Moisture and sleep: the right mattress for better sleep

Controlling your humidity levels won't just ensure you sleep better, it's also good for your health. The mattress we choose depending on the humidity level in the bedroom plays an important role in order to enjoy a healthy feeling during sleep. However, before looking at mattress selection criteria, it's useful to look at what moisture actually is. Humidity vs Temperature: the differences Many people often confuse humidity with temperature, as our homes tend to have low humidity in the winter and high humidity in the summer. But this is not the case. A rainforest has high humidity, while a desert has low humidity, for example. Both are warm environments. It is true that warm air can hold more moisture than cold air, so even if there is the same amount of moisture in a warm and a cold room, the cold room will be more humid than the warm room. That's why we usually measure the relative humidity in the air as a percentage. Because humidity is a problem Too much and too little moisture becomes a problem pretty quickly. High humidity makes it harder for your body to regulate temperature. We usually sweat, so water evaporates from our skin to keep us cool. When there is too much water vapor in the air (70% humidity and above), our body cannot stay cool. On the other hand, low humidity makes the air very dry. Without moisture in the air, this can cause sore throats, difficulty breathing and dry eyes, and even skin irritations. The best humidity level for sleeping The perfect humidity level will depend on your home, particularly its ambient temperature and ventilation. Regardless, most experts will give a humidity range of 30% to 60%. It is recommended to keep the indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. Summer Humidity In the summer months, humidity tends to increase. As humidity prevents your body from cooling down effectively, you will usually find that high humidity makes it difficult to sleep. You need to control the humidity inside your home. The key during summer is to reduce humidity so your body can cool itself through sweating. Try your humidity at 10% lower than usual, but don't dip below 30%. Humidity in winter During the winter months, the air tends to get drier in our homes – especially if we have the central heating on all the time. Ventilation in our homes tends to be limited during these months as well. As a result, you will feel as dry and cold as the air around you. Increasing humidity should keep your skin and respiratory system healthy, but be careful not to overdo it. 60% is considered the upper limit, so start at 50% and adjust as needed. Many people find that between 35% and 45% is about right for winter. Moisture control in sleep: start with the right mattress The mattress you sleep on plays a key role in regulating body temperature and controlling humidity. For starters, try turning your mattress upside down so you're sleeping on a firmer, plusher surface that you don't immediately sink into. Otherwise, for best results, get a firm mattress that is made with natural materials, e.g. latex, coco or innerspring with cotton or wool filling. Synthetic materials, including memory foam, can make it harder for your body to stay cool, which is essential for sleeping in high humidity environments. Therefore, to be comfortable all year round, prefer natural materials such as coconut or bamboo, which have the ability to expel moisture easily and ventilate sufficiently, leaving a cool feeling on the body. Horsehair and camel wool are also among the premium natural materials used in the manufacture of moisture-regulating mattresses. This article was originally written for TerryCralle , the official sleep information portal of Terry Cralle, a registered nurse & sleep clinician.