This summer’s high temperatures have affected most of the UK, making it difficult for many people to get a good night’s sleep. Luckily, there are things you can do to beat the heat this summer.
Here are some of our top tips to sleep in hot weather.
The first tip is an obvious one, but having a fan in your bedroom can make a real difference in cooling you down. Here in the UK, it’s uncommon for our homes to have built-in air conditioning, so a fan is the next best thing. If you have a ceiling fan, it’s a good idea to turn it counterclockwise to force hot air out of the way.
One thing to remember with this is the cost. Check out our ‘The True Cost Of A Good Night’s Sleep’ blog to find out just how much it might cost you to run your fan every night. If you want to reduce your bills, then read on to find out some other low-cost alternatives.
This one might surprise you, but it’s been found that sleeping naked can actually be worse for you than sleeping with some lightweight pyjamas on. This is because sweat builds up on our bodies. Wearing some moisture-wicking fabric such as cotton will whip away the moisture to keep you cool.
There are specific places on your body where you can feel your heartbeat and pulse. If you apply cold compresses or ice packs wrapped in a towel to your pulse spots, your entire body will cool down. Pulse points can be found on your wrist, ankles, behind the knees, and neck.
These are the points where blood flows close to the skin, so cooling the pulse points causes the blood to cool as it passes, reducing your body’s overall temperature.
When it comes to bedding, less is more. Therefore, you should minimise the number of covers you use. Start by taking away the duvet and instead just using the duvet cover as a blanket to help get you to a perfect sleeping temperature.
In terms of fabrics, cotton is your best bet for a cool night’s sleep. This is because cotton sheets are a lot more breathable than other fabrics. Check out our 100% cotton Clarissa Hulse Filix Duvet Cover Coral (pictured) for a cool and stylish night’s sleep.
Sleepeezee Hybrid 2000 Mattress
If you have difficulties falling asleep in the summer and need to turn on the air conditioning or fan, a cooling mattress may prove to be worth the high investment. With a cooling mattress, you won’t need to have a fan blowing at your bed or the air conditioner on high. Even better, your electricity bill could also see a slight reduction.
If you’re looking for some options, Mattressman offers gel foam mattresses designed specifically for hot sleepers. Thanks to a gel layer, these mattresses actively cool you throughout the night, while also responding to your body’s shape.
No one wants to leave the house with soaking wet hair, but turning your hair dryer on during a heatwave is one of the worst things you can do. Blow drying your hair will produce even more hot air into the atmosphere, raising the temperature in your home.
Try to wash your hair the night before to allow it more time to dry naturally. With the air naturally being so warm, it shouldn’t take too long to dry anyway.
Make sure you have a big glass of water before bed. During a heatwave, it’s likely that you will sweat a lot during the night. Ensuring you are hydrated before you sleep means you’ll be less disturbed during the night due to any dehydration. It’s also a good idea to keep a glass of water next to your bed for easy reach should you still wake up feeling thirsty.
With these tips, you can get ahead of the heatwave while still sleeping comfortably. For even more temperature-regulating bedroom essentials, check out our various cooling mattresses to keep the heat at bay.
