Safe Baby Sleep Temperature

Overheating is a recognized risk factor in unsafe sleep. Rather than one fixed “perfect” temperature, the American Academy of Pediatrics guidance is about dressing your baby appropriately and watching for the signs of overheating — here’s what that looks like in practice.

The AAP doesn’t publish one mandatory room temperature for infant sleep. Instead, its guidance is relative: dress your baby in about one more layer than you’d wear comfortably in the same room, avoid overbundling, and watch for signs of overheating like sweating or flushed, hot skin.

Why Overheating Matters for Safe Sleep

The American Academy of Pediatrics identifies overheating as a factor that can increase sleep-related risk — its guidance specifically cautions against overbundling and stresses selecting appropriately sized sleep clothing rather than piling on layers or heavy blankets to keep a baby warm.

How to Dress Your Baby for Sleep

The AAP’s practical rule of thumb is relative rather than a fixed number: your baby generally needs about one more layer than you’d wear comfortably in that same room. Dressing in layers of clothing — or a properly fitted sleep sack, as covered in our Sleep Sack Safety guide — is preferred over piling on blankets, both for warmth and to reduce suffocation and entrapment risk.

Skip hats, hoods, and heavy bundling once your baby is inside for sleep — those are for outdoor or transitional use, not the sleep space.

Signs Your Baby May Be Overheated

Check for sweating, damp hair, flushed or hot skin (especially on the chest), and rapid breathing. If you notice these signs, remove a layer and recheck. A baby who feels warm rather than hot to the touch, without these signs, is generally not a cause for concern.

Setting Up the Room Itself

Rather than targeting one specific number, aim for a room that feels comfortable to an adult in light clothing, and avoid placing the crib near radiators, heating vents, direct sunlight, or other heat sources that could create a hot spot. If a room runs unusually warm or cold, adjust your baby’s clothing layers rather than searching for an exact temperature target — the AAP’s own guidance doesn’t specify one, and claims you may see elsewhere citing a single “ideal” number aren’t something we can trace back to an AAP-published figure.

Sources

This guide is based on published guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2022 safe sleep policy statement and its accompanying evidence review (Pediatrics, “Evidence Base for 2022 Updated Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment”), which addresses overheating and clothing/layering but does not specify a numerical room-temperature target.

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