The sun is here and we’re all enjoying the warmer weather – parks are full of people grabbing some lunchtime sunshine and kids playing whilst off school, beaches are busy and everyone in scrambling to get to the nearest ice cream van.
We all love the sunnier weather, however, very few of us enjoy the humidity and sleepless nights that come with it. We all know then a lack of sleep affects everything in our daily lives from our concentrations levels to hinder our weight loss goals.
Here are some quick (and cheap) tips to help you get a better sleep in the heat.
Cool sheets.
Opt for cotton bed linen – it is breathable excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow.
Also, try putting your cotton sheets in a plastic bag and putting them in the freezer for 10mins to pre-cool them before clambering into bed.
Not so hot botty.
Buy a hot water bottle. When it’s a hot night, fill it with cold water and stick it in the freezer to create a bed-friendly ice pack.
Bedtime pre-cooling.
So you have cooled your sheets and have a bedtime ice pack ready; all you now need to do is cool yourself down. To cool down quickly apply ice packs / cold compresses / bag of frozen peas to pulse points (wrists, neck, elbows, groin, ankles, and behind the knees).
You can also try having a cold shower before bedtime to remove any excess sweat and cool down you core temperature.
Air con
If you don’t have aircon at home then create a cross breeze in the bedroom by placing a fan across from an open window. Set up multiple fans to create more airflow.
Aircon Tip
Place a shallow pan filled with ice in front of a fan. The fan breeze will pick up cold water from the ice’s surface as it melts, creating a cooling mist.
Stop cooking.
One of my favourites here – keep away from the oven! Casseroles, pies & roast dinners are for colder months. Opt for cold dishes to avoid generating excess heat around the home.
If you have to have hot foods, then wheel out the BBQ and get grilling – at least you can enjoy the sunshine outside as well.
Keep hydrated.
You should do this at all times but especially in hot humid weather. Drink a large glass of water before bed. Moving about and sweating at night will lead to dehydration, so get hydrated before bedtime. Keep a glass of water by your bed to drink if you wake up in the night or have first thing in the morning.
Turn off the lights.
This actually applies to any electrical appliance around the home. Light bulbs and electrical appliances generate heat so keep the lights off and unplug all gadgets and appliances when not in use.