Heatwave Special: How To Sleep When It’s This Hot
As much as we’re loving the glorious hot weather we’ve got at the moment, it’s an entirely different matter trying to sleep when it’s this hot. No matter what we do we just can’t seem to get the temperature in our bedroom any lower than the surface of the sun. OK, so that’s a ridiculous exaggeration, but you hear me, right?
It’s hot, it’s sweaty, and it’s downright uncomfortable, which as we all know is in no way conducive to a good night’s sleep. So, what can we do? Well, the bad news is we haven’t worked out how to control the weather, but the good news is we’ve got a few tricks up our night sleeves to help you get to sleep when it’s this hot.
1. Keep Doors And Windows Open
OK so we get that this is a bit of an obvious one, but it’s not quite as simple as that. You see, if you want to optimize how cool your bedroom is, it’s all about when you open them and when you keep them closed.
Logic would suggest that keeping exterior doors and windows open throughout the day will help air flow through the house. Which of course it does, but the air it lets in is all the hot air from outside, which then warms up your house. This will sound like the maddest idea ever, but if you want to keep your bedroom cool at night then it’s best to keep your exterior doors and windows closed during the daytime. The time to open your windows is when you go to bed, as the air will have cooled down by this time and this is exactly the type of air we want to encourage into our bedrooms.
Another top tip is to open up the loft hatch if you have one. If you paid attention in science lessons in school you’ll know that hot air rises, so by opening the loft hatch it gives somewhere for the hot air in your house to escape to. Much better that the heat goes into your loft than hanging around making your bedroom stuffy. However, if like us your bedroom is in the loft, we wish you the very best of luck!
2. Try These Fan Hacks
Chances are if you own a fan, you’re probably already using it. But did you know there are a couple of handy tricks you can do that will help cool down your bedroom even more so?
Try wetting a towel, making sure to squeeze out any excess water, and placing it over a clothes airer in front of your fan. The air produced by the fan will pick up the cool moisture from the towel and circulate it around the room, thus helping to cool it down.
In a similar vein, you can also try this with a tray of ice cubes. Place the tray on a table or chair in front of the fan and as the air from the fan blows over it the ice will gradually melt. This makes the air above the ice cooler, which is then blown out by the fan helping to cool down the room and totally giving you the chance to sleep when it’s this hot.
3. Check Your fabrics
When there’s a heatwave it’s worth changing your bedding to something made out of a cooler, more lightweight, and breathable fabric to help keep you cool at night.
Steer clear of manmade fabrics like nylon and polyester as these cling onto heat and will make you all kinds of sweaty. Instead, choose natural, breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo, and Tencel, which will keep you cool whilst also absorbing any sweat and allow you to have a much more comfortable sleep.
Similarly, you should also apply the natural fabrics rule to your nightwear. Although you might think you’ll be cooler if you sleep naked that’s not actually the case. Wearing a very thin, lightweight layer will help to regulate your temperature as well as wicking away any sweaty moisture from your body.
4. Close the curtains during the day
As well as keeping your windows closed during the day you should also keep the curtains pulled and the blinds drawn. You want to create as shady a space as possible to help reduce the heat in your home, so as much as I’m sure you’d love to let the sunshine in, if you want any hope of being able to sleep when it’s this hot you need to keep them shut.
Blackout curtains and blinds are really good at keeping bedrooms cool because they block sunlight from entering the room. Light coloured materials are best, but you can easily opt for these to have a blackout lining. Or if you want a short term solution you can buy adhesive black out lining that sticks to the window and can be easily removed and reused time and time again. This option is great for if you’re going on holiday or you regularly sleep in different rooms.
5. Take A Cold Water Bottle To Bed
When it’s cold in the wintertime many people take a hot water bottle to bed. So, what’s stopping us from reversing that way of thinking of taking a cold water bottle to bed when it’s hot in the summer? Nothing, you see a cold water bottle is an actual thing and we are loving it!
There are two ways you can make up a cold water bottle. Either you can fill it with cold water and crushed ice. Or you can fill 2/3 full of water and pop it in the freezer until frozen. If you choose the second method you must always make sure the bottle is not filled to the top otherwise when the water freezes and expands there is a risk it will break the bottle.
Place the cold water bottle in your bed about half an hour before you go to bed and this will make it lovely and cool ready for when you slip between the covers. You could also make up some smaller bottles to place on your pulse points (neck, wrists, ankles) which will further cool you down.
6. Hydrate
It goes without saying, but when the temperature rises it’s really important to drink more in order to stay hydrated. Obviously, you won’t be drinking throughout the night, and yes if you have too much it’ll mean you’ll be paying unwanted trips to the little girls’ room in the middle of the night, but keeping a cool glass of water by your bedside is a good idea. Then if you wake up and feel thirsty you can have a quick sip to quench your thirst and cool yourself down without the upheaval of having to go down to the kitchen and get yourself a drink.
7. Sleep Apart
No, don’t worry we’re not telling you to sleep in separate beds from your partner, although now you come to mention it if that works then hey, we could be down with that! No matter how much you love snuggling up and spooning with your partner in bed, when the temperature gets this hot, touching is a big no no. The combined bodily heat from two of you in bed will understandably make it hotter beneath the sheets and that’s before any sexy time gets going.
If you want a cooler, more comfortable sleep during a heatwave it’s worth keeping yourselves to yourselves and sleeping nearer the edge of the bed so that there is a gap between you. Likewise, if your pet usually shares a bed with you, you might want to think twice about allowing them this luxury, at least until the temperatures drop anyway.
And if all else fails…
8. Freeze Your Bedding
Yep, you read that right, you can freeze your actual bedding. Probably not a good idea putting your duvet in the chest freezer, but certainly putting your pillow cases or sheets in the freezer compartment is totally a thing. Just make sure you set a reminder to yourself that they’re in there because no one wants to sleep on a rock hard sheet!
The good weather doesn’t last forever, so it’s a good idea to make the most of the summer by getting out in the daytime and prepping your house so that it’s ready for you when it’s time to go to bed. If you apply all of these pieces of advice you’ll always be able to sleep when it’s this hot. Sweet dreams.
