You don’t need us to tell you, but it’s getting hot in here. Very, very hot, in fact. And if you’re finding that your sleep is suffering as a result of said heat, then fear not—we might be in the midst of a heatwave, but there are ways to make your chance of deep sleep more likely amid the stickiness of summer.
Body temperature plays a crucial role in regulating sleep cycles, with the body cooling during non-REM sleep and warming up during REM sleep, so maintaining an optimal sleeping temperature—experts have placed 65–67 degrees Fahrenheit as the sweet spot—can help facilitate these natural fluctuations.
Now that temperatures have soared, whether you’re a laissez-faire late-night snoozer or a regimented sleep hygiene evangelist, here are five hacks that you can weave into your own routine to aid your sleep during the current heatwave (you can thank us later).
How to Sleep During a Heatwave
Take a Warm Bath or Shower
It might seem antithetical, but when a heatwave takes hold, one of the best things you can do before bed is to have a warm bath or shower an hour or two before the lights go out to promote cooling.
Drinking a hot drink before bed is also a proven way to biohack your body into thinking it's cooler than it is, as it lowers the amount of heat stored inside your body. The premise is that the moment a hot liquid makes contact with the body’s temperature receptors, the brain tells the body to produce more sweat.
This sweat then cools on the surface of the skin, reducing the sensation of being too warm and ultimately, making us feel cooler (yes, really).
Ice Up Your Fan
For those still debating the virtues of investing in a fan, now’s your time. But it’s no longer enough to just invest in a fan—there are ways to soak up the cooling experience offered by our faithful friends.
One heatwave-proof tip you may want to employ is that one where you place a bowl with ice cubes in front of your fan for extra cooling moisture (the idea being that the ice cubes melt before the fan circulates air, creating a fine, cooling mist).
Freeze Your Hot Water Bottle or Pillow
If the key to staying cool at night is regulating your body’s temperature, then many have posited that filling a hot water bottle and freezing it is a means of cooling yourself down. Once the water in the bottle is frozen, simply wrap it in a towel or cloth and sleep with it touching your body, so that it can cool your body temperature.
If you don’t have a hot water bottle, try freezing a pillow and allow that method to work its magic.
Upgrade Your Summer Bedding
Investing in summer bedding for hotter weather is one of the best investments you can make. Opt for linen, bamboo, or cotton sheets, all of which contain natural fibers that will enable your skin to breathe properly throughout the night.
Close the Curtains
To keep direct sunlight out of your home—and in turn, minimizing the amount of heat that enters your space—keep your curtains closed from the morning to the evening throughout the period of warmer weather to ensure that sunlight is prevented from unnecessarily heating up your home.
