How to sleep easy in a heat wave

Credit: PA

Research from Cumbrian bed manufacturer Sealy, has revealed that 42% of us regularly wake up hot due to the muggy, oppressive heat.

And with warmer weather around the corner for the Border region, that isn't good news.

But according to Sealy’s sleep expert, Neil Robinson, it doesn’t need to be like this, and there are ways to beat the heat.

Here’s his top tips to sleeping easy in the warmer weather:

  • Cool your sheets - throwing your bedding in the fridge/freezer for 10 minutes gives much needed relief to the heat. Just make sure your fridge is clean - bed sheets and butter don’t work! If you’re pushed for space, then just cool your pillow case.

  • Sleep solo - If the heat is unbearable then spending the night in a bed on your own can help you stay cool. According to research, 36% of people already do this.

  • Create a fan 'cross flow' - opening a window and positioning a fan alongside it can help create a cooling flow throughout the room.

  • Dip your feet - position a bucket of cool water next to your bed, and dip your foot in it while you drift off. It can help cool down the rest of your body.

  • A good old traditional cold shower - A cold shower will cool you down right before bed. If you're a bit of a wimp, then go for lukewarm water; it will still have a cooling affect.

  • Floor fan - A simple floor fan maintains a cool breeze in your bedroom. Make sure you buy well, however; quality fans will use minimal electricity and will operate almost silently.

  • Sheets not duvets - Get your head around duvet tog ratings. The higher the tog rating, the warmer a duvet is. 2.5 – 7 tog is ideal for spring and summer while 10.5 – 13.5 tog is ideal for autumn and winter.

  • Cold press your pulse points - the pulse points on your body can cool the rest of you effectively. Place a cold flannel or ice cubes in a plastic bag on your wrists and neck and you’ll be surprised by the effectiveness.

  • Invest in a cooler mattress - For those stuck in permanent heat it makes sense to buy a cooler mattress.

  • Think cold thoughts - if none of these suggestions are providing any relief, then perhaps the heat is getting to you psychologically. Don’t stress, chill out. Think of a cool spring, a glacier, an ice cream. Who knows, it just might work.

  • No alcohol - dehydrating yourself before sleep on a hot night isn’t the best decision, obviously. Stay away from the drink to heighten your chances of sleep during a heat wave.