Too Hot to Sleep?

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Now that we are approaching the summer months we know that its going to get hotter and for many that means restless and even sleepless nights. Sure, we all love summer, the longer days, BBQ’s and the beach, but how do you keep cool during those hot sticky summer nights and get a good night’s sleep?

We have put together a list of life hacks that will help you out and ensure that when it’s too hot you still sleep soundly and wake up refreshed in the morning.

  1. The heat tends to make us all a little frazzled, especially if you aren’t sleeping well. Try to keep your head, lie still and accept the heat. The more you thrash around, the more your body heats up and makes it harder for you to sleep.

 

  1. Stick to cotton sheets. Avoid bedding that contains polyester, silk or satin. Save your silk and satin sheets for when the weather is a bit cooler. Cotton is breathable and will allow air circulation around you and your bedroom.

 

  1. Wear pyjamas. It is so tempting to ditch your jammies and go commando, but it really doesn’t help. Again, stick to cotton. It lets your skin breath and will encourage air circulation around you.

 

  1. We sleep better in a cool bedroom. The ideal temperature is 17° Unfortunately, we are not all lucky enough to have air-conditioning, so open a window, or invest in an electric fan. Place a bottle of frozen water in front of it to give an added cooling effect which should last all night.

 

  1. Those beautiful long summer evenings tend to lead to later nights, which often means eating and drinking closer to bedtime. We all like to relax with a beer or a wine with friends but it’s a well-known fact that alcohol can disturb our sleep levels, and food to close to bedtime can lead to trouble sleeping. To improve your quality of sleep, try to leave at least two hours between eating and sleeping and limit your alcohol intake close to bedtime.

 

  1. If you use a duvet select one manufactured form natural fibres, avoid polyester as it doesn’t breathe and will build up heat. A light weight/ summer duvet made from Wool, Alpaca, Tencel or Bamboo will allow airflow around you and help to disperse the heat from your body.

 

  1. Keep a glass of water beside the bed to sip on if you need it. Don’t drink a full glass before going to bed however. This can lead to multiple trips to the toilet through the night.

 

  1. Have a cool shower before you head off to bed. It’s a good way to drop your body temperature quickly. You should avoid a freezing cold shower however as this can overstimulate you and make you more awake. The idea is to bring your body temperature down enough that your body prepares for sleep.

 

  1. Keep the curtains and blinds closed during the day. If you are choosing curtains or blinds for your home avoid dark colours or metal blinds as these will absorb and store heat.

 

  1. Avoid too much sun during the day, and don’t get sunburned. It will raise your body temperature and make sleeping very uncomfortable.

 

  1. Chose your bed carefully. You should make sure that your bed has breathable foam layers and products like Silk, Alpaca and Wool in the comfort layers. Products like Outlast® that were specially designed for NASA absorbs, stores and releases heat for optimal thermal comfort.