re aiming for:
Wake up: 7 a.m.
Lunch: 11 a.m. or 12 p.m.
Nap: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Bedtime: 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
Find a nap schedule that works for you and your little one and do your best to stick to it, but, as your little one grows, don’t be afraid to change the schedule to accommodate their wake windows (more on this later).
Make sure your baby has a full belly.
One of the keys to a good night’s sleep — whether you see signs your baby is too hot while sleeping or not — is a full belly…but not too full.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to under or overfeed your little one in such a way that it interferes with their sleep. Your baby may fall asleep while feeding and not take in enough milk or formula to keep them full all night. Or, they may eat too much and give themselves a tummy ache.
Ask a pediatrician about the average number of times per day your baby should be eating and how much they need at each feeding. If you find that you’re under or overfeeding your baby, adjust their schedule so there’s plenty of time to get the nutrition they need throughout the day.
Even if your baby isn’t having any problems with their feeding schedule, they’ll eventually start to transition from breast milk or formula to solid foods. That big change can throw them off just enough to cause sleep issues.
Eventually, they’ll get used to the new routine, but you may start (or continue) to see signs your baby is too hot while sleeping as their body adapts.
Rely on wake windows.
A wake window is the amount of time doctors recommend that a baby or toddler can spend awake before becoming overly tired.
Wake windows change by age, so here’s a quick listing of the suggested ranges:
0-4 weeks: 35 to 60 minutes
4-12 weeks: 60 to 90 minutes
3-4 months: 75 to 120 minutes
5-7 months: 2 to 3 hours
7-10 months: 2.5 to 3.5 hours
11-14 months: 3 to 4 hours
14-24 months: 4 to 6 hours
These wake windows can help you schedule naps and bedtimes so that your baby is tired and ready for sleep.
To find your little one’s wake windows, follow this simple process:
- Get your baby on a consistent schedule based on the recommended wake windows
- Take note of the length and quality of their sleep
- Watch for sleep cues to help refine the awake range
- Adjust your baby’s wake windows according to their needs
So, for example, if you start your four-month-old out on a wake window of two hours (120 minutes) but you notice that they’re not ready for sleep at that time, you might adjust their awake range to 3 hours and see if that extra 60 minutes makes a difference.
Just remember that every baby is different, and no two sleep schedules will be exactly the same. Similarly, no two babies will have the exact same wake window, nor will they sleep for the same amount of time.
Find what works for your baby and do your best to stick with it.
Bathe your baby before bed.
More than one bath a day can dry out your little one’s skin and make them uncomfortable to the point that they won’t sleep.
But playing in the tub before their bedtime is a great way to burn off their last bit of energy, help them relax, and have fun at the same time.
Wash their skin and hair with a gentle cleanser, dry them with a soft, fluffy towel, and then dress them in their favorite pajamas or sleepwear so that they’re as comfortable as can be and ready to relax for the night.
Moisturize their skin.
After a bath is the perfect time to moisturize your little one’s skin so that itchy, dry spots don’t wake them up in the middle of the night.
What’s more, the gentle application of a soft, silky moisturizing cream can help your baby relax and get ready for bedtime.
Apply a cream to their whole body, but focus on the more sensitive parts, such as the back of the knees and the inside of the elbows.
Make this a part of your baby’s bedtime routine — whether you bathe them or not — and watch them fall asleep faster and stay that way longer.
Try a baby massage.
While you’re applying a moisturizer to your baby’s skin, take the time to give them a gentle massage as well. Choose a baby-safe cream or oil with a gentle, soothing scent and use it to massage your little one’s shoulders, arms, chest, back, legs, and feet.
The increased blood flow to their muscles, the attention they get from you, and the soothing scent will comfort, calm, and relax your baby so they can fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and avoid getting too hot at night.
Run a white noise machine.
When trying to create the perfect sleep environment, don’t forget about noise. As an adult, you may be able to ignore the ambient noise in your house or neighborhood, but your baby hasn’t yet developed the ability to tune it out.
What’s more, those noises can keep your little one awake well past their bedtime and can even wake them up in the middle of the night. One of the best ways to cover up disruptive sounds is with a white noise machine.
A white noise machine acts like an “audio blanket” creating a constant background sound that prevents your little one’s brain from focusing on sudden, potentially jarring sounds like creaky floorboards, loud doors, and rattling pipes.
For more information on this easy-to-use sleep aid, check out this article from the Newton blog: 14 Baby Sleep Aids To Help Your Little One Sleep Through The Night.
Rock before bed.
Rocking chairs have been around for a long time. Why? Because they help babies (and adults) relax and wind down. Studies show that rocking, swaying, and bouncing motions help little ones fall asleep more consistently than lying still.
But not everyone has a rocking chair available. If that’s you, try variations of the rocking movement, such as:
- Walking
- Standing and bouncing up and down gently
- Swaying
- Sitting and bouncing on an exercise ball
Even a little repetitive movement may be enough to help your baby relax and fall asleep — especially after they wake up from being too hot.
Put your baby down sleepy but not asleep.
Your baby is going to wake up during the night — whether it’s from getting too hot or something else entirely — but, ideally, you want them to be able to fall back to sleep on their own.
Sometimes, this requires a bit of training (and a lot of patience) from you.
Instead of rocking or feeding your baby until they’re fully asleep and then placing them in the crib, put them down when they’re drowsy and allow them to drift off to sleep on their own (and without being in your arms).
Doing so is a form of sleep training that can help your baby understand that when they wake up at any time during the night, they can go back to sleep on their own without needing to be rocked or fed by you.
For more information on sleep training techniques, take a few minutes to read this guide from the Newton blog: Sleep Training: The Complete Guide For New Parents.
A comfortable night’s sleep for all
If you see signs that your baby is too hot while sleeping, one of the best things you can do — in addition to keeping their room cool, dressing them in thinner clothing, and reducing the humidity in the air — is to put them to sleep on a breathable mattress.
Newton’s breath-thru mattresses contain a Wovenaire® core that is 10% food-grade polymer and 90% air for unrestricted airflow through and around the mattress all night long.
This unique composition also means that, should your baby roll over during the night, they’ll be able to breathe through the mattress itself.
Not only will your little one sleep safer and cooler, but you’ll rest easy knowing you’ve done all you can to give them the best night’s sleep possible!
