How to sleep in the heat, according to sleep experts
Ayesha Muttucumaru
Wellness
Reading time: 4 minutes
Because being hot in bed isn’t always a good thing
To paraphrase Jason Derulo: “It’s too hot to sleep.” And finding ways to get a decent night’s slumber in this current climate is proving to be a tiring task.
If you can often be found wide awake in the twilight hours at the moment, perspiring through your PJs or tossing and turning to help deal with the higher temperatures, rest assured that we’ve got your (clammy) back. We ask five sleep experts for the hot weather hacks you can try to help grab those 40 winks a little more easily in the summer months.
From the best sleeping position to ways to cool down and stay cool, give these tips a try to help claim back your sleep, come heat waves or humid holidays.
1. Create a draught
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity
“Hot weather can be a nuisance when it comes to bedtime. An ideal room temperature should be around 16-18°C (60-65°F), and so higher temperatures can make it difficult to fall asleep.
“One of the best ways to keep the bedroom cool during summer is to open the windows – and doors – to create a draught. If there’s an attic or loft, try opening the hatch; as hot air rises, this will give it somewhere to go. I’d also recommend having a cool (but not cold) shower or bath in the evening to lower your core body temperature (which helps the body to know it’s time for sleep). This has the added bonus of rinsing off any daytime sweat so you feel cool, clean and refreshed before bed.”
2. If you wake up, don’t sweat it
James Wilson (aka ‘The Sleep Geek’), founder & CEO of Kip Mate
“If you wake in the night, don’t lay there tossing and turning, do something to reset your mind.
“If it feels like you’ve been awake for 30 minutes, try listening to something, such as a spoken word book (especially one you’ve read before – the familiarity can help you to feel safe and comforted), music you love, talk radio, or a meditation app. This will allow your mind to wander. It might not happen overnight, as your body might have become used to waking in the night and worrying, but after a week or so, you’ll find that you start to drop back off. Do this consistently and try not to worry, sleep will eventually come.”
Grab a damp washcloth at the same time and dab it gently against the back of the neck and face, the wrists and finally the soles of the feet, to add a little extra cool while you listen to your chosen wind-down audio.
Open windows – and doors – to create a draught”
3. Drink your way to a better night’s sleep
Dr Kat, sleep therapist & body clock expert
“Staying hydrated is important all year round but it’s especially crucial in the summer, and helps prevent putting your body under stress.
“When it’s hot, be more mindful of how and when you drink alcohol, as it can affect sleep. Similarly, consider your caffeine intake. If you’ve had a bad night’s sleep because of the heat and you feel more tired, there’s a temptation to drink more caffeinated drinks to boost your alertness. But too much, too close to bedtime, can make sleep harder to come by, leaving you feeling more tired the next day and yes, you’ve guessed it, reaching for another caffeine boost.
“Try steering clear of caffeine from 3pm onwards and stop drinking alcohol at least two hours before bed, or even earlier if you have trouble getting to sleep in the evenings.”
4. Sleep on your back
Tracy Hannigan, sleep therapist
“If you can and it's safe for you, consider sleeping on your back because it exposes more of your body to the air.
“At night, body temperature drops because our muscles – which typically generate heat – aren’t as active. This drop in temperature is strongly associated with sleeping, so if it rises again in the night, the association your system has with being awake may actually cause you to wake up. On hot nights, exposing the tummy and the sides and top of the head can help that extra warmth to dissipate. Pro tip here is to put a cool cloth on the forehead – this is especially useful for women who experience hot flushes at night, as a part of perimenopause.”
Try belly breathing to take your mind off the heat and get into the right mindset for sleep”
5. Try belly breathing to distract & de-stress
Dr Nisa Aslam, GP
“Try belly breathing (also known as abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing) to help you relax and wind down before bedtime, take your mind off the heat and get into the right mindset for sleep.
“This exercise can help bring down heart rate and blood pressure, improve oxygenation throughout the body, and support the body’s production of melatonin, which may help with falling asleep faster and sleeping more soundly."
Here’s how to practise belly breathing:
1. “Lie on your back in bed with your head supported. Perhaps use a pillow under the knees to support the legs and lower back.
2. “Take slow, deep breaths; inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
3. “Put one hand on your chest and the other below the rib cage on your tummy, keeping the arms and hands relaxed. Notice which hand rises more as you inhale; if the hand on your chest rises the most, try to get your tummy to move a little more next time.
4. “Breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose allowing your belly to move out gently against your hand, as if you are blowing up a balloon in your belly. You might find it helpful to count – breathe in for the count of three to four seconds and out for the count of three to four seconds – to help regulate the breathing and keep it nice and slow. Hopefully, you’ll soon find yourself drifting off…”
Struggling to sleep? Watch our Boots Live Well Panel talk with Kathryn Pinkham, insomnia specialist and founder of The Insomnia Clinic, for more tips to help you sleep through the night.
