In the UK we spend most of the year complaining about the cold and wet weather only to complain even more when the good stuff arrives. One of the most common bugbears is the difficulty in sleeping in the heat. Our lifestyles and homes are generally geared up to cope with the cold and not the hotter days and so can actually work against us in those brief periods when the sun actually shines. If you have trouble dropping off in the heat here are some tips on how to overcome the problem.
Clothing
Sleep naked! Any clothing will only make you feel hotter and then soak up the sweat and leave you clammy and uncomfortable.
Bed Linen
Use natural cotton linen and not man-made fibres. Cotton is naturally cool and soaks up any excess sweat. If you don’t feel right without covering yourself use just a sheet and not a duvet or quilt of any kind. You can also soak a cotton sheet or towel in cold water, wring it out and then sleep on top of it. Alternatively cover your linen with a light spray of cold water before you get into bed.
Accessories
Fill a hot water bottle with ice cold water and put that in the bed. If the noise is not troubling use an electric fan in your bedroom. This does not actually cool the air but it will circulate it which feels pleasant and helps evaporate sweat. A ceiling fan circulates air well and can also beat down warm air into the room during the winter months.
Cold Water
Volumes of cold water will help lower the temperature in the house. Before you climb into bed fill all of your sinks and bath tubs with cold water, throw in some ice and place some bowls and buckets of iced water in your bedroom. If you have a fan position your iced water underneath it and it will distribute colder air around the room.
Positioning
If you don’t already do so, sleep on your side as this will expose the maximum amount of your body to the air making you feel cooler and helping sweat to evaporate.
Loft Hatch
Heat rises and with most homes having loft insulation the warm air hits your ceilings and has nowhere to go. Open your loft hatch to release some of the heat into the roof space.
Windows
In an ideal world it is best to leave your windows open all day on hot days but for security reasons this isn’t always practical. Our love of insulating double glazed units works against here trapping the heat inside whilst the temperature is dropping outside and getting us used to silence in the home. At the very least open your lovely Rehau windows before you attempt to sleep and if you are likely to be effected by noise get some ear plugs! Pulling the curtains during the day will help a little but not much as you really need to keep the heat off the outside of the windows hence the shutters that are so popular in hot climates.
Last Resort
If all else fails camp in the garden and enjoy life al fresco for a while!
Sally Stacey has spent a lot of time in hot climates and has learnt a few tricks on how to sleep along the way