We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again we love winter! But, that doesn’t mean to say we don’t enjoy the warmer afternoons and long summer evenings that the warmer months of the year bring. However, there are certainly more downsides to these months when it comes to sleeping. Temperatures can often cause havoc to our sleeping patterns. The extra heat leaves us restless, unable to fall asleep and leaves us feeling over tired as a result. With most of the UK experiencing high temperatures this summer, it can be hard to get a good night's sleep. Whether your room is too stuffy, you’re dehydrated from a day at the beach or you’ve spent the afternoon napping at the beach. Whatever it is, we have a few things that you can do to beat the heat.
1. Go Back to Basics
Ensuring your bedroom is as cool as it can be at night is key to getting a good night's sleep during the warmer months. These points might sound simple, but they’re key to making sure your bedroom is as cool as it can be at night.
During the day, draw the curtains or blinds to keep the sun out. Make sure you close the windows on the sunny side of your home, to keep hot air out.
Then, when it’s time to go to bed, open all of your windows before you get into bed, to get through the breeze.
2. Don’t Nap During The Day
Hot weather can make us feel lethargic during the day and it can be very easy (and appealing) to take a nap. That's because when it is hot we use more energy to regulate our internal temperature.
But if your sleep is disturbed at night, try to avoid napping during the day. When it's hot, sleepiness can be precious - save it for bedtime.
3. Stick To Your Routines
Hot weather and lighter evenings can encourage you to change your habits and fall out of your usual sleep routine. Try to stick to what your body is used to. Otherwise, it can disrupt your sleep.
Try to keep to your usual bedtime and routines and stick to the things you would usually do before bed, this can be reading, a facemask whatever it may be. Just try and keep your body in its normal routine as much as possible.
4. Ditch the PJs
Turns out sleeping in the buff gives you an all-around better night's sleep in the heat, who’d have thought it?
Opting to not wear pyjamas will cool down your body's temperature, which will not only help you get a night of better sleep on a hot night but will regulate your skin's temperature to stop you from waking up throughout the night.
5. Stay Hydrated
There is nothing worse than getting dehydrated during the hot weather. Ensure you drink enough water throughout the day but avoid drinking very large amounts before bed.
You probably don't want to wake up thirsty - but you also don't want to wake up needing to run to the bathroom. It always helps to go to bed with a glass of water with you as well, just in case you do wake up thirsty. Also, avoid drinking caffeine late in the day as this will not only keep you awake but also dehydrate you further. Large amounts of alcohol will also do the same so try and avoid this to get the best night's sleep possible!
6. Drink Something Hot
We know it might seem counterintuitive, but if you’re feeling hot you should drink something cold. Right? Well, actually no. According to experts, drinking a cup of tea or similar can actually help you to regulate your body temperature when it's muggy out. Just as we mentioned above, avoid a drink with caffeine in it late in the day!
A hot drink can help release sweat (we know, we know - what a lovely thought) which in turn cools your temperature down.
7. Use thin sheets
Nobody wants a thick old duvet on them when they’re trying to get to sleep in a sweltering room. However, keep a thin sheet handy to have on top of you. Thin cotton sheets will absorb sweat and keep you cooler during the night.
However hot it may feel in your bedroom when you go to sleep, body temperatures tend to fall during the night. That's why we sometimes wake up feeling cold so keeping a light sheet to hand is perfect if you wake up feeling slightly chillier.