7 Tips & Tricks For Better Sleep In The Summer Heat
The optimal temperature for the bedroom is 63°F (19.5°C). If you live in a top-floor apartment without air conditioning, keeping the room at this temperature is nothing but a pipe dream. In the middle of summer, room temperatures can often exceed 85°F (30°C), making sleeping well at night almost impossible. With this in mind, we've come up with seven nifty tricks to ensure you drift off and sleep through the night in the heat.
1. Take A Warm Shower Before Going To Bed
When temperature are on the rise, it's of course tempting to jump into a cold shower. However, you should refrain from doing so, and opt for a lukewarm shower instead. Cold showers cause the pores to contract, meaning your skin gives off heat less effectively. In addition, lukewarm showers or baths have been proven to promote deep sleep, which is especially important for feeling fit and rested the next morning.
2. Do Light Exercise
Exercise in the heat? That's probably the last thing you want to think about. However, light exercise in the evening helps your body to relax, meaning you can drift off easier. As in the case of lukewarm showers, gradually increasing your core temperature also promotes deep sleep. Just make sure the exercises aren't too strenuous and you don't overheat. We recommend trying yoga.
3. Homemade Air-Conditioning Unit
If you don't have an air conditioner, you can create a similar cooling effect with a fan. Simply attach frozen bottles of water or a pouch filled with ice cubes to the fan. This will disperse cool air around the room and lower the temperature. But a word of warning — refrain from using the fan at night, as the cool air coming into contact with sweat on the skin could lead to cramps or even hypothermia.
4. Wear Dampened Sweatbands
For some quick refreshment, we recommend wearing some sweatbands that have been soaked in icy water. After putting the sweatbands on your pulse points (wrists and forehead), your body temperature should go down, making it easier for you to fall asleep.
5. Sleep in Cotton Bedding
In the summer, we all want to throw the duvet to the side. Yet if you choose the right bedding, you can cool things down a little in the bedroom. It's important to opt for cotton or terrycloth bedding and consign polyester bedclothes to the wardrobe over the summer months. Unlike polyester, cotton and terrycloth are breathable materials that remove moisture more effectively, meaning there'll be less sweating under the covers.
6. Don't Use Memory Foam Mattresses
Mattresses with memory foam are a no-no in the summer. Acting as an insulator, they trap your body heat and make it hard to sleep through the night in high temperatures. This is why it's best to use mattresses with a summer and winter side. The summer side has a cooling effect as it is made with cotton or satin, while the winter side is made of sheep's wool and holds heat.
7. Sleep In Separate Beds
Sleeping next to your partner or the kids is always nice, but it's probably best to avoid doing so once the temperatures exceed 85°F (30°C). Being close to someone under the covers increases your body temperature, making it very hard to drift off and sleep through the night. That's why we recommend sleeping in separate beds during particularly warm summer nights.
It's no question that the summer is a wonderful time of year. However, the high temperatures at night can make most of us go crazy! For a better night's sleep, take our advice and give these tips a try.