If you've ever stood over your sleeping baby wondering whether they're too warm, too cold, or just right — you're not alone. It's one of the most common questions I hear from mums in the UAE, and it comes up even more as temperatures start climbing outside and air conditioning cranks up inside.

Let me break it down simply so you can stop second-guessing and start sleeping.

 

Why a Cooler Room Is Actually Better for Baby Sleep

Here's something that surprises a lot of parents: babies sleep better in cooler temperatures. The science backs this up. A baby's core body temperature naturally drops at the onset of sleep, and a cooler environment supports that process.

The recommended room temperature for safe baby sleep is between 20°C and 22°C. In the UAE, we're lucky — we have complete control over our environment through air conditioning. Use it. Just be mindful that setting your AC very low doesn't always mean the room reaches that temperature, so it's worth having a simple room thermometer to know what you're actually working with.

In the winter months, rooms can naturally drop cooler even with AC, so it's worth checking the actual room temperature rather than assuming it stays consistent year-round.

Sleeping too warm is not just uncomfortable for babies — it's a known risk factor. Overheating is associated with an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). A cooler, well-ventilated room is always the safer choice.

 

What TOG Actually Means (and Why It Matters Here)

TOG is a measure of thermal resistance — essentially, how much warmth a sleep bag provides. The higher the TOG, the warmer the bag.

In the UAE, where babies sleep in air-conditioned rooms year-round, 1 TOG is the right choice for most families. All of our Hushabye sleep bags are 1 TOG, specifically designed for this climate.

Here's a simple guide to help you choose:

Every baby is different though — some run naturally warmer, others cooler. These guidelines are a great starting point, but always use them alongside your own observation of your baby. Getting to know your baby's cues is just as important as following a chart.

 

How to Tell If Your Baby Is Too Warm

Babies can't tell you they're overheating, so here's what to look for:

🥵 Signs your baby is too warm:

• Sweaty hair or damp neck

• Flushed or red cheeks

• Rapid breathing

• Feels hot to the touch on the chest or back

• Restless, unsettled sleep

🥶 Signs your baby is too cold:

• Feels cold on the chest or back

• Pale skin

• Waking more frequently than usual

Always check the chest or back — not the hands or feet, which are naturally cooler in babies and can be misleading. If your baby feels comfortable to the touch there, you're most likely in the right zone.

 

A Note on Layers in the Warm Climates

The biggest mistake I see parents make is over-layering out of habit — especially if you've moved here from a colder country where bundling babies up feels instinctive. In the Middle East, less is almost always more.

For most of the year in an air-conditioned home:

• One layer (a long-sleeve sleepsuit) + 1 TOG sleep bag is the sweet spot for most babies

• Two layers are rarely needed unless your room is running particularly cool in winter

• No sleep bag at all may be appropriate in the hottest months if your AC isn't very powerful

 

Why We Built Hushabye for This Climate

When I had my daughter here in Abu Dhabi, I couldn't find sleepwear designed with our climate in mind. Everything available was made for cold European winters — thick, heavy, and completely wrong for babies sleeping in air conditioning.

That's why every Hushabye product is made from OEKO-TEX® certified bamboo — a fabric that's naturally temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and incredibly soft against baby skin. And every sleep bag we make is 1 TOG, because that's what UAE babies actually need.

Safe sleep starts with the right environment and the right layers. We're here to make that easier.

Have a question about safe sleep or dressing your baby for bedtime? Drop us a message on Instagram @hushabye.me — we'd love to help.

Shop our 1 TOG bamboo sleep bags at hushabye-baby.com