Blog: How to Keep Cool at Night
How to Keep Cool at Night
For better, more peaceful sleep & more of it!
There are a few things you can try to keep cool at night for better sleep. Many of us get too hot while sleeping, especially during the summer. Following the sun-filled days comes the inevitable nights of tossing and turning while trying to get just one-degree cooler; not fun.
While we all love to frolic in the sun, the 'summer nights' are stuffy and warm. Poor sleep hygiene can affect our mood and health. Poor mood and health can have any number of side effects. Use our tips to manage your body temperature at night, enjoy your days to the fullest, and make sure you don't lose focus at work.
Why do I get so hot when I sleep?
Although the big focus is on hotter weather, other reasons can increase your body temperature at night.
The most common reason is your choice of bedding and nightwear, as this can affect how your body perspires throughout the night.
It may sound obvious, but check you don't leave your central heating on at night. With rising energy bills and the warm weather, you justify using the central heating less.
Read on to find out our suggestions for comfortable bedding and nightwear alternatives.
Why is keeping cool at night important?
It's widely known the average adult should be getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep at night. Unfortunately, this can be hard at the height of summer with increased humidity levels and warmer weather.
Having a regular night's sleep is not just crucial for our sleep hygiene. Our core body temperatures always naturally lower slightly at night, telling our body it is time to rest. The human body loses heat through skin, with heat lost through conduction and perspiration. It is essential for skin health and sleep health that your body loses this excess heat effectively. Warm surroundings in hotter seasons make this process significantly more difficult.
What can you do?
Falling into a deep sleep is linked to having a regular body temperature. So follow our tips to cool down for bedtime.
Preparing to sleep - things to try before you get ready for bed
Exercise: While exercising near bedtime increases your body temperature, working out in the morning has sleeping benefits. A heart-racing exercise will cause you to sweat, improving your chances of deep sleep in the evening. Exercise is a great way to help your body into a more regular temperature routine.
Take a bath or Shower: While it is tempting to have a cold shower before bed, having a warm shower can lower your body temperature, which helps you drift off. Although warm in the shower, once you exit, your body will cool down as the moisture evaporates from your skin. A bath or shower before bed can help you fall asleep faster.
Hydrate: At night, increased perspiration can cause dehydration. Keep a glass of ice-cold water by your bed to gently sip if you get warm.
Of course, do not overdo the fluids in the evening. Running to the toilet every hour won't help!
Sleep like an Egyptian: The Ancient Egyptians soaked their sheets in cool water right before bed. If this sounds a bit too uncomfortable for you, placing a damp towel on your sheets before you sleep has a similar effect.
You can also try a reverse hot water bottle by filling one with ice-cold water and keeping it in your sheets.
Keeping in a cycle: Experts always recommend a regular sleep cycle for any sleep problems. The easiest routine is making sure you wake up and go to bed at the same time each day.
Preparing your bedroom
How you feel at night is also influenced by your environment. Your environment includes the lighting and ventilation in your bedroom. Here are some tips on how to make your bedroom comfortably cooler:
Ventilation: Ventilating your sleeping area during the day is important. A great way is to get a cross-ventilation flow from one side of the room to the other by opening opposite windows. If this isn't possible, keeping windows open but blinds down can keep the room cool. On the other hand, if too much sun gets into the room, it can heat the walls, releasing radiant heat later at night, making you warm.
Bedroom air conditioning or fan: A fan in the bedroom is also a great solution. You can have a ceiling fan installed, and you can find tabletop or standing cooling fans in shops and online. Often it can be that a just circulates hot hair. Placing a bowl of ice in front of the fan can create cooler airflow in the room.
If the warm temperatures are consistent, air-conditioning is a great long-term solution. There are a load of great wall-mounted air conditioning units available these days, and you don't even need a split unit with a external condensor with modern technology. If you want to avoid drilling holes in walls, modern portable air conditioners can be used as effective. As windows should remain closed when you're using AC, you should think about if you want the fresh air coming in from the outside. If you like to keep ther windows open, a small evaporative cooler will make the room feel cooler and more comfortable.
Sheets and nightwear: Sleeping in and wearing synthetic fibres do not allow your skin to breathe easily at night. Choosing cotton sheets and nightwear made from natural fibres allows your skin breathability at night.
Scents and smells: Amid the stuffiness of the bedroom, fragrances can offer a calming relief. Pillow sprays are a great way to cool your pillow and provide a nicely scented atmosphere to your sleeping space. Spray in the air or on a cool pillow. Try spraying some on ice cubes in front of a bedroom fan; to disperse the smell across the room.
Keeping cool while you sleep
When you are lying awake at night, having tried all the obvious, try these tips to change up your routine:
Sleeping positions: Although we all like to cuddle up while we sleep, increasing your body surface area will help you cool down faster. Try spreading out like a starfish for a quick cool-down solution.
A change of scenery: If sleep is evading you, removing yourself from the bedroom is best. Go into another room with low-level light and try calming activities such as colouring or meditating for 10 to 15 minutes before returning to bed.
Avoid phones and screens: Blue light can prevent the production of your sleep hormone.
Conclusion
Our guide shows how some preparation before can help keep you cool for a good night's rest. Take a calming bath or shower, exercise and stay in a good sleep/wake cycle.
Your bedroom environment is also essential. For example, lowering blinds on sunny days and leaving windows open can help make a better airflow. Equally, having air conditioning or a fan is an easy change to keep cool.
And finally, as you doze off and PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN, spread out like a starfish, and allow yourself to be gently lulled with the sweet smell of lavender in the cooling summer air.
