Google searches for ‘how to sleep in the heat’ have peaked to their highest point this year, increasing by 3,200% since the beginning of June. Research shows that higher temperatures have a significant effect on how long it takes to drift off, the quality of your sleep and your sleep duration.
If the warm weather and humidity are affecting your slumber, read our nine unique tips to get to sleep in the heat – for when you think you’ve tried everything!
1. Put your pillowcase in the freezer
One of the strangest but most effective method of cooling your bed down is to put your pillowcase in the freezer. Simply put your pillowcase in a clean plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Your bed will feel instantly fresher and the cooling effect lasts long after you go to sleep. You could try this trick with your pyjamas, too.
2. Rub an ice cube across your wrists
Forget your forehead – stay cool by rubbing an ice cube on your pulse points. These are the areas where your blood vessels are close enough to the skin that you can feel a pulse, including your wrists, neck, inside your elbow and at the back of your knees. Keeping your pulse points cool helps to lower your body temperature.
3. Drink hot tea in a cool shower
Drinking a camomile tea is perfect for winding down, but a hot beverage before bed might make you feel too warm to sleep. Instead, take a flask of camomile into the bathroom and drink it during a cool shower. This allows you to get the benefits of the naturally relaxing drink while keeping your body temperature cool.
4. Get a plant mister – for your face
While more commonly used for spraying succulents and cacti, a plant mister is the perfect way to quickly cool down at night. Keep one beside your bed for fast, refreshing relief whenever you feel too hot – a couple of sprays across your face should do the trick.
5. Wash your sheets twice a week at 60°C
Hot weather can cause a minefield of germs lurking in your bedding, since you sweat a lot more on summer nights. This results in a build-up of bacteria and skin cells, plus all the other germs which get into your bed, like dust mites, pollen and pet hair.
If you sweat often in bed, change your sheets twice a week to avoid getting into a dirty and potentially damp bed at night. Once a week is enough if you don’t sweat much. Always wash your bedding at 60°C or higher, as this is the temperature which kills bacteria.
6. Open your loft hatch to let heat rise
If you have a loft at home, keep the hatch open during the warmer months and let the heat rise. This can help to keep your bedroom cooler as the heat won’t stay trapped on your second or third floor and instead will rise into your loft.
7. Close the curtains but open your windows
Keep your curtains closed during the day to stop the sun shining in and heating up your bedroom. However, you can open your window to improve air flow – any wind will feel colder than your bedroom’s temperature.
8. Swap your sheets for bamboo bedding
Bamboo is a breathable and moisture-wicking material, making it one of the best options if you sweat a lot during sleep. Bamboo fabrics are also naturally hypoallergenic, which can help reduce allergy symptoms that normally come hand in hand with hot weather. Avoid cotton bedding at all costs, as it’s not moisture-wicking and can make you feel sweatier.
9. Take your duvet out the cover
As a free alternative, you could take your duvet out and simply sleep with the cover. It’s the next best thing to buying a summer tog duvet or brand-new bedding.
Find more sleep tips and advice in the Mattress Online blog, where we reveal our worst bedtime hygiene habits and ways to stop hay fever ruining your sleep. You can also browse our range of cool mattresses to stay fresh all night long and get a better night’s sleep.
