Is it possible to get a good night’s sleep when it’s hot? We are all familiar with the feeling of tiredness and lethargy following a poor night’s sleep in the summer, so how can we sleep better when the temperature soars?

The heat affects our sleep; and there are a few reasons for this. Being too hot is uncomfortable for us, and being hot and sweaty at bedtime can make it hard to relax, and to fall asleep. We can also find out that our usual bedtime set up - our thick duvet sets and pyjamas are unsuitable for such weather.

Did you know that our body temperature is linked to sleep regulation? Our core body temperature goes up and down throughout the day in a predictable way, and how sleepy we feel during the day is linked to this. Our body temperature tends to cool down and make us feel tired before we go to sleep, so when we’re too hot at night, this is all thrown out of balance.

An ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18℃, according to the Sleep Charity, but UK homes are not routinely equipped with air conditioning, so when the outside temperature is hitting the 30℃ mark, it’s likely that our homes are sweltering too. So what can we do to stay cool and sleep better?

1. Stick to your usual routine
   The heat can make us feel tired during the day because we are using more energy to regulate our temperature and keep cool. However, sticking to your usual bedtime routine can help you sleep at night. If you nap during the day, you may be less likely to sleep at night because you are less tired.
   

2. Keep your bedroom as cool as possible
   Professor Kevin Lomas, a professor of building simulation at the University of Loughborough who has studied overheating properties, explains that when it comes to keeping your room cool, timing is important:
   

Therefore, it can help to keep curtains and blinds shut during the day.

3. Use an electric fan
Air conditioning is not available to many of us, but an electric fan can do a decent job to help air circulate in your bedroom. A fan helps to encourage sweat evaporating, which makes it easier for our bodies to regulate our internal temperature. Putting a tray of a ice and some water in front of the fan can help to cool the air even more.

4. Use a cold water botte
Filling a hot water bottle with ice cold water and putting it by your feet can help to keep you cool.

5. Change your bedding
Try swapping your usual duvet for a thinner cover. Natural fibres such as cotton and linen are more breathable at night. You may feel too hot to put a cover over you when you go to bed, but once your body temperature drops you may feel cold, so it can be handy to have a thin cover to hand.

6. Drink enough water during the day
Drinking lots of water during the day when it is hot replaces what is lost through peeing and sweating, this avoids dehydration. The guidelines say to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day, but you will need to drink more than this when it’s hot as you will likely sweat more than usual.