I can’t sleep. I’m too hot.

[VenusClapTrap]

I’ve got all the windows and skylights open, and I’ve put the fan on. Still too hot. I’ve even persuaded the cat to bugger off, as she’s like a furry hot water bottle, even though the purring helps me get to sleep. If I throw the duvet off, I cool down a bit but then can’t sleep because I’m exposed. So I pull it back on again, and for a short while it’s blissfully cold, but then five minutes later I’m cooking again.

I’m sick of this. It seems to be happening more and more, maybe I’m perimenopausal. What can I do? Duvet is the lowest tog I could find. Ditched the memory foam mattress for a traditional one last year. Ditched all pyjamas except cotton ones - don’t like sleeping naked as the kids sometimes come and jump on me in the morning.

Dh next to me emits heat like a nuclear reactor, but ditching him might be a bit extreme. And I’m still too hot even when he’s away.

I read on another thread that someone switched to sheets and blankets because duvets are too hot; maybe I should try that. What sort of blankets? I can remember helping my mother make the bed with sheets and blankets when I was very small - it seemed very complicated with a specific order, like a lasagne.

Any suggestions?

Oh no, the cat’s back.

When perimenopausal I switched to a 4.5 tog summer duvet with a sheet underneath it so I could sleep just under the sheet if I needed to. I didn't need any more even on the coldest nights. Still don't & I'm through the worst now.

I’m the opposite! It’s 4am here and my dh has the air con on ridiculously high. Fancy a wife swap?

Jokes aside, look up American bedding - we struggle to explain the concept of a duvet there (comforter) as most do beds with just sheets. That will give you a clear idea of precisely what sheets to use. You could also use a gel cooling pad on your feet, which will quickly cook your whole body.

Get up and have a cup of tea?
My DH could heat half the planet - no need for a hot water bottle that's for sure.
I've not gone to bed yet because I'm not tired. I need to be yawning before I go to bed or I'll never nod off.

I might join you and put the kettle on
And then settle down for the night on the sofa - I actually sleep better on my own without the heat

I like the sound of a gel cooling pad for feet. I was thinking nostalgically of ye olde body shop peppermint foot lotion from back in the day, and wondering if they still make it.

And thanks for the tip about how to do blankets - I’ll look that up.

Your over zealous air con sounds amazing!

for notangelina. I can’t sleep on the sofa though. Spiders come down the chimney at night. It’s a big inglenook and it’s full of them.

HRT and a wool duvet,single duvet each if married so the radiator effect is gone.
I am now single so can roll to the cool side of the bed if I have a moment but mostly since being on HRT the sleepless nights are over.

Maybe I’ll try single duvets. Although I’ve always hated that when holiday places do beds that way (and MIL).

HRT you say... I think that might be a bit premature though.

What’s a wool duvet?

I googled wool duvets. OMG I want one.

Im so cold

I use empty duvet cover under my duvet which is in its own cover. So I can kick duvet off but still have coverage that's cool. Then pull duvet back over me if needed! It also makes quick Bed change possible because I can put sheet and empty duvet cover in wash frequently and use top duvet as kind of eiderdown. I do wash that regularly but it's nice being able to have the clean sheets feeling in a day.

I’ll try that UnRavelling, thank you.

IfOnly I do sympathise. I suffer from Reynauds, so I spend a lot of time complaining I’m too cold. Being too hot is a new feature in my life, and I don’t know which is worse.

Maybe you need a wool duvet too? They sound like The Answer to Everything.