8 Simple Tips for Sleeping in the Heat
We’ve all been there. Completely exhausted after a long day and looking forward to sinking into bed. But there’s just one slight problem. It’s just too hot.
Whilst it’s lovely to see the sun, as the mercury rises quality rest can literally become a nightmare. Whether your bedding is too thick, your room is too hot or you’re fighting the effects of sunburn, summer heat and sleep do not go well together.
But the good news is there are some things you can try to help you cool down, relax and nod off.
When it comes to sleep, temperature matters
Your body temperature and the temperature of the room make a big difference.
Everyone’s sleep cycle goes through a number of different stages. The first stage involves the drifting from consciousness into light sleep. Then throughout the night you’ll also go through various stages of deeper REM sleep which is thought to be the most restorative.
In order to reach deep sleep, your core body temperature needs to drop by around two or three degrees centigrade. This happens most efficiently if the room temperature is set to between 16 and 18 degrees. If this drop in temperature doesn’t occur, your brain struggles to know if you’re awake or asleep, which has a direct effect on your quality of sleep.
1. Get the basics right
For the above reason, make sure your room is as cool as possible at night, without being too cold. Keep the curtains or blinds closed during the day to help keep the sun out. Also open the windows in the evening to get a through breeze (but close them during the day to stop hot air coming in).
2. Don’t exercise too close to bed time
Daily exercise is great for our physical and mental health, and can help promote good sleep patterns too. But of course, a decent workout usually means increasing your body temperature and sweating it out. Not great in the summer when it’s already hot and you’re soon planning to hit the hay.
Keep the exercising for earlier in the day – many people opt for early morning when the weather’s cooler.
3. Invest in the right mattress and pillow
Your bedding also has a big part to play in how well you sleep, especially during the hotter months. Thick foam mattresses can make you feel warm as they trap and absorb your body heat. Other mattresses however are naturally cooler due to ventilated latex and open coil systems that circulate air throughout the interior.
Cooling Pillows are also well worth considering. Filled with cooling foam core and high quality hollowfibre, the built-in air-vent system keeps you perfectly cool regardless of your sleeping position.
4. Choose natural bedding
Bedding that’s made from synthetic material can often trap body heat and make you feel sweaty. So opt for 100% cotton pillowcases and sheets where you can which are much more breathable.
5. Spray a little water around
If you’re struggling to get to sleep, try giving your bedding a light spray of water. Don’t go overboard so it’s actually wet (especially if you’re also using a fan or portable air conditioning unit). But sheets that are slightly damp can help cool you down enough to get comfortable. Why not also add a little sleep spray?
6. Watch what you drink
Drinking alcohol right before bed isn’t great for your sleep at the best of times – but even more so when it’s hot. If you can, keep the vodka and tonics for earlier in the evening and knock the nightcap on the head.
7. But of course, stay hydrated
Ever head to bed with a headache? Often this is simply down to dehydration – particularly after a day in the sun.
Make sure you stay topped up during the day with plenty of water, squash and fruit juice (but avoid too much tea and coffee). Tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks act as diuretics, and waking up thirsty in the night, or heading to the loo several times, is also not conducive to a good night’s sleep.
8. Rinse your wrists
Running your wrists under the cold water tap for a couple of minutes can help reduce the temperature of the blood running through your veins. This can then slightly lower the temperature of the rest of your body, making sleep easier.
Don’t forget to browse our range of pillows, bedding and sleep aids
At Kally Sleep we understand the misery of getting to sleep in the heat. So why not browse our range of bestsellers and cooling mattress topper are also a particularly big hit!
