Sleep and heat – 12 Tips to Fall Asleep During a Hot Summer’s Day

The weather has an important influence on the quality of your sleep. As much as we struggle to sleep the best way possible when it is freezing, we practically do the same when it is stifling hot outside. Simply put, it’s not easy to fall asleep when your sheets are sticking to your body and you feel like you cannot breathe any longer because of the heat. You constantly twist and turn in your bed and you keep on yearning for a little of freshness.

But worry not! Here is a list of 11 tips that can hopefully help you fall asleep fast and spend a pleasant night despite the seemingly unbearable heat.

1. AERATE THE ROOM EARLY IN THE MORNING AND LATE IN THE EVENING

It is important to ventilate you room. Ideally, make sure to let the air flow in your room for at least twice a day for 15 minutes, regardless of the season. During warm summers, it’s probably best that you ventilate your room early in the morning and late at night, when it is a little cooler outside. It’s really that simple; no need to be stressed out about it. It is best not to leave the windows open all day to limit the effect of “communicating vessels” with the high temperature of the outside.

2. CLOSE THE CURTAINS AND THE SHUTTERS

Make sure to block the sunlight by closing the curtains or the shutters during the day. That way, your room will warm up less quickly. Otherwise, the heat coming from outside as well as the rays of the sun will significantly elevate the temperature of your room. Remember, whether you’re on holiday or not, the darker the room, the cooler it is.

3. TAKE A COLD SHOWER

Don’t forget to go under the cold shower before going to sleep. Cold water will cool your body; and that will help you so much more with falling asleep. But of course, do not take a too cold shower, set the temperature just a little colder than usual. There are pros and cons to taking a cold shower and it’s important to be aware of both. If you do need a little warmth in your shower to help you relax before bed, then going all out cold water will not be as refreshing as you think, especially if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Make sure your water heater is working to its optimum level by speaking to a water heater repair service to see if you need a tune-up so you are not having cold showers against your wishes.

4. REPLACE THE DUVET

When it’s hot, you do not need a warm duvet with feathers. Store it in a cupboard and replace it with a lighter cloth. Opt for cotton, which is far more pleasant and airy.
If you are not on a budget, you could perhaps invest in sheets made out of silk. As you know, silk is of the best quality, and it feels extremely light against your skin, which will enable you to sleep in a more comfortable way.

5. PLACE YOUR SHEETS IN THE FREEZER

Fold your cotton sheets and store them in a plastic bag to avoid odors then place it in the refrigerator. Before going to sleep, take your cold sheets from the fridge. You will have a feeling of freshness. The disadvantage is that it lasts for a short period of time. But at least you will be able to fall asleep while feeling comfortable despite the heat.

6. DRINK COLD WATER

A hot coffee is probably not the best drink for a hot summer day. Fill a plastic bottle with water and place it in the freezer. Remove the bottle after a few hours and place it on your bedside table. You can drink fresh water all night long. But beware! Do not fill the bottle to the edge when you put it in the freezer; as you may already know, it could crack.
Also, make sure not to drink too much before bed, or else you will have to get up regularly in order to go to the toilet.

7. PREPARE ICE BAGS

Fill plastic bags with ice cubes and place them on your wrists, neck, elbows or back of the knees, where the palpitations of your arteries are almost palpable. This will give you a feeling of freshness. Or you could invest in an air conditioner which provides pretty much the same effect. You may, however, need to hire an air conditioning repair firm to service it every now and then to ensure that it is always in good working order.

8. TURN OFF THE COMPUTER

Almost all electrical devices, such as TVs, radios and computers, give off heat even when they are in sleep mode. Therefore, it is best to turn off each device completely before going to bed. The lamps also give heat, so do not let them on for too long.
So before going to bed, make sure that the following devices are turned off:

• TV
• Your phone
• Any video game
• Any bedside lamp,
  etc…

9. SOAK YOUR FEET IN COLD WATER

Put a basin of cold water next to your bed. If you are too hot, soak your feet for a moment. You will see that you will immediately have a refreshing sensation as the cool feeling will travel your whole body.

10. SLEEP ALONE

This last tip may not be possible for everyone. Yet you have to know that the quality of your sleep will be so much better without your partner, as you will have a more peaceful sleep. If you sleep alone, your body temperature will remain stable. And you can stretch your legs and arms, which improves circulation around your body.

11. BUY A GOOD FAN

The best way to cool your body is obviously to use a fan. A good fan will cost you around 50$. There are also cheaper versions, but these ventilate less and their quality is overall lower. However, be careful, if you use them for too long during the night, you may be endangering yourself. Indeed, using fans is not without risk. Better to avoid them if you are prone to asthma attacks and allergies.

Also, keep in mind that the fan that you purchase would need maintenance so that it can work efficiently without breaking down frequently. For that, you can either consider calling electricians near you or accomplish the task all by yourself. That said, in the event that you consider choosing the latter option, then it would be wise to gain all the necessary information to do the job. For instance, you might need to know what safety gear you should wear– do you need an electrician tool belt or would it be necessary to get your hands covered by gloves? Additionally, you also need to know how to clean the insides of the appliance–do you need to dismantle it? If yes, then how could you reassemble it properly?

12. SLEEP NAKED

It’s kind of obvious, and we have talked about it previously. If you’re not sleeping in a group setting, this is one option you can definitely consider exploring.