Sleep Habits of Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Uncover Surprising Science Behind Cold Bedrooms
The sleep arrangements at Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ house involve a body pillow, a Baltic-cold bedroom and a husband who runs hot enough to qualify as a furnace. During an April 2026 episode of Live With Kelly and Mark, the couple opened up to guest Emily Blunt about the engineering of their nightly setup — and in doing so, toured a small library of sleep science.
“I recently started using one of those long body pillows,” Consuelos said. Ripa explained why: “He has this body pillow that can cool him down at night,” because Consuelos is “a furnace.” She, meanwhile, is always “freezing.” Consuelos sleeps with the pillow “every other night.”
Why a Body Pillow Does More Than Fill Space
Body pillows are spinal alignment tools dressed up as cushions. According to Naturepedic, “Body pillows help ensure proper spine alignment. This is important because, when your spine is out of alignment for eight hours a night, it can cause all sorts of pain, whether it be back, neck, shoulders or hips.”
The benefits extend further. Per Cozy Earth, “people who suffer from sleep apnea may be less likely to roll onto their back if they use a body pillow to sleep on their side.” For arthritis, “using a body pillow can take some of the pressure off your joints, from your shoulders to your feet, while you sleep.” And per Groove, “long body pillows can be a lifesaver in the third trimester.”
The Case for Sleeping in a Cold Bedroom
“Do you have the room Baltic-ly cold?” Blunt asked. Ripa confirmed.
“Baltic-ly cold. I’m going to steal that! That is so good,” Consuelos said. Blunt added, “I sleep Baltic.”
The instinct to chill the bedroom tracks with how human bodies power down. North Texas Sleep Solutions explains that “when nighttime approaches, our body temperature naturally begins to drop as a signal that it’s time to slow down and rest. By having a cooler room temperature, you’re reinforcing your body’s instinct to sleep.”
The deeper payoff happens in slow-wave sleep. Per Chilipad, cooler sleep environments are linked to longer slow-wave sleep, stronger physical recovery and increased growth hormone release. “Deep sleep is where your body rebuilds. Muscle repair, immune support and physical recovery all depend on it. If you are consistently sleeping too warm, this stage often shortens without you realizing it.”
If you wear a Fitbit, Oura Ring, Apple Watch or WHOOP, you can see the effect yourself: “On warmer nights, deep sleep duration tends to shrink, and restlessness increases.”
Ripa joked that her cold side of the bed could have been “a very effective form of birth control” earlier in life. “I could have just turned up my side of the bed, and he would’ve been like, ‘No!’” she quipped. Consuelos teased, “Lava! Hot lava! Hot lava!”
Nasal Dilators and the Mechanics of Easier Breathing
Consuelos uses nasal dilators and mouth tape every night. According to Ear, Nose & Throat of Georgia, nasal dilators “gently open the nostrils and expand the nasal passages, allowing for increased airflow. They can help reduce nasal resistance, improve breathing, and alleviate symptoms like snoring or difficulty breathing through the nose.”
As for mouth taping, it can improve nasal breathing at night, filter out allergens found in the air, improve oral hygiene, minimize snoring and improve dry mouth. However, experts warn mouth-taping may not be the right solution for everyone.
“Snoring can be a sign of other conditions, like sleep apnea,” Dr. Brian Chen told Cleveland Clinic. “Mouth taping seems like a solution, but it’s only a short-term fix for what might be a larger problem with your airways. Before trying mouth tape, talk to your doctor about what’s really going on.”
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
