How do you beat the heat and sleep comfortably when the mercury rises during summer? Getting good sleep and ensuring a long restorative night in bed is harder when it's so warm. Here are five ways to set yourself up for better sleep during summer.
Sheets and pillows
What you sleep on is definitely going to affect your body temperature in bed. Ditch the flannel sheets and go for something lightweight, lighter coloured and breathable. Fabrics like cotton or linen are great, and using the natural fibre TENCEL gives you a cooler feeling when you slip between the sheets.
We also recommend you choose a cooling gel pillow with a naturally moisture wicking cover that will help you from overheating as you sleep.
Cool your jets
Unless you have air-conditioning, your next best choice for creating constant airflow while you are in bed is a fan. However, this can sometimes feel like you are just circulating hot air around the room and doesn't help summer sleeping at all.
The tip here is not to position the fan at your bed, but rather towards an open window so it blows the hot air out. If it's safe, open a window on the cooler side of your home or bedroom to pull the cool air inside. Or you could make your own DIY air conditioning unit: use a fan and a bowl of ice. Place the bowl in front of the fan and as the ice melts, a cool mist is blown across you for cooling comfort.
Is your bed the problem?
Firstly, are you sharing a queen size bed with your significant other? Queen size mattresses are the most common, but only give you 153cm of mattress to sleep on. However, the extra body heat radiating from your partner can turn a warm night into a sweaty mess.
We are not suggesting you head for the spare room or move into your own single beds but maybe it's time to upsize your mattress and give yourself some space on those warm nights. And if you need to upgrade we recommend you buy a bed with temperature regulating technology like KülKōte.
Shower before bed
On a warm summer night, an icy shower probably sounds alluring: but it may not help you get to sleep. Stepping into a cold shower will reduce your core body temperature faster, but then it puts your body into a state of alert. Your body tries to warm itself up after the shower as quickly as possible, which then raises your heart rate, increases your metabolism, boosts energy and elevates your mental alertness. Not a great state to be in for bedtime.
So the recommendation is to take a just-warm shower – it strikes a perfect equilibrium of cooling you slightly without overstimulating your circulation. You could also try soaking your feet before you go to sleep. There are lots of pulse points on your feet and ankles, so leaving them in cold water for a few minutes will cool them down and have a similar effect to a lukewarm shower.
Sleep naked
Sleeping in your birthday suit doesn't actually cool you down at night. That's because you sweat when you sleep and if you're naked the sweat just remains on your skin. So it's generally recommended you sleep in light clothes, especially those made of naturally breathable and moisture-wicking fibres like cotton, linen or light merino.
Managing your sleep environment during the warmer months comes down to making small, smart adjustments. By combining breathable bedding, proper room airflow, and temperature-regulating mattress tech, you can keep night sweats at bay and enjoy more comfortable sleep all summer long. And if you suspect your current bed is trapping heat, explore our range of Sleepyhead beds featuring KülKōte temperature regulation technology.