How to Sleep Better in Any Season

Want to sleep better?  Maybe you just need a change.

Changing the bedding you use with the seasons can nip restless nights in the bud.

Crisp breezes wafting in through the windows at night. Cloudless blue skies by day. Leaves turning from green to gold to russet. Football games, chili simmering on the stove, apple cider doughnuts at the farmer’s market… And did we mention it’s finally boot season?

There’s so much to love about fall. Nestled between the go-go-go of summer barbecues and family vacations and the even busier holiday season, it’s a moment to catch your breath—to take a moment to relax, recharge, and say “ahh.” Fall is also a great time to transition your bedroom for cooler nighttime temperatures. 

Match Your Bedding to the Season—and Sleep More Soundly

It’s hard to sleep like a baby when you’re too cold, or too hot. But it’s easy to adjust your bedding to keep you comfortable all year long. First, you’ll need to know the difference between four different fabrics used in bed linens, and how each can keep you at the perfect temperature.

Percale: Tightly woven from thin cotton yarn, percale has a crisp feel and a matte finish—like a dress shirt. Percale is light and cool, and perfect for warmer weather.

Sateen: More loosely woven from thicker cotton yarn, sateen is silky and has a heavier drape. It has a rich feel, and may keep you a little bit warmer than percale.

Tencel-branded Lyocel and Modal: An environmentally friendly and sustainable choice, these fibers are produced from wood products—but you’d never know it to the touch. Tencel is soft, silky, lightweight, and breathable—perfect for layering in any season, but especially in the summer.

Flannel: Cotton flannel feels soft and fuzzy texture thanks to brushing or “napping” the fabric. This is a great pick for really cold nights—or for a drafty bedroom.

Find Your Perfect Seasonal Bedding Mix

The secret to total sleepytime comfort is in tweaking how you make your bed as the outdoor temperatures rise or fall (and as you pump up the a/c, or the heat, inside). Yes, you probably want to change the look of the bed—warmer, deeper shades and luxe textures in the fall and winter, for example, and paler, lighter styles in the spring and summer—but the types of sheets, blankets, and comforters you choose are what will make the biggest difference in your comfort.

Fall

It’s cooler out, especially at night, but not really cold yet—and you might still be using more air conditioning than heat, at least in September and October. Just as you dress in layers for fall’s variable temperatures, go with layers on the bed. Choose percale or sateen sheets, a medium-weight blanket, and an all-season down comforter that you can fold at the foot of the bed on balmy nights.

Winter 

Now’s the time to make sure your bed is a warm and cozy retreat. The best sheets for winter are sateen or flannel—or, a mix: a sateen fitted sheet topped with a flannel flat sheet can give you the best of both worlds, keeping you warm but not too warm. Add a thicker blanket, a coverlet or quilt, and a warmer duvet.

Spring

Off with the flannel sheets and the heavy-duty duvet as the temperatures warm up! You’ll be happy to refresh your bed with a lighter look and feel: sateen or percale sheets, a light blanket and quilt, a pretty coverlet, or all-season duvet.

Summer

Crisp percale can feel just right on sticky nights, but sateen’s a good choice, too. Breathable Tencel might keep you the coolest. Pack away your duvet (or switch to a summer-weight style if your air conditioning keeps your bedroom frosty) and cover up with a cotton blanket or a light quilt.