This winter, I'm finding it more tricky than ever to stay warm at night. Being home for the holidays, where my bed is directly under a large window with another directly opposite, and no other suitable spot for my bed, a cross-breeze chill is almost entirely unavoidable.
Short on time to start draft-proofing my bedroom ahead of Christmas, I realized there was one simple fix I was somehow forgetting – the heated mattress pad that got me through four years of college in frosty Edinburgh, Scotland.
Here, our HVAC pro explains why this addition is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to keep warm while you sleep, and I can attest to, personally.
This 1 Simple Bedroom Tweak Keeps Me Cozy All Night
Even with the heating turned on to keep my home warm all day, I was still finding myself going to sleep and waking up chilly. Night after night, I piled yet more blankets on top of my comforter, which still wasn't enough, and was making my cozy bedroom look chaotic. That's when I remembered my old heated mattress pad, languishing in a storage box, and haven't looked back.
As Josh Mitchell, HVAC expert and founder of AirConditionerLab, says, 'If your heat is already running and you're still cold at night, the problem usually isn't the thermostat, it's the bedding setup.'
This couldn't be more true in my case, as without being able to move my bed a few inches to make it feel cozier at night, my setup was inadequate.
'The quickest fix is switching to a fitted heated mattress pad instead of piling on more blankets,' Josh advises. 'Not a heated throw. Not an electric blanket. A properly fitted pad.
'It warms you from underneath, so the heat stays where your body is instead of escaping into the mattress. Most people don’t realize how much warmth they lose downward, and a pad solves that in minutes.'
I asked Josh for his top recommendation, and he recommends the Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad available at Amazon.
'It’s safe, consistent, and has dual zones if you share the bed,' he explains. 'I run it for 30 to 60 minutes before bed and shut it off once I get in. The heat stays trapped under the covers for hours. It works even better if you layer flannel or jersey cotton sheets over it.'
I particularly like the Eddie Bauer Alpine Plaid Cotton Flannel Green Comforter Set available at Wayfair, which is machine washable.
I've found pre-heating my pad and turning it off when I get into bed an absolute essential for cold winter nights, not only for that initial hit of warm comfort, but also to avoid overheating overnight. Turning it off before you fall asleep will also significantly reduce common fire risks.
'I also recommend checking where your bed is placed,' continues Josh, as moving your bed placement can help you stay warm at night. 'If it’s pressed up against an exterior wall, especially an uninsulated or north-facing one, that surface can sit at 50 to 55°F even if your room is 68°F.
'You’ll feel that cold all night. Move your bed to an interior wall, and you cut that heat loss right away. I’ve found that bedrooms feel three to five degrees warmer just from this one bed position shift.'
Unfortunately, as this isn't a possibility for me due to the layout of the room where I'm currently staying and the size of the bed, a heated mattress pad is my best bet.
'The same thing goes for cold floors,' adds Josh. 'Hardwood, laminate, or tile under and around your bed sucks heat from your body while you sleep. Toss a thick rug under the bed, or even fold an old comforter and lay it under the frame. You’ll sleep warmer without running the heater longer.'
Other fixes Josh recommends include hanging thermal curtains across windows to block cold air at night, checking vents aren't blowing directly on you, redirecting or partially closing them, and blocking drafts under bedroom doors with rolled towels or a door sweep, such as the M-D Building Products All-Season Door Sweep available at Amazon.
'If your bed sits above a garage or crawlspace, bump the heating pad’s runtime or add an underlayer like a wool blanket between the mattress and the pad,' adds Josh.
'Most people run their furnace all night trying to stay warm. With these tweaks, I’ve had clients cut their heating time by three to five hours nightly while sleeping warmer. The electric pad pulls about 60-100 watts, compared to 5,000+ watts for a gas furnace heating the whole house, so it pays off fast.'
It can help you to cut energy bills, too, as it's economical to run.
Now, with my heated mattress pad, I'm cozy when I get into bed, and, more importantly, cozy all night long. Truth be told, I still use my hot water bottle for ultimate comfort, but not because I need it – just because I want it!
Shop My Cozy Bedroom Essentials
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
For ultimate cozy comfort, this IKEA bedding is made of a lightly brushed soft flannel weave, which creates insulating pockets of air in the fibres for extra warmth.
This mattress pad features an auto-off function, dual controllers for both sides of the bed, and an enlarged heating area. It's available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, and King sizes.
I never go to bed without my hot water bottle in winter. This number one premium bestseller is durable and can be used as both a hot and cold compress for aches and pains. Do not overfill and always secure the lid.
Adding just one throw to your bed is a tasteful way to add color and personality to your space, while adding another cozy layer to trap warm air under. This one features a brushed mohair-like surface and is available in five colorsways.
I have a real sheepskin rug next to my bed, and it makes such a difference to the cozy look and feel of my room, but they can be expensive. This affordable faux pick offers just the same vibe, and looks and feels much like the real deal.
While working effectively to block drafts, this excluder also includes aromatic cedar granules to banish mildew by reducing moisture, repels moths, and eliminates odors all at the same time.
Meet the Expert
There are also a few more cold-weather sleeping mistakes you might be making, from neglecting to switch to your winter duvet to sleeping under synthetic materials.
