Published on February 4th, 2022 and Updated on January 12th, 2024
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Babies have Goldilocks-level preferences, especially when it comes to sleep. This means, to cozy up to a night of Zzzs, your baby’s sleep environment needs to be just right. The crib set-up, baby’s sleeping outfit, and even her room temperature are all critical components of comfy (and safe) snoozing.
But just like when parents wonder about when a baby can have a pillow or when a baby sleep with pacifier, the question of what is the perfect temperature for baby sleep arises. Ideally, your baby’s room should have an ambient temperature of between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Maintaining the best temperature for baby sleep will encourage restful slumber while also preventing dangerous overheating.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the other ways you can set the temperature—er, set the stage—for your little Goldilocks’ best sleep and explore why sleep temperature is so important.
Why is it important to keep the baby’s room at the right temperature?
Want to get to the point where you find yourself asking can baby sleep too much? Check the room temperature. Your baby isn’t a stickler for sleep temperature just because he wants to be cozy. Proper room temperature can be instrumental to your baby’s health, as well as to his comfort. According to Stanford Children’s Health, babies:
- Have a higher risk of SIDS when temperatures are too high – While the exact cause of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is unknown, researchers believe that it occurs when babies are unable to rouse themselves from sleep. Overheating is thought to be a significant factor in your baby’s ability to wake himself up, so understanding the right temperature to set for safe sleeping can reduce his risk of SIDS.
- Are very sensitive to temperature changes – Adults handle shifts in temperature pretty easily because our higher fat content prevents heat loss. Despite those plump little leg rolls and chubby little cheeks, babies actually have very little body fat, causing them to lose heat as much as four times faster than adults. Ensuring your baby’s room maintains the right temperature will keep him from becoming cold during safe sleeping.
- Struggle to regulate their body temperature – Until they are about 11 weeks old, newborns cannot regulate their body temperature. As we mentioned earlier, babies have very little body fat; they use oxygen and energy to generate heat instead. It’s estimated that when a baby’s skin temperature drops a single degree below 97.7 degrees Fahrenheit, the baby has to use 10% more oxygen in order to recover from this loss of heat and regulate their body temperature. That’s a lot of work for such a small body! Keeping your little snoozer’s room at the right temperature means his body can put that energy toward growing healthy and strong.
How to Keep Your Baby Safe and Comfortable While She Sleeps
Aside from setting your thermostat to the right temperature, there are other steps you can take to prevent your sleeping baby from overheating or getting too chilly during sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following actions to ensure your sleeping baby stays temperate while exploring the world of her dreams:
- Use a fan to keep her room cool on warmer days.
- Always put her to sleep lying on her back, as stomach sleeping can trap heat between her face and the crib mattress and cause overheating.
- Avoid over-bundling or under-dressing (more on this below).
Since avoiding over-bundling and under-dressing requires a little more know-how than using a fan or placing baby on her back, let’s explore how to properly dress your baby for sleep.
How to Dress Your Baby for Sleep
When the weather’s chilly or the air conditioning is running, it may be tempting to tuck a cozy wearable blanket around your baby while he sleeps to ensure he stays warm. However, this is actually a major no, as loose blankets increase the risk of suffocation during the night.
Instead, you can keep your newborn baby warm by adding additional layers of clothing during cold weather months. But remember, you want to maintain that Goldilocks level of comfort. To avoid adding too many layers, keep this helpful rule of thumb in mind: add one layer of clothing to whatever you’re wearing to sleep.
For instance, if you’re comfy in a long-sleeved top and pants, add one layer to that for your newborn baby. Because you’re sleeping under blankets and he isn’t, this additional layer of clothing will add more warmth without risking suffocation.
Thinking about throwing a little hat on your little guy? While this may be a great option during the day when hanging around the house or going on a neighborhood stroller ride, you should never put your baby to sleep in a hat. Since your baby releases heat from his head, covering it during the night increases his chance of overheating. Not only that, but the hat may slip off during the night and become a potential suffocation hazard.
Approved baby sleeping attire options include:
- Swaddles – To conserve body heat, you can swaddle your baby like a tiny burrito. However, it’s important to note that once your baby can roll over on his own (which typically happens around 4 to 5 months, although sometimes can occur as early as 2 months), it’s time to lose the swaddle to ensure his safety. If your baby rolls over while he’s swaddled, he won’t have the use of his arms to push himself away from the crib mattress and keep his airway open.
- Sleep sacks – A sleep sack is basically a wearable blanket. No, not like a Snuggie—it’s more like a baby sleeping bag your baby’s arms stick out of. They’re an excellent option for when your little one has outgrown his swaddle because they keep your baby snug without the risk of suffocation that accompanies loose blankets.
- Pajamas – Pajamas can be worn during any type of weather, depending on the fabric they’re made with. For instance, when it’s cold and drafty, fleece pajama onesies that cover your baby’s can keep him cozy and retain more of his body heat. You can even layer these pajamas with a sleep sack if you need extra warmth. For hot summer nights, lightweight and breathable cotton pajama sets keep him nice and cool.
Another helpful sleepwear tip? Choose options that you can easily unfasten and refasten to make those midnight diaper changes less of a hassle for both you and your baby. This means looking for sleep options that feature snaps along the front, as well as down the legs.
How to Tell if Your Baby is Too Hot or Too Cold
Unlike Goldilocks, your baby can’t proclaim whether her temperature is just right. Fortunately, there are signs you can look for that will clue you into whether your sleeping cutie’s room and body temperature are too hot or too cold.
For instance, you can take your baby’s temperature. A digital rectal thermometer is the most accurate tool for babies 3 months or younger, but you can also use a standard thermometer to take your baby’s temperature under her armpit. With this method, be sure to hold her arm against her body and the thermometer to keep it in place.
The ideal infant body temperature is around 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit, with variability by about one degree in either direction.
A temperature over 100.3 degrees doesn’t just mean your baby is too hot—it technically means she has a fever. If this is the case, contact your pediatrician right away to ensure she gets care as soon as possible.
Even without a fever, your baby can still feel uncomfortably hot. To know if your baby is too hot, look for these signs of overheating:
- Sweaty nape of the neck
- Flushed skin
- Irritable or fussy mood
- Quick breathing
If your baby is exhibiting any of these signs, you’ll want to take action to reduce her internal body temperature. You can do this by:
- Removing any excess clothing
- Swapping warmer outfits for more breathable options, such as those made with cotton
- Gently dabbing her skin with a cool washcloth
- Giving her a lukewarm bath
If your baby continues to exhibit signs of being too hot, contact your pediatrician to discuss the next best course of action.
It’s also possible to know when your baby isn’t warm enough. Signs of a baby who’s too cold include:
- Cold nape of the neck
- Slightly blue hands or feet
- Quieter or less active demeanor
In these instances, you can warm your baby up by:
- Giving her an extra layer of clothing
- Putting on a hat and socks if she’s not already wearing them
- Wrapping her in a blanket (while holding her)
- Providing skin to skin contact (while keeping her covered with a blanket)
One day, your baby will be a toddler capable of telling you when she’s too hot or cold. (In fact, she’ll likely proclaim it loudly.) But until then, you can use these little signs and signals to understand her comfort level and adjust her temperature accordingly.
Achieving the optimal sleep environment for your baby is a careful balance of several elements, particularly room temperature and clothing choices. By keeping your baby’s room between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, appropriately dressing them for sleep, and being aware of the signs of overheating or being too cold, you can ensure a safer, more comfortable sleep for your little one.
This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:
Katie Smith is a seasoned Certified Nurse Midwife and a nurturing mother to six children, offering a unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience. She is the founder of Birth Your Way Midwifery and Women’s Wellness Center in Bay County, Florida. Katie's comprehensive approach to care is informed by her hands-on experience in motherhood and her passion for empowering women through their birthing journey. Her dedication extends beyond her center as she actively engages in community wellness and family health education.
Sources:
- Sleep Advisor. What Is the Ideal Room Temperature for a Baby? https://www.sleepadvisor.org/room-temp-for-baby/#ideal-temperature
- Stanford Children’s Health. Infant Sleep. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=infant-sleep-90-P02237
- Healthy Children. Stages of Newborn Sleep. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/phases-of-sleep.aspx
- Stanford Children’s Health. Keeping Your Baby Warm. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=warmth-and-temperature-regulation-90-P02425
- Epidemiology. Ambient Temperature and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in the United States. https://journals.lww.com/epidem/Abstract/2017/09000/Ambient_Temperature_and_Sudden_Infant_Death.13.aspx
- Healthy Children. Fever Without Fear: Information for Parents. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/Fever-Without-Fear.aspx
- The American Academy of Pediatrics. SIDS and Other Sleep Related Infant Deaths. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162938/60309/SIDS-and-Other-Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Research on Other SIDS Risk Factors. https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/research/science/other
- Healthline. How to Tell If Your Baby Is Overheating. https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/baby-overheating#signs
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SneakPeek aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to help our readers make informed decisions regarding their health before, during, and after pregnancy. This article was written based upon trusted scientific research studies and/or articles. Credible information sources for this article are cited and hyperlinked.
