Vacations, long sunny days, beach time, shorts, sandals, lemonade, and ice cream—it’s easy to love summer. However, sleeping hot and sweaty is one thing we’d all prefer to avoid. Let’s explore some practical tips to help you stay cool and how to sleep on a hot summer night.
How to Sleep on a Hot Summer Night: The Basics
When your body is exposed to temperatures above 85 ° Fahrenheit (above 30 ° Celsius) during the day that only cool slightly at night, you are exposed to heat stress. This is especially difficult and even dangerous for the elderly and those battling illness. Any kind of stress, including heat stress, disturbs your sleep.
Tossing and turning to find a cool spot on the sheets or kicking a leg out from under the covers are clear signs of disrupted sleep. Excessive movement interferes with the restorative deep sleep needed to wake up feeling well-rested and energized.
Here’s how you can get good sleep when it’s so hot.
Control the Bedroom Temperature for a Good Night’s Sleep
The first step to prevent sleeping hot and sweaty is to regulate the temperature in your bedroom. The body must first lower its temperature to initiate the physiological processes that lead to sleep. When the room temperature exceeds 80° or more, falling asleep becomes difficult. You might wake up repeatedly.
Block out as much of the summer sun as you can.
Keep the bedroom dark during the day using shutters, blinds, or curtains to block heat. This helps prevent the room from retaining the warmth you’ll feel at night. Ventilate the room early in the morning or after sunset. Wide-open windows during these times let in cooler air instead of trapping unwanted heat.
Air Conditioners and Fans: Friends or Foes?
Air conditioners and fans can be helpful. However, they can cause problems for some people, too. For example, sensitive sleepers find the sound to disturb their ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Although meant to cool the room, they can sometimes make you feel too cold and may even contribute to catching colds. Additionally, keeping the bedroom free from electronics is always a good idea.
Hot nights and waking up sweaty call for some extra cooling strategies. Since a partner in the household can be sensitive to sound, the air conditioner is used to cool the bedroom before bedtime and then turned off before falling asleep. This approach allows for restful sleep. Waking up earlier can happen as the morning sun warms the world—and the bedroom. It’s a natural way to let the sun serve as an alarm clock!
Warm Showers: Surprising Sleep Boosters
After a hot, sweaty day, you want to take a refreshing cold shower before bed, right? That may be what you want to do, but not what you should do. Why?
Cool water stimulates your circulation, increasing alertness. The heightened state can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.
Second, the blood vessels contract after a cold shower. This makes it harder for the body to release heat. This can result in unwanted sweating later in bed, which you may have already experienced.
Opt for a warm shower or a nice bath with soothing essential oils like lavender or bergamot.
A study from the University of Texas found that water temperatures between 104°F and 108.5°F (40°C to 42.5°C) can enhance the body’s natural cooling process. It can lead to better sleep quality and duration.
Timing is equally important. Taking a warm shower or bath one to two hours before bedtime allows enough time for the cooling effect to kick in. Doing so helps you sleep more comfortably in the summer heat.
Taking a sauna or enjoying a steam session an hour or two before bedtime is an excellent way to prepare for restful summer sleep. Having the luxury of access can significantly enhance your ability to relax and cool down for the night.
Stay Hydrated for Cooler Sleep
Temperature is just one factor that affects our sleep. Especially during hot summer days, we may not drink enough water to compensate for sweating more. It may be surprising to learn that when you are dehydrated, the urge to pee at night increases.
Perhaps you’ve never thought that daytime hydration is a good way to sleep cooler. For this reason, grab a glass of water right now! It will help give you one less reason to wake up so you can sleep better.
Choose the Right Bedding for Hot Nights
SAMINA Sleep is in the business of promoting healthy sleep and wants to emphasize its importance. Choosing the right bedding for summertime can significantly improve how well you sleep. Materials that absorb and neutralize excess sweating at night are key.
Consider organic cotton for summer bedding. Don’t overlook the cozy wool you use in winter. It’s surprisingly ideal for summer too! Natural sheep’s wool helps create a warm yet dry sleeping environment. Some of its key benefits include:
- Naturally helps control humidity
- Self-cleans with bio-active fibers that wick but don’t absorb moisture
- Helps your muscles and body relax
- Minimizes the conditions for mold to grow
- Anti-bacterial materials (natural ones are safer and nontoxic)
- Breathable and light
- Supremely comfortable
Sheep’s wool is the best natural air conditioning in your bed for a cooling effect on a warm night.
SAMINA Sleep specializes in healthy sleep solutions crafted from sustainably sourced organic materials. Our bedding helps regulate body temperature and keeps you cool all night. Every product promotes more restorative sleep, from our handcrafted mattresses to breathable duvets.
If you’re struggling with how to sleep on a hot summer night, our products can help you create the perfect environment for better rest. Visit our Pasadena Sleep Store or explore our worldwide shipping options to find your perfect summer sleep solution.
Explore our article for more tips: Sleep Cool When It’s Hot.