You've likely stepped outside recently to feel cooler mornings and shorter days are underway. Before you know it, winter will be in full swing along with its frigid temperatures that can be taxing on your health including your sleep.

You may be used to simply brushing off the dust from your winter linens to keep your family and house guests cozy. Go a step further and determine what type of fabric makes up your bedding to make sure it's helping, and not hurting, when you're trying to stay warm this chilly season.

First, look at the tag on your current bedding to find out its material including bed sheets, blankets and duvets covers. Consider the benefits of each of the following bedding materials, which could help you sleep better and keep you from tossing and turning in bed at night.

What Type of Sheets to Buy for Warmer Nights

• Cotton Flannel: Today's flannel material helps retain body heat, while still allowing for breathability. It easily absorbs moisture so that you, and your sheets, stay dry if you sweat at night. You can also find lightweight flannel and stylish patterns, so you aren't stuck with the heavy flannel sheets you may connect with childhood trips to the ski lodge.
• Sateen: Its silky texture retains heat as well as its softness makes you want to cuddle up and wrap the sheets around your entire body as you drift off to sleep.
• Linen: Linen sheets have high heat conductivity properties — that means, it is a breathable fabric, making you warm in the winter. After a few cycles in the wash, linen sheets become even softer with time.

Material and proper care of your bedding is important, but so is setting up your room to make the sleep environment cool and comfortable as you try to reach 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Creative Ways to Heat Up Your Sleep Space

You don't want to crank up the heat every time you get cold before jumping into bed. A room that is too hot or too cold is not conducive to healthy sleep. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature.

• Put your hand up to the windows and doors. If there is a draft of cold air at the bottom, make a stop to the local hardware store to buy a draft stopper or weather stripping to keep out the draft.
• Run a vaporizer or humidifier in the bedroom to make the room feel warmer and add moisture to the dry winter air.
• Stick a couple warm water bottles at the foot of your bed and be sure to slip on a clean, dry pair of socks before getting under the covers. Nothing is worse when you're trying to relax than cold toes.

Here are a few more tips that will help you sleep during the chilly, winter months.