Warm days are uplifting and wonderful, but warm sticky, sweaty nights – not so much.
Maybe you recognize the feeling of tossing and turning in bed because the heat and humidity make it impossible to sleep. Or maybe you wake up drenched in sweat?
Read on and get out 6 simple tips that will help you sleep better in the heat.
1. Sleep with a summer duvet
Most people prefer sleeping with some sort of cover, whether it’s a summer duvet or just a sheet. If the temperature in your bedroom alters according to the weather, we recommend you change between two different duvets - one warm for winter and one cool and light for summer. This will give you a more comfortable and healthier sleep.
A summer duvet transports heat and moisture away from your body. This way you get a cool and satisfying sleep. A warm duvet, on the other hand, is designed to isolate heat and can be terrible to sleep with in the summer.
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2. Choose bedding that keeps you cool
When choosing bed linen there are a few things you should consider. First, make sure your bedding is made from 100% cotton or another breathable, natural material. Bedding made of polyester blends makes you warmer.
Secondly, you need to consider what type of bedding is best for you. Flannel bedding sets will feel extremely warm, whereas percale and satin will feel cooler.
Our duvet cover sets in linen will give you a cool sleeping experience, as the natural material is breathable and moisture-transporting.
3. Sleep on a good top mattress
A good top mattress absorbs sweat, which means that you do not get so damp during the night.
On hot nights, you can sweat up to one and a half litres of fluid per night, and therefore it is also important to change bedding regularly during the summer.
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4. Drink something cold before bedtime
Drink something cold shortly before going to bed as it will also help in cooling the body.
However, do not drink so much that you must get up and pee several times during the night. And avoid alcohol as alcohol creates an incoherent sleep and makes the body sweat more.
5. Draw the curtains
Make sure to keep your bedroom as cool as possible throughout the day. Keeping sunlight out of your bedroom will help your sleep area stay cool, even on very hot days.
Draw the curtains in the morning and do not open them until you go to bed. Many find blackout curtains or roller blinds, which are designed to block all outside light, great when it comes to keeping the bedroom temperature down.
6. Let the fresh air in
You can keep the bedroom temperature down by providing good ventilation, and by letting fresh air into the room during the day.
If it is possible to keep a window or two open during the night, it would also help keep the temperature down.
If this is not enough, you can get a fan that distributes and circulates the air around the room.
Why does heat affect our sleep?
If your bedroom is too warm – as it might be during the spring, summer, and early fall – then this can increase your body temperature and disturb your sleep.
The body temperature drops by up to 1 degree when we sleep because the body reduces energy consumption. But if your bedroom temperature does not fall below 20 degrees, your body has a harder time cooling down. Many will therefore experience restlessness and irritation in the body.
Do you want to know more about your sleep? Then read our blog posts Why do we sleep? and 10 tips for better sleep.
