When buying new bedding, you should consider its tog rating – how well it insulates and keeps heat in. This is something important to look for if you get too hot or cold when you sleep. If the tog rating is higher, the bedding will be more insulating and therefore warmer, while a lower tog rating means the opposite.

In this guide, we will assess the different tog ratings, which materials are better for hot and cold sleeping, and how you can do other things to regulate your temperature at night. For a more detailed list of ways you can do this, read our guides to hot and cold sleeping.

The different tog ratings and what they mean

Typically, tog ratings stand between 1 tog and 15. They increase in unequal intervals and duvets are created with a tog value in mind, typically influenced by the chosen material. The tog increments are as follows:

• 1, 3 and 4.5 tog – lightweight and thin, used almost exclusively for sleeping in hot conditions, or for those who struggle with being very hot at night. 1 tog duvets are also good for those with high temperatures due to illness, and are easy to pack up and travel with due to their small size. 1 tog duvets should not be relied upon for temperate or cold sleeping conditions, and 3 and 4.5 tog duvets perform the same functions but with a small improvement in insulation.
• 10.5 and 12.5 tog – good for all year round, though may not be ideal for summer if you get very hot at night, and vice versa for winter. 
• 13.5 and 15 tog – best for winter and colder climates. Avoid using these higher tog duvets in warmer months as you may struggle to sleep and could suffer due to high temperatures.

The material that duvets are made from can also have a large impact on their tog rating. Duvets with feathers are typically better at insulating, but new designs and synthetic materials can surpass them. Also, synthetic duvets are usually more affordable. Both can have environmental implications – some synthetic materials require non-environmentally friendly production methods, can not be recycled and do not decompose well. It may be important to learn more about these before you buy if you are concerned.

It should also be stated that you should not use full duvets for babies and young children, as they may get wrapped up and trapped in them, causing suffocation or even heatstroke. Alternatively, read our guide to baby sleeping blankets. 

Which bedding is best for you?

The decision comes down to your own personal circumstances. If you are struggling with being too hot at night, consider getting a duvet with a lower tog rating. However, also consider that you may need a thicker one during winter. The opposite applies if you are often too cold at night. 

If you have lots of requirements, you may want to buy multiple duvets for use at different times of year. However, this may not be financially viable, so opting for a middle-rated duvet might suit you better. Also, take into consideration the affordability of some synthetic products.

It is important to always sleep under or with a duvet as they are specifically designed to help you to regulate your body temperature. While you are asleep, your heart rate slows and your temperature drops, meaning it is important to be able to have natural regulation of temperature that will happen while you are sleeping. We explain more about this in our sleep cycle guide, where you can also read about the different stages of sleep and how long you should sleep for.

How can you prepare for a better temperature in bed?

As previously mentioned, we go into detail about how you can better prepare for bed in our hot and cold sleeping guides, and our sleep cycle guide outlines when you should be setting your alarms. This preparation is very important for sleeping as it will help you to get to sleep better, and achieve better quality sleep.

Purchasing the right bedding is the first step, however, and you can do so in our bedding store, where we have hundreds of duvets, pillows and covers suitable for everyone. Whether you are looking for fancy designs or basic sleeping supplies, shop with us today. For assistance, call us today on 0800 389 0059 or 0161 627 1755.