Cold at Night? Check out These Tips to Keep Warm

70 million people in the United States suffer from sleep disorders. Lack of sleep can affect many parts of your daily life — from your emotions to your physical health. 

However, it's not only those suffering from sleep disorders that have trouble sleeping through the night. You could have trouble sleeping simply because you're not able to stay warm. This can be bad news for anyone who cares about their health. 

Staying warm isn't as easy as it seems; sometimes when you pack blankets and blankets on top of you your body just can't shake that "chilled" feeling. So what can you do? 

If you find yourself asking this question, you've come to the right place. This article will walk you through some sleeping tits to help you sleep peacefully through cold nights. 

Eliminate Drafts

Perhaps the problem isn't you after all — perhaps it's your house! Drafts can sneak up on you when you least expect it on cold nights to keep you from the full night of sleep that you deserve. 

Inspect all of the windows and doors of your house on a cold and windy day. Do you feel cold around these entrances? If so, you likely have a draft — even if you can't see the crack. 

Gaps and cracks in windows and doors can lead to your warm air escaping in the middle of the night.

Fixing the gaps usually involves caulking and weatherstrips. In an apartment, you may be able to get your property manager to fix this issue for you. After you've fixed up your drafts, you'll be better able to enjoy your sleep, without fear of getting cold. 

Wear Thick Socks

Many people enjoy the sensation of sleeping barefoot. However, it could be costing you warmth and sleep.

Your body's warmth will escape at any junction it can find. The feet — when left uncovered — are a hot spot for heat to escape from. Wearing a pair of thick socks can alter your sleeping experience drastically, granting you more warmth when you sleep. 

Take a scientific approach to wear socks to bed. If you find thick socks too heavy, wear some that are thinner, or wear only one sock. If you find that it's more about covering your leg than it is about thickness, consider buying some long socks. 

Wear a Hat 

This one might seem a little strange, but it works under the same principle as the thick socks. Traditional pajamas don't cover the head, and a good amount of heat can be escaping through there.

There's a reason why historically, many people wore nightcaps when they went to bed. There's also a reason why we wear hats when we go outside in cold weather. Leaving a part of your body exposed to the elements makes your whole body feel the consequences. 

Invest in a Rug

Many people don't consider the ways that our environment affects us. The layout of your room can vastly influence your perception, acoustics, and even warmth. 

A hardwood floor — while coming with many benefits — is notoriously hard to heat. Any heat you get into the room bounces off of it (and leaves through cracks in windows if you have them). Buy yourself a nice, large, thick area rug and lay it down in your room — you'll be surprised at how much it will change. 

This is once again something you'll have to get scientific about. The type of rug, size, material, and positioning that you use is largely dependent on your personal preference, heating situation, and the layout of your room. 

Drink a Cup of (Decaffeinated) Tea

Sometimes, the best way to conquer the chills is from the inside. You may have had the experience of a warm bowl of soup warming you up on a cold day. Or, you may have avoided drinking hot coffee outside in the middle of the summer. 

No matter what the situation was, the message is clear. Warm liquids warm up your body. Invest in a decaffeinated tea that you can drink before bed; hopefully, the warming effects last long enough for you to get to sleep. 

Make sure that you drink a cup of decaf tea, so that you don't keep yourself up all night. Mint tea is naturally decaffeinated. A chamomile is a good option as well. 

Invest in Heavier Blankets

We admit that this one borders on the obvious. You've almost definitely piled all of the blankets that you own on top of yourself in an attempt to get warm and get to sleep. While this one might cost you, it could be a good next step to invest in blankets. 

Buying wool or flannel blankets is a wonderful way to keep yourself warm during the winter. They'll also lend your apartment a cozy feeling that will help you get to sleep. 

Cover Your Windows

Even if you've checked to make sure that you have no drafts, it could still be a smart option to cover your windows up with thick blinds. Windows naturally will let a bit of hot air out and cold air in. By putting up some curtains you'll assure give yourself the best fighting chance against the cold. 

Stay Warm at Night

It's not as easy to stay warm at night as it seems. Sometimes, when you're cold, the chills just won't leave your body. A bad night's sleep can bleed negative effects into other areas of your life. 

Thankfully, there are solutions. Check all your windows for drafts, wear thick socks and a hat, drink some tea, buy heavier blankets, and cover your windows, and you have a much better chance of staying warm at night.