With temperatures dropping at night, you might find yourself reaching for a hot water bottle to try to get off to sleep, but are you aware of the dangers of sleeping with one?
Sleep specialists have warned that sleeping with a hot water bottle can cause severe burns and rashes, as well as night sweats.
While a hot water bottle can be an inexpensive way to keep warm in the cooler months, it can be dangerous to fall asleep next to.
This is because the materials used in hot water bottles can start to degrade over time, and the protection lessens, meaning people can become more susceptible to burns and injuries.
Is it cheaper to keep the heating on low all day?
It’s essential that any hot water bottles you own are maintained well - they should be cleaned after every use as their ribbed design can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
You must replace hot water bottles every three years, the experts at WinstonsBeds.com say.
While you can warm yourself up with a hot water bottle before you sleep, the experts say you should remove it from your bed before you nod off.
5 reasons why you shouldn’t sleep with a hot water bottle
Burns
One of the most obvious reasons why you shouldn’t sleep with a hot water bottle is due to the risk of burns. Your skin can burn if the hot water bottle is kept in direct contact with it for too long.
Skin irritation
The direct heat and material of the bottle itself can also lead to red rashes and irritated skin.
The bottle could split
Hot water bottles are not designed to be sat on, and accidentally lying on top of them in the night could cause them to split, which can lead to blisters and burns.
Older hot water bottles may be more likely to split as their material will have deteriorated over time.
Increases risk of infection
If you don’t clean your hot water bottle after every use, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if it’s being kept in your bed every night.
Sleeping with a hot water bottle for eight hours straight can increase the risk of infection if it comes into contact with broken skin.
Overheating
Falling asleep with a hot water bottle can cause our bodies to overheat during the night, causing night sweats and disrupted sleep.
Number of serious burns from hot water bottles almost doubled in last 5 years
In March 2025, ITV News shared that a big increase in serious burns from hot water bottles was recorded.
It said: "The number of serious burns caused by hot water bottles has almost doubled in the last five years, new data shared with ITV News shows.
"In 2024, 968 people in England and Wales were admitted to burn units compared to 501 in 2020, according to the International Burn Injury Database."
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Rebecca Swain, sleep expert at WinstonsBeds, said: “Hot water bottles can be a great solution to keep your bed warm at night through the winter at minimal costs, but it’s important that people are also aware of the potential dangers they pose.
“They don’t do well under types of stress, pressure or weight, so by rolling onto one during the night you can put yourself at risk if the bottle was to leak or burst. It could cause some serious blisters and burns if the water is still hot.
“A lot of people don’t necessarily think about changing their hot bottles too often either, and see them as something that can be brought out of the cupboard each winter. But this can be a concern over time as the bottle has likely degraded and the material is more prone to splitting.
“We’re certainly not advising against them as they are a great alternative to putting the heating on and can be very cost-effective, but just make sure you’re aware of the potential dangers and that they’re removed from your bed before you settle down for the night!”
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