Can’t Sleep In The Summer Heat? Beat The Heat In These 20 Ways
While some people wait for summer with baited breath so that they bring out the shorts, sundresses, and flip-flops, others cannot stand the heat that the season brings. Days may be manageable because you can stuff your face with ice cream and other sinful delights but the nights can be stuffy and excessively hot.
How do you keep cool enough to sleep even when the night air is too stuffy to take in? We are spilling our tried and tested tips for your benefit.
- Take a Nice Shower
Cool off before bedtime with a rejuvenating shower. If you can get in a cold one, the better your body will feel. Freezing showers are not the best though, as they may invigorate your body and keep you up for long hours.
- Get Rid Of The Layers
You will not need those extra duvets or sheets to sleep. Warm nights call for as little amount of bedding as possible to prevent overheating. A cotton bed sheet could be enough to cover you for the evening, but you can have a light blanket close by in case it gets cooler as the night progresses.
- Hydrate!
Water is life, so we are told. This could not be truer. Now, you may want to avoid drinking too much of it before bedtime, seeing as you will need to wake up to pee severally. The best thing you can do for your body is to hydrate sufficiently during the day and sip a little more two hours before sleep. If you avoid eating or drinking something hot as bedtime approaches, your body will get cooler by the time you hit the sack.
- Those Pajamas
Well, summertime is the best time to sleep in the buff, and there is nothing wrong with that. At least, we are yet to see studies that say it is unhealthy. Sleep in the buff if you are comfortable with it. If that feels awkward for you, you may want to invest in cotton pajamas, as they are breathable and lightweight.
The same goes for your bedding. You love the satin feel, we know that, but save them for cooler nights. Summers call for breathable, breezy cotton.
- Suspend Yourself
If you thought that hammocks were only ideal for camping and backpacking, think again. These days they are becoming the preferred sleeping option for most people. Hammocks remove the need for blankets, as you can simply suspend your body on one and wrap it around you. Choose a threaded, cotton one, and you will feel no need to go back to your, regular bed.
- The Floor, Anyone?
You like the floor, but you have no valid reason to make it the preferred surface for your mattress? Summer is your excuse. Being closer to the ground keeps you cooler. So now, drop that mattress like a boss and make the floor your bed. Fun times!
- Lights Out Already
Who cares for lights when the moon leaves such a romantic glow? Turn down the lights so that the room can start cooling long before you go to sleep. If you have to read a book (the old school way) turn the flashlight on.
- No Paring
Love bugs will feel a little offended by this, but spooning generates too much heat for summer. Get adjacent hammocks or just sleep separately. If you have to sleep in the same bed, mind keeping to your corner, please? It’s only until summer ends, you know. Oh, one more thing about sleeping alone is that you can spread your limbs all over the space. Spread eagle position is great for air circulation.
- No Stoves Please
Summer is an ideal time for barbecues, so get out and get those grills going. Do not be tempted to turn on the oven to grill in the house, as the heat that will be retained will have you cursing all night long. Gather some friends and have some outdoor fun.
- Feel Like Some Frozen Sheets?
We have heard this one and had to try it for ourselves. Well, anything to keep cool during summer, no? Place your sheets and pillows inside a plastic bag and then toss them in the fridge hours before bedtime. By the time you take them out, they will be crisp and cold and ready for the bed. Naturally, your body temperature will heat them up in hours, but it will be enough to get you to phase two of your sleeping cycle.
- That Hot Water Bottle
Winters will have you buying hot water bottles to keep you warm, but the same can be your bestie for this summertime. Instead of filling it with hot water, add plenty of cold water and then leave it in the freezer to cool for as long as you will need. It will give you something cool to hug and cuddle all night.
- Cold Feet is Good Feet
You know how you can hardly sleep with cold feet? Well, know thy cooling points first. The neck and wrists are pulse points, just the same way as your toes. How does this information help you? Cooling your pulse points can help cool the rest of your body. Dipping your wrists and feet in cold water will help cool you down.
- Leave The Curtains Open
The heat of summer invites critters to the backyard, but that is why you have curtains to prevent them from getting into the house. You want the room to air out, and the best way to do that is to let nature work her magic. Open the windows to allow cool air in at night, but keep the blinds on during the day to keep out the heat from the sun.
- Keep A Cool Face
Many people have admitted to sleeping in wet t-shirts. Well, that may sound extreme, but then again extreme heat can drive you to the wall. You can drape a cold face cloth on your forehead or entire face, and you will (almost instantly) feel the effect all over your body. You can also fill a spray bottle with water and bring it to bed, where you spray a bit on yourself whenever it gets too hot.
- Reduce Heat From The Boiler
Your household will need hot water running all day, and so naturally you will have the boiler running. You may want to reduce the times it is on to prevent the heat buildup. You see, heat will radiate from the boiler upstairs and it will fill up the house. If you can keep it on during the day and off at night, you will notice positive changes.
Besides, you may want to unplug all appliances from the power source at night, except the fridge. The seemingly little heat these appliances emit becomes too much when combined.
- Wet Curtain, Anyone?
Do you know that you can cool the entire house by hanging a wet sheet on the window? Now you know. As the limited breeze hits the curtain, it will sweep a nice cool effect into the house, and the results could last the entire night.
- Backyard Camping
Even if you hate being out in the wild at night, you will like the idea of camping on your backyard. Set camp outside and let the wind blow your mind into la la land. If you are lucky, you could spot a few falling stars, or constellations.
- Grains For The Win
You have some rice in the house, no? Well, these yum grains are not only for nourishment, but these staples can come to your aid during a heat wave. Fill up a sock with some rice, tie it up and leave it in the fridge for hours. Press it on your face or body until you catch a wink. Yu can use it in place of a hot water bottle, as it stays cool for approximately 30 minutes.
- Fire Up The Fan
As much as we try to keep it old school, a good ol’ fan will work wonders when it gets too hot. Turn it on and let it bring some needed breeze into the room as you sleep. If the noise bothers you, you could leave it on for hours before bedtime and then turn it off when you start feeling drowsy.
- We are Moving (Temporarily)
The higher up you are in the house, the hotter it gets. If your room is too hot and all the methods of cooling have failed, you can move temporarily to the coolest part of the house. Even better is the fact that you can place the bed on the tiled floor for more cooling effect.
Chin Up, It Won’t Last!
Naturally, most people get grumpy when the summer heat sets in, but think about all the fun you can have during the day. Barbecues will be the order of most evenings and don’t get me started on summer clothing. Chin up and enjoy the season while it lasts.