Sleeping during the day is harder than sleeping at night because you are working against daylight, household noise and a warmer room, all while your body expects to be awake. You cannot change your shift, but you can change the room you sleep in: make it dark and quiet, keep it cool, and choose bedding that does not trap heat and moisture. Here is how to set that up.
Why is it harder to sleep during the day?
Three things work against day sleepers. Light gets in around curtains and tells you it is time to be up. The house is busy, with deliveries, traffic and family noise. And the bedroom is usually warmer in the afternoon than at night, so a bed that feels fine at midnight can feel hot and sticky at 2pm. The more of these you remove, the easier it is to fall asleep and stay asleep.
How do you make a bedroom dark and quiet for daytime sleep?
- Block the light. Blackout curtains or blinds are the single biggest change. An eye mask covers the gaps.
- Soften the noise. Earplugs or a fan for steady background sound help, and a "sleeping" note on the door saves you from the doorbell.
- Silence the phone. Set do not disturb for your sleep hours, with exceptions only for the people who need to reach you.
- Keep the same routine. A short wind-down before bed, at whatever hour that is, tells your body it is time to sleep. Our guide to building a sleep ritual has ideas that work at any time of day.
Why does the bed feel hot when you sleep in the afternoon?
Your body sheds heat as you fall asleep, mostly through the evaporation of sweat. In a warm room, sheets that hold onto that moisture keep it against your skin, so the bed feels hot and damp and you wake up. Sheets that absorb moisture and let it evaporate keep the surface you lie on drier, which feels cooler. TENCEL lyocell is 50% more absorbent than cotton and naturally breathable, which is why it suits day sleepers. Our guide Do Cooling Sheets Actually Work? explains how this works.
What bedding helps shift workers sleep?
- Breathable sheets. Our cooling sheets are 100% eucalyptus TENCEL in Queen and King, with 18-inch deep pockets that hold firmly on mattresses up to 20 inches deep, so the fitted sheet stays put however often you are in and out of bed.
- A light duvet cover. A heavy cover traps warmth whatever your sheets are made of. A TENCEL duvet cover breathes and wicks moisture too; see the coolest duvet cover material.
- Smooth pillowcases. The TENCEL fibre is smooth rather than fuzzy, so there is less friction against your skin and hair. Browse our TENCEL pillowcases.
For more on choosing sheets for warm sleep, read Best TENCEL Sheets for Hot Sleepers.
How do you keep bedding fresh on a busy schedule?
Keep two sets of sheets so one is always clean, and wash them on your day off. TENCEL is easy to care for: machine wash cold and tumble dry low, and the sheets keep their size and smooth finish. See Does TENCEL Shrink When Washed? and How Often Should You Change Your Sheets?
Frequently asked questions
What sheets are best for sleeping during the day?
Breathable sheets that absorb moisture and let it evaporate, such as 100% TENCEL lyocell, because afternoon bedrooms tend to be warmer than they are at night.
How can I stay cool sleeping in the afternoon?
Close the blackout curtains early so the room does not heat up, use a fan, and choose breathable sheets and a light duvet cover that do not trap heat and moisture.
Does sleeping well affect how I feel at work?
Most people notice the difference after a good sleep. We look at sleep and the working day in The Link Between Quality Sleep and Productivity.
