As we approach the hottest July night for years, many people will be worrying about being too hot to sleep…. and so they should be.
Our temperature is incredibly important to good quality sleep, as a drop in heart rate and drop in core temperature are part of the process the body goes through when getting ready for sleep; The hot weather impacts on our ability to do both.
Below are some tips on how to get the best sleep possible on the hottest night of the year from James Wilson, aka The Sleep Geek.
1. Ensure there is a good airflow through the house. Open windows on both sides to allow the air to pass through.
2. Close blinds and curtains in rooms that are exposed to direct sunlight. The shade will help the room stay cooler.
3. Have a lukewarm bath or shower before bed to encourage your core temperature to drop, or alternatively put lukewarm water in a hot water bottle and place the soles of your feet on it.
4. If using a fan, place a bowl of chilled water in front of it to cool the stream of air it’s pushing around the room.
5. Don’t put bedding or pyjamas in the fridge-freezer, funnily enough some people do this (although who has a freezer big enough to put a duvet in?). It will add more moisture to your sleep environment and that moisture will heat up and make you even warmer.
6. If you are using a cotton sheet ensure it is as low a thread count as possible as the higher the thread count, the less breathable it is. Cotton is ok in hot weather, although it isn’t that great at wicking the moisture away; I would suggest using bamboo. It has longer fibres so breaths better and doesn’t lint so people with skin conditions are not as aggravated – it is also lighter on the body.
7. Finally don’t worry too much about it. The biggest thing that prevent us sleeping in hot weather is the thought of “I am too hot to sleep”. My advice would be to suck it up, accept that you might not sleep quite as well, but that it will probably be over in a couple of days and your body will more than likely make up for the poor sleep by giving you better quality sleep once the temperature drops.
James Wilson, known as The Sleep Geek, is one of the UK’s leading sleep behavior experts, helping people nationwide to solve their sleep issues. As well as assisting people to sleep better, James’ Sleep Lab works alongside household companies such as the NHS and Coca-Cola in producing products, services and environments to ensure everyone can get the sleep they deserve.
With over 95% of people suffering with insomnia reporting low energy levels and over 75% of these experiencing poor concentration at work, James and his unrivalled Sleep Lab are more in demand than ever!
Having suffered from insomnia from a young age, and confused by the support on offer from the medical profession and Sleep Experts at the time, James decided to tackle the problem hands-on in his late twenties by training as a sleep practitioner. This, along with his personal experience with poor sleep, gave him a unique insight in helping people to solve their sleep issues, and so The Sleep Geek was born.
Working closely with his clients, James provides a clear and concise programme which is individually tailored to their personal needs (suitable for teenagers and adults). He also offers an informative sleep guide to help parents with younger
children too.
