What to put on your bed when night sweats wake you up

The key takeaways

• If night sweats wake you, start with the surface you sleep on. A temperature-controlled cover lets you set how cool your side of the bed is.
• The Orion Sleep System goes on the mattress you already own, under your fitted sheet, and cools or warms each side separately from 50°F to 113°F.
• Breathable sheets, a breathable protector and light layers on top help the cooler bed do its job.
• If you regularly wake soaked in a cool room, talk to a doctor as well.

Why the bed is the place to start

You've tried the fan. You've flipped the pillow to the cool side and bought sheets with "cooling" on the label. It's 3am and you're awake again, damp, with the covers on the floor.

The fan cools the room. The problem is the bed. Under the covers, the bed has its own warm, humid climate, and your body heat collects there all night. Sheets and blankets can let some of that heat out, but none of them can be set to a temperature.

That's what the Orion Sleep System is for. Here's what to put on your bed when night sweats keep waking you, starting with the layer that changes the most.

1. A temperature-controlled cover on your mattress

Orion's Smart Cover goes over the mattress you already own and under your regular fitted sheet. It's about as thick as a sheet. A Control Tower beside the bed moves water through it at the temperature you choose, anywhere from 50°F to 113°F, so the surface you lie on stays where you set it.

Each side of the bed has its own setting. You can keep your side cool while a partner who sleeps cold keeps theirs warmer.

Schedules start the cool-down before you get into bed, so the bed is already at temperature when you lie down. You can also set a cooler temperature for the hours you usually wake.

It fits with the rest of your bed, too. There's a waterproof protective layer beneath the cover's tubing, and your own sheets go on top and wash as usual. Heating and cooling don't require a subscription. Orion Intelligence is an optional extra that gives you AI-driven sleep insights.

2. Breathable sheets on top

Your fitted sheet sits between you and the cover, so you'll want one that lets heat and moisture through. Cotton percale and linen are good choices while sateen tends to hold more heat. Skip anything sold as "cooling" on the label alone because Consumer Reports has found many of those products just feel cool to the touch.

3. A protector that breathes

If you use a separate mattress protector, look for one that's described as breathable. A polyurethane backing is designed to stop liquid soaking through, which also gives sweat fewer places to go.

4. Two light layers instead of one heavy comforter

A heavy comforter is either on and too warm or off and too cold. The National Institute on Aging suggests layered bedding instead, with a light blanket under a thin top layer you can push off and pull back without getting up. If you share the bed, give each person their own top layer.

5. A dry top and cold water within reach

Keep light, loose sleepwear on, with a dry top folded on the nightstand and a glass of cold water beside it. A thin towel over the pillow lets you swap the damp layer without changing the bed.

6. A cool room around the bed

The Sleep Foundation suggests a bedroom of about 65°F. A cool room and a fan help, and with a cooler bed underneath you, they don't have to do all the work.

When to talk to a doctor about night sweats

The NHS describes night sweats as sweating so much that your nightclothes and bedding are soaking wet, even when the room is cool. It suggests seeing your doctor if night sweats regularly wake you or worry you, if you also have a very high temperature, a cough or diarrhea, or if you're losing weight for no reason.

Night sweats and your bed: common questions

What can I put on my bed for night sweats?

Start with the mattress. A temperature-controlled cover like the Orion Sleep System sits under your fitted sheet and lets you set your side of the bed anywhere from 50°F to 113°F. Add breathable sheets, a breathable protector and light layers on top.

Do cooling sheets help with night sweats?

They can feel cool when you first get in, but they can't be set to a temperature, and Consumer Reports has found many products marketed as cooling don't control temperature any better than ordinary sheets. A temperature-controlled cover changes the bed itself.

Can I keep my own sheets with Orion?

Yes. Orion's Smart Cover goes under your regular fitted sheet, and your sheets wash as usual. The Smart Cover itself is spot-clean only.

Does Orion treat night sweats?

No. Orion keeps your side of the bed at the temperature you choose, which is about comfort. If you regularly wake with soaked bedding in a cool room, speak with a doctor.

Night sweats keep waking you? See how the Orion Sleep System cools your side of the bed.