It’s HOT out there, and getting to sleep when the temperatures stay high at night can be more than a little challenging.
Your bedroom feels like an oven, you struggle to keep comfortable, the air is thick and you’re torn between whether to lie on top of the duvet or risk the heat of your usual, more comfortable position underneath.
Yes, drifting off isn’t easy when it’s hot and sticky but hopefully with these top sleep tricks you’ll be able to enjoy a few more hours of sleep when the temperatures rise.
Keep Your Bedroom Cool
Start the preparations during the day by keeping curtains and blinds closed. If the air outside is cooler than inside then you should open the windows to allow the cooler air to circulate around the room. If the opposite is true, then keep your windows and blinds closed until the outside air is cool enough to let in later in the evening.
Use A Fan
If you have an electric fan be sure to use it to help circulate cool air around your body and room at night. Some people find the white noise of the fan useful for helping them to drift off to sleep.
If you find the fan distracting, use ear plugs to cut out the noise.
If it’s safe to do so, pop a bowl of cool water or an ice pack in front of the fan to cool the air even further.
Avoid Heavy Food, Alcohol and Caffeine
Eating a heavy meal before going to bed will only make it harder to sleep as digesting food actually raises your body temperature. Digestion uses energy and therefore generates heat inside your body.
Try eating cooling foods like cucumber and salad instead. These foods are largely made up of water and therefore provide hydration and anti-inflammatory properties.
Caffeine and alcohol are stimulants which are never conducive to a good night’s sleep. But when it’s hot it’s even more sensible to avoid them as they actually stimulate thermogenesis which acts to warm you up.
A cool herbal tea or just some water are much better bedtime drinks on a hot evening. Just be careful not to drink too much to avoid needing to go to the loo in the middle of the night.
Take a Shower and Use an Ice Pack
Contrary to instincts, taking a lukewarm (not cold!) bath or shower before bed will help to keep your core temperature down as it helps your blood vessels to dilate and therefore cool you down.
Cooling down pulse points on the body will also help to control your temperature. So, keep a damp cloth with a cold pack or ice bag inside it on your wrists, ankles or the back of your neck to quickly reduce the heat.
Invest in a Good Mattress
A comfortable, supportive mattress is a must for sleeping all year round but in the hot summer months when you sweat and warm up more in bed you should consider using a good sprung mattress with plenty of ventilation.
Adding a cooling mattress topper to your existing mattress will also help to provide a cooler sleeping position. A topper like the ripple mattress topper will work to help circulate the air around your body, keeping you cool and comfortable all night long.
Treat your Feet
And finally, there’s nothing nicer than a good foot spa and, when it’s hot outside and indoors, sitting with your feet in cool water for a short while before getting into bed will help to relax you and cool your temperature down nicely.
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July 2022