Is your relationship with sleep feeling the heat this summer? Do you find yourself waking up sweaty and frustrated in the middle of the night? You’re not alone. Many people suffer from heat-induced insomnia. The good news is, if you’re a hot sleeper, we’ve got you covered with seven bed-cooling tips that’ll help you get the sleep of your daydreams without sending your A/C bill through the roof.
How to Cool Your Bed
1. Choose Cotton
Polyester, satin, and microfiber sheets are great for cuddling when it’s cold outside, but they retain your body heat all too well in the warmer months. When summer rolls around, consider switching over to cotton sheets. They’re breathable and wick sweat away from your skin—helping you stay dry and cool. If you’re open to a “rougher” texture, consider cotton-based linen sheets which are even more breathable than high-thread-count cotton ones.
2. Do Chores Strategically
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal sleep temperature is “somewhere around 65 degrees.” Running certain appliances can make your room’s conditions less than ideal by heating up the entire space, particularly if you live in a small apartment.
The stovetop, oven, and dryer are notorious for their ability to raise the temperature around them. Accordingly, try and refrain from baking before bed or letting your laundry dry overnight—it may be convenient, but is it worth losing sleep over? That’s a question only you can answer. Instead, take advantage of the sunny season to hang dry clothes and have an outdoor cookout. It’ll be a lot cooler if you do. And for those of you who need a late night snack fix, try these tasty no-bake dessert recipes.
3. Forget the Memory Foam
Memory foam is said to relieve pressure points and soreness by cradling your body’s natural curvature. According to Tuck.com, because of their curve-hugging design, memory foam mattresses may retain heat and impede your ability to regulate your body temperature.
If the heat from your memory foam mattress has you tossing and turning every night, consider switching to a pillow top or innerspring alternative. You can even test out your next bed by renting a quality mattress from CORT for six months or so. And if upgrading to a new or rented bed is not in the cards right now, consider a cooling mattress pad or gel topper.
4. Cool Like an Egyptian
According to HowStuffWorks, people in ancient Egypt would hang wet linens over their door and window frames so that the humidity would cool down the incoming breeze. Egyptian royalty took things one step further, having servants fan them across jugs of water.
Today, that ancient technique is known as evaporative cooling, and you can take it to the next level using a box fan and a bowl of water! Place the bowl of cold water in front of a box or tower fan that’s facing your bed. Then, turn on the fan and let evaporation turn warm air into a cool, misty breeze. Make sure to dump the sitting water out and keep the fan clean to steer clear of allergens like dust and mildew.
How to Cool Your Body
1. Wear Lightweight PJs
Sure, sleeping au naturale sounds great in theory, but in practice, waking up to find one of your thighs stuck to the other is more than a bit unpleasant. To avoid getting caught in a sticky situation, invest in loose-fitting, lightweight pajamas. If you can’t afford to shell out big bucks for sweat-wicking pants, don’t worry—just look at an item’s tag to figure out what it’s made of. You’ll want to buy comfy sleepwear that has a high ratio of cotton, rayon, or linen, and avoid wearing polyester, flannel, or silk PJs during hot summer nights.
2. Take a Warm Shower
Taking a bath before bed can help put your mind and muscles at ease. While an icy shower may seem like a good idea, it’ll make your nervous system work harder to raise body temperature back up—defeating the sleep-inducing bath’s purpose. On the other hand, once you step out of a lukewarm shower, your body will begin to cool itself down—priming you for a chill night of beauty rest.
3. Ice Your Pulse Points
You can lower your body temperature by cooling down your blood. Doing so is easy and can be done almost anywhere—not just while tossing and turning on a hot summer night! Take an ice cube, cold pack, or chilled can of sparkling water and press it against one of your pulse points—such as your wrist, neck, or the backs of your knees. Within a few minutes (or even seconds) you’ll feel yourself cooling down, whether you’re sweating in bed or at that next neighborhood cookout.
How to Deal With a Warm Apartment
Are you tired of doing the hokey-pokey to keep your feet cool at night? If these bed-cooling lifehacks aren’t cutting it, it may be time to consider cutting ties with your current apartment. Find a new apartment, one with great A/C and a roommate that doesn’t mess with the thermostat, on ApartmentSearch.com
