With a baby in your home, there are lots of things on your mind! You might even be asking yourself questions that have never occurred to you before. One of the things you might be wondering about: baby sleep temperature guidelines.
What is the ideal room temperature for a baby to get a good night’s sleep? How can you keep your baby from overheating?
What sort of pajamas should your little one wear while snoozing? And what kind of bed linens should go on their crib?
These are all important questions, and we’d like to address them in this article! Here are ten things you need to know about baby sleep temperature guidelines to keep your baby comfortable while they snooze.
Key Takeaways
Table of contents
- Signs that your baby is too hot or too cold
- Baby sleep temperature guidelines
- What to do in unusual sleep circumstances
Signs that your baby is too hot or too cold
Before we go on to baby sleep temperature guidelines, let’s determine what to look for when you’re checking on your baby at night. Your most reliable sources of information are coming from two places: your baby and you.
How is your baby acting? What do they feel like to the touch? What are you noticing? These questions will give you vital clues about how to dress your baby for sleep.
How do you know if your baby is too hot?
Signs that may indicate your baby is too hot include:
- Sweaty neck and hair
- Flushed cheeks
- Rapid breathing
- Your baby’s core (chest, neck, back, and tummy) is clammy or sweaty
- Heat rash (small red or pink bumps if your baby has a fair complexion or white or gray bumps if
- your baby has a dark complexion)
How do you know if your baby is too cold?
Signs that may indicate your baby is too cold include:
- Your baby’s core is cool to the touch
- Shivering
- Restless
- Pale complexion (if they’ve got a lighter skin tone)
Note: Cool fingers and toes are not good indicators of your baby being too cold. Often they feel cooler than the rest of your baby’s body!
How do you know if your baby’s temperature is just right?
Signs that best indicate your baby is comfortable include:
- Warm chest
- Relaxed posture
- They are their “normal” color
- Steady breathing
Can the right temperature improve your baby’s sleep?
The short answer is…probably! If your baby is comfortable when they sleep, they’re more likely to stay asleep longer. When your baby is even a little too hot or too cold, their body expends energy regulating their temperature, which may disrupt their rest.
Baby sleep temperature guidelines
Because their bodies are so small and still growing, babies can’t regulate their own body temperatures as well as grown-ups can. This is why knowing how to maintain the right sleep temperature is so important.
1) Set the thermostat.
The first thing to address (and probably your biggest question) is how to set the thermostat in your house so your baby can sleep comfortably and safely all night long.
What is the ideal temperature? That’s a great question and one that doesn’t necessarily have an exact answer. The definition of “hot” and “cold” can vary from person to person as well as between different cultures and climates.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the reference point for all things babies and kids, notes that “it is difficult to provide specific room temperature guidelines to avoid overheating.”
That’s why helping your baby sleep comfortably all night long has to do with a lot more than just the temperature of the room. It also involves thinking about the pajamas they wear and simply keeping an eye on them to make sure they don’t seem too hot.
That being said, if you’re looking for a ballpark idea of how to set the thermostat, we’d like to offer some guidelines.
The Ohio chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics gives the following advice when it comes to setting the thermostat: “Set the room temperature in a range that is comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.”
And Sheridan Hernandez, M.D., from The Pediatric Specialists Medical Group in Florida, suggests “keeping the room temperature between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit.”
If you decide to invest in a stand-alone thermometer for your baby’s room, here are some features to think about:
- A clear, digital display so you don’t struggle to see the thermometer when you check it in the middle of the night
- Room temperature alerts so you don’t have to check it in the middle of the night
- Humidity readings (the EPA recommends 30-60% humidity readings for your baby’s room)
- No bright lights or beeping sounds to disturb your baby’s precious sleep
With some sort of idea of how to set the thermostat, let’s move on to the next guideline, since what your baby sleeps with is just as important as the room temperature.
2) Avoid direct heat or cooling sources.
If it’s a particularly hot summer night or cold winter night, you may want to turn on either a heater, air conditioner, or fan in your baby’s room. Any of these choices is fine as long as you keep your little one out of the direct line of blowing air.
Make sure your little one’s crib isn’t right next to or under a heating or cooling source. Direct heat or cold air can deregulate your baby’s temperature. Aim it away from them, so they experience the circulated air instead.
It’s also important to keep any heating or cooling devices (and their cords) away from your little one.
3) Maintain proper humidity levels.
The best humidity level for your baby’s room is between 30% and 60%.
Too much moisture in your baby’s room could cause mold and respiratory issues, while too little may leave your baby’s skin dry and irritate their nasal passages. Both can make your baby feel uncomfortable and affect their sleep.
If you live in a place where the air is dry, it may be a good idea to invest in a humidifier. And if you live in a wet, warm place, you may want to use a dehumidifier. Just remember to place them out of the direct line of your baby and make sure to clean and maintain them regularly.
4) Use blackout shades.
Direct sunlight can heat a room very quickly, so blackout shades are a great way to prevent your baby’s room from getting too hot. Especially during naptime, when you want to reduce both heat and light, these shades can make a big difference.
5) Don’t cover your baby with a blanket.
You might be inclined to cover your little bundle of joy with a soft blanket to keep them warm at night. As cozy as it sounds, don’t do it. Blankets are not safe for babies!
Your baby isn’t capable of removing a blanket if they get too hot during the night (or putting it back on if they get too cold!). And, even more importantly, a blanket is a safety hazard. In fact, anything other than a fitted sheet in the crib is a safety hazard.
When it comes to bedding, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends putting your baby to sleep on a firm mattress “covered by a fitted sheet with no other bedding or soft objects to reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.”
So, your baby’s crib mattress should be outfitted with a fitted sheet and nothing else! No top sheet, no blanket, no quilt, and no pillows.
For a cute, breathable, soft sheet option, try Newton’s Breathable, Organic Cotton Sheets. These hypoallergenic crib sheets are made of pre-shrunk, organic muslin cotton that is machine-washable for the most hygienic sleep surface.
Our sheets come in both standard and mini sizes, and the all-around elastic guarantees a safe, snug fit for any crib mattress!
Since blankets are out for safety reasons, turn to sleep clothing like a sleep sack (which is basically a wearable blanket) or a swaddle to keep your baby’s temperature just right all night long.
That brings us to our next baby sleep temperature guideline.
6) Wrap or swaddle your baby.
Instead of a blanket, the safest way for your baby to stay warm enough while they sleep is by wearing either a swaddle or a sleep sack.
A swaddle is a light blanket that you use to wrap your baby up snugly! If you’ve ever seen a baby wrapped up like a burrito, you’ve seen a swaddled baby. Newborns can be swaddled until they’re around two months old or they first start showing signs of rolling over. Once that happens, it’s no longer safe to swaddle your little one.
A sleep sack is like a wearable blanket with (typically) a zipper in the front. These are appropriate for little ones after they outgrow a swaddle.
If you’re not sure how to go about swaddling an infant, start with a Newton Organic Swaddle Blanket and check out our article How To Swaddle A Baby. Learning how to wrap your baby might seem complicated, but with a little practice, you’ll be a pro in no time!
Swaddling your newborn calms their startle reflex, promotes better sleep, and keeps them from scratching their face. And, as long as you use a light swaddle instead of a thick blanket, it also helps to keep them at the right temperature all night long.
7) Consider TOG ratings.
The Thermal Overall Grade (TOG) rating tells you the thickness and warmth level of your baby’s sleepwear. The TOG can be another tool for you to use as you determine the best sleep environment for your baby.
- 0.5 TOG: lightweight and ideal for hot weather
- 1.0 TOG: medium weight and a good, versatile choice
- 2.5+ TOG: heavyweight and best for cold weather
Your baby may have different preferences, but this is a good gauge for guessing appropriate sleepwear.
8) Dress your baby in one extra layer.
Assuming your baby is in a swaddle or sleep sack while they snooze, what should they wear underneath it to maintain the ideal temperature?
According to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, you shouldn’t bundle them up too much or cover their face or head.
They say that “infants should be dressed appropriately for the environment, with no greater than 1 layer more than an adult would wear to be comfortable in that environment.”
Regardless of how you dress your baby, the other important thing is to keep an eye on your little one to make sure they aren’t getting too hot. Nothing can replace checking in on your baby yourself!
Check to see if they’re hot to the touch by feeling their chest, neck, back, and tummy. (Don’t use their hands or feet to check for appropriate temperature, because those areas aren’t always accurate.) If your baby’s core feels warm, they’re well dressed for sleep.
If your baby is sweating, has damp hair, or their cheeks are flushed, these are signs they may be too hot. Remove a layer or adjust the room temperature to help them cool down.”
That being said, parents often notice their little one waking up with a sweaty back. Putting your baby on their back is the safest way for them to sleep, but it can often lead to a sweaty situation!
If you want to do something about that, a breathable mattress like Newton’s Crib Mattress can help! Let’s take a look.
9) Put your baby to sleep on a breathable mattress.
A breathable mattress allows for airflow underneath your baby’s back, and it means your baby can breathe straight through the mattress if they turn over in the middle of the night. That provides you with a lot of peace of mind!
What makes our Crib Mattress breathable? Something called Wovenaire technology, which was invented in Japan and is now made in the USA.
High-quality, food-grade polymer is extruded into a crystal clear pool of water, creating a unique, resilient three-dimensional shape that is 90% air by volume. That’s right! This mattress is mostly air, making it more breathable than leading organic mattresses.
You can also rest assured that this crib mattress has no foam, latex, springs, or glue (and therefore, no toxic chemicals or allergens), and it exceeds the most rigorous 3rd-party emissions standards, which test for off-gassing.
Plus, it’s the only crib mattress that’s washable from cover to core, so you can easily do away with mold, bacteria, and allergens!
10) Use a breathable mattress pad.
If you already have the nursery outfitted with a standard crib mattress, you can still offer breathability with Newton’s Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad.
This mattress pad is not only waterproof, protecting the mattress from leaks, but it’s also breathable, making any crib mattress safer!
Our breathe-through spacer material adds 3/8" of air circulation to the surface of the mattress. And the TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) lining is a waterproof, breathable fabric layer, maintaining the breathability of this mattress pad!
Last but not least, this mattress pad is 100% washable, so you can quickly deal with any middle-of-the-night accidents. That said, we still recommend having an extra one on hand just in case.
What to do in unusual sleep circumstances
You may need to change up your usual temperature go-tos if your baby is in a new sleep situation. Here are some scenarios you may find yourself in and a few ideas to try:
- If you’re going on vacation to a place with an unfamiliar climate, bring a variety of layers for your baby. That way, you can adjust accordingly once you’re there and experiment with what works best for sleep. (Try bringing Newton’s Travel Crib & Play Yard for some familiarity for your baby.)
- If your baby is sleeping over at a relative’s house or going to daycare for the first time, do the same thing: pack a variety of layers for unexpected temperatures.
- When your little one is sick, be aware that their temperature may fluctuate. Dress them in extra comfortable sleepwear, and check on them more often than usual so you can change their clothes when their temperature changes.
- Lastly, when you’re in-between seasons and the weather is unpredictable, you might try using adaptable sleepwear, like sleep sacks that have detachable sleeves.
A bonus tip for all of these scenarios: bring sheets or clothing that contain a familiar scent so your baby feels like some element of their sleep ritual is familiar.
Not too hot, not too cold — just right!
You want your baby to sleep well all night long, and part of keeping them comfy is making sure they’re not too hot and not too cold but just right! The baby sleep temperature guidelines in this article can help you do just that.
Start by setting the thermostat to an appropriate temperature, typically between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, dress your baby in the appropriate pajamas and put them in a swaddle blanket or sleep sack rather than covering them with a blanket.
Finally, lay them down to sleep on a breathable mattress, like the Newton Crib Mattress. With these guidelines and a few check-ins to make sure that your baby isn’t too hot, they’ll sleep comfortably all night long.
Sweet dreams!
Frequently asked questions
Will my baby wake up if they are too hot or too cold at night?
It’s totally normal for babies to wake up repeatedly during sleep. You know your baby’s tendencies and preferences better than anyone.
That said, if your baby is uncomfortable while they’re sleeping, they may be more likely to wake up. However, heat and cold typically have different effects on sleep.
According to studies by the National Institute of Health (NIH), a baby who is too cold is more likely to wake up than an overheated baby. In one study, babies who slept in higher temperatures had a harder time waking up to auditory signals.
Do babies sleep better in a cooler room?
There is no evidence to suggest babies sleep better in colder rooms. Instead, research has shown that babies sleep best (and the safest) in a room that is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. This is considered “cool,” as opposed to hot or cold.
How often should I check the temperature in my baby’s room?
In general, checking the temperature in your baby’s room when they go to sleep and then again when you turn in for the night is sufficient. If you feel comfortable in your baby’s room, it’s likely comfortable for them as well.
But if your baby has been restless, sick, or going through some sort of transition, you may want to check the temperature more than twice. And if your baby has a fever, you may want to check on them every few hours.
When can my baby begin using a blanket in bed?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends waiting until your baby is at least 12 months old before letting them use a blanket when they sleep.
Introducing a blanket before that increases their chance of accidental suffocation. Any soft object, including bumpers, pillows, and stuffed animals, is risky before that one-year mark. Until then, sleep sacks and swaddle blankets are the best way to keep your baby extra warm.
