The duvet is off. The window is open. One leg is out. You've flipped the pillow to the cold side three times. And somehow, you're still too hot.
Your body needs to cool down to settle into sleep.
But temperature can also shift throughout your menstrual cycle, with hormonal changes sometimes making you feel warmer than usual at night. So when you're already overheating, even the smallest things can suddenly feel impossible. The duvet is too much. The pillow is too warm. You keep flipping it to the cold side.
The duvet negotiation. One leg out. One leg in. And repeat.
The pillow flip. Warm side, cool side. Then it’s warm again.
The sweaty wake-up. Asleep and then now everything is hot.
The thermostat spiral. Window open. Too cold. Window closed.
The ‘I can’t’ moment. Wide awake.
If you're too warm, don't wait it out. Take off a layer, loosen your clothes, or swap heavy bedding for something lighter.
A cool, damp flannel on your forehead, neck or wrists can help you feel more comfortable
When you're uncomfortable, it's easy to notice every tiny sensation - the sheets, your skin etc.
Sleep isn't an exam. Take the pressure off. Rest still counts. We won’t grade you, ever.
When you're uncomfortable, sleep can feel much further away than it actually is.
The room. The sheets. Your pillow. Your skin. Something that wouldn't bother you during the day suddenly feels impossible to ignore.
You turn the pillow over. Kick off the covers. Put your feet outside the duvet. Then five minutes later, you're doing it all again.
Sometimes the hardest part is simply being comfortable enough to stop thinking about being uncomfortable.
Give it a quiet room and it will find one.
Too hot. Too cold. Is the window open enough? Should you turn the fan on? Why did you suddenly become aware of your left foot?
The trick isn't to win an argument with your thoughts. It's to stop giving them all your attention.
Let the room be imperfect. Let yourself be awake for a little while. Give your mind something gentler to follow.
A tiny discomfort becomes impossible to ignore. You start calculating how many hours of sleep you'll get. Tomorrow suddenly feels harder. You start thinking about everything you'll have to do in the morning, wondering how you'll manage if you don't get enough sleep tonight.
And the more you think about needing to sleep, the more awake you can feel.
But you don't need to solve tomorrow from a warm bed tonight. You don't need to work out how you'll feel, what you'll do, or whether you'll sleep enough.
You don't need perfect conditions to rest. You just need to stop asking yourself to fix everything.”
When you're too hot, it's easy to spend the whole night trying to make yourself comfortable.
Checking the temperature. Moving the duvet. Turning the fan on. Turning it off. Flipping the pillow.
Try something that asks nothing of you instead. No decisions. No problem-solving. No trying to make yourself sleep.
Just a voice to listen to, your eyes closed, and a little less to think about.
Before you decide
Some nights the heat just won't budge - kicking off the covers doesn't help, and neither does staring at the ceiling wondering why it's still this warm at midnight. This one's a short wind-down for when it's too warm to properly switch off, made for you.
£54.99 once.
170,000
Women downloaded our original app.
40,000
Reviews left by women since 2017.
5,656
Of the 5,784 women who reviewed the sessions, they said they helped.
FAQSWhat women ask about.
Your body needs to cool down a little to fall asleep. Anything that keeps it warm makes that harder: a warm room, heavy bedding, alcohol, or your hormones. Your temperature runs higher in the second half of your cycle, and in perimenopause changing hormone levels can bring on hot flushes and night sweats.
They’re one of the most common signs, and they can start years before your periods stop. They have other causes too, including some medicines, infections and thyroid problems. See your GP if they’re new, frequent, or come with a fever or weight loss you can’t explain.
Cooler than most of us keep it: around 16–18°C is the usual advice. Lighter bedding, cotton or other breathable fabrics, and a window open a crack all help.
Deal with the heat first: lose a layer, and put a cool, damp flannel on your wrists or the back of your neck. Keep some water by the bed. Then stop checking whether you’re cool yet, and give your attention something else. Too Hot To Sleep uses a cooling visualisation, a slow light travelling up through your body, made for exactly this moment.
Everyone’s different, so we can’t promise how it’ll feel for you. What we can tell you: it’s a thin, stretchy band of 93% modal and 7% elastane, with speakers just 4mm flat, so there’s very little of it. And it washes at 30, so a sweaty night isn’t a problem.
Contact us at hello@clementineapp.co.uk via email!
