Have you been feeling the sting of poor sleep quality this summer? Sleep experts are always quick to point out that bedrooms should be a cool, dark and quiet for sleep, but as the outside temperatures rises, it can be hard to come up with ways to maintain your ideal temperature.
Try these tips shared by Be Brain Fit for cheaper ways to enjoy cooler sleep each night:
- Lay low: Since heat rises, you may want to move to a downstairs bedroom in the summer months to help keep you cool. However, if that isn’t an option you may find comfort in sleeping on the floor as it can be a fewer degrees cooler than your bed.
- Take a warm bath or shower: Enjoy this soothing ritual at least an hour before bed to enjoy deeper sleep as your body cools down. Taking a cool shower or bath can increase your body temperature as your body works to counteract the cold.
- Bring in a fan: Invest in small fan for your bedside table if your partner gets cold easily.
- Cool down the old-fashioned way: Place frozen water bottles, ice packs or pans full of ice in front of a fan so you can enjoy a cooler breeze throughout the night.
- Keep a damp washcloth nearby: Dampen your face, neck, and/or wrists before falling sleep and after nighttime awakenings due to the heat in your bedroom. You can also try products on the market that retain water while remaining dry to the touch.
- Get hydrated: Remember to drink enough water throughout the day to keep healthy, and try keeping cold ice water by your bed at night. Even just a sip can be enough to bring you some much needed relief.
We also found a great bonus tip suggested by Life Hacker! Have you heard of the “Egyptian Method?”
- Here’s what you should try: Wet a bath towel large enough to cover you, or the sheet or blanket you use at night with cold water. Wring out the water by hand or place it in the washing machine on the spin cycle until the material is damp, but not dripping wet. Using the damp material as your blanket may help beat the heat.
Other great tips include:
- Flip over your pillow as needed to keep sleeping on the cool side.
- Avoid caffeine after 2 pm and late dinners.
- Lightly spray your top sheet with water, then place it inside of a plastic bag and stick it in the freezer about an hour before your bedtime.
Science tells us that adults enjoy a higher quality of life with better health, more happiness and higher productivity by sleeping 7-9 hours each night, including weekends. How have you been keeping cool for sleep this summer?
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