Did you know that your body temperature significantly affects sleep? As the body gets ready to rest, vasodilation occurs to bring blood close to the surface and cool it off.
When you sleep in hot surroundings, the body cannot let off enough heat, and even if you fell asleep, it ends up restless. Fortunately, you can cool yourself on even the hottest summer nights.
Read on to learn the best way to sleep cool in a hot room.
Cool the Room with AC
If your house does not run on central air, use a small window ac unit for the summer. They can typically cool down a room pretty quickly so that you can sleep comfortably.
Unfortunately, better units can cost a lot. And as they age they lose their ability to cool, especially when the temperatures rise high.
Fan Yourself
Sleeping with fans can help cool you down, and some people even love the white noise at night. You should know, fans circulate air, but they do not actually cool it.
Fans actually cool you by creating a windchill effect. They move dry air across your skin, evaporating any sweat, helping your body cool.
So you want to position any fans where they blow directly on you for effectiveness. Position your bed under the ceiling fan and place a floor fan near the middle of your bed so it hits your body.
Switch Your Mattress
The mattress you use may contribute to feeling overheated while you sleep, even on cooler nights. Choose the best airfoam mattress to keep you cool and comfortable at night.
Most mattresses use heat-sensitive viscoelastic chemicals that cause your body heat to build up beneath you by trapping it in the mattress. This makes cooling down impossible.
Airfoam mattresses do not use these chemicals. Their design allows your body to cool so you can get deep rest.
Use Cool Bedding
Sheets and blankets cover the mattress and help you sleep feeling secure and comfortable. But, they can also create a heat trap if you use the wrong materials.
Use breathable fabrics that support airflow, like linen, cotton, bamboo, or silk. Stay away from heat-trapping materials like fleece, polyester, microfiber, and wool.
Forget Pajamas
Clothing covers the skin and keeps you warm. The covered areas will release heat only for it to get trapped within the clothing.
So, your body will cool much slower. Sleeping naked prevents this and keeps you feeling completely unrestricted.
Sleep Downstairs
When you heat air, it expands and loses density. So, hot air rises while the more dense cool air stays weighed down closer to the surface.
Upstairs bedrooms tend to collect heat, especially in hotter climates. For this reason, you may want to consider keeping your bedroom downstairs.
Shower Before Bed
If you want to sleep better on a hot night, take a shower before bedtime. But, make sure to keep the water cool.
Water changes body temperature much quicker than air at the same degree. It works this way because water can absorb more heat before its temperature changes.
So, a cool shower will bring your body temp down to a suitable level for good sleep. Keeping your hair wet will keep your head cooler for longer. This will not change the temperature, but wash with camomile or lavender soap for extra relaxation!
Dampen Your Sheet
If you expect temperatures in the nineties or higher for the night, you may want to dampen a bedsheet to keep cool while sleeping. Soaking it may feel uncomfortable, but misting it with a spray bottle works. If you’d rather keep your bedding dry, keep a damp bath towel against your body.
Stay Hydrated
If the water cools from the outside, then imagine its effect from inside you. Dehydration raises the body temp to feverish levels.
Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day and drink a small, cold glass of water prior to sleep. This will keep your temp low enough to stay cool at night without losing sleep to tinkle.
Cool Your Neck
Freeze washcloths or wrap ice packs in towels for nighttime. Before falling asleep, place it on the back of your neck to sleep cooler. Keep a spare one handy in case the hot temps weaker you up in the middle of the night needing another.
Keep Your Room Dark
Sunlight radiates warmth. Consider keeping your bedroom dark during the warmer months.
Keep your blinds cold. For extra protection from the blazing sun, cover your windows with dark fabric, so the heat absorbs there and leaves your bedroom air cool.
Vick’s Your Feet
One of the worst feelings on hot summer nights is when your feet overheat. Keep them cool by rubbing Vick’s vapor rub over them before you fall asleep.
This formula contains menthol and camphor, both plant products that create a tingly, cooling sensation on the body. If you do not want Vick’s all over your bedding, cover it with a pair of light, breathable cotton socks.
Spread Out
Sleeping curled up keeps your own body heat warming you. Instead, spread your body out wide. This will increase your surface area so the air from the fan hits as much of you as possible.
This might get tricky if you sleep with a partner. In that case, you may need a California King sized bed.
Or, you two can get creative! Rather than sleeping traditionally, find diagonal positions that allow both of you to comfortably sprawl.
Other Sleep Tips
Once you get the room as cool as possible, use some of these tips to improve your sleep:
- Turn off all the lights
- Keep electronics (phones, computers, televisions, video games, etc.) in another room
- Meditate before bed to clear your mind
- Exercise early and avoid workouts for at least a couple hours before bed
- Eat a small snack that contains tryptophan, like turkey, milk, peanut butter, etc.
Sleep Cool Every Night
Improving your sleep will improve mood and all-around health. Sleep cool on hot nights so you always feel good.
We want you to live your best life! Find more helpful tips on our wellbeing page.
