We’re in the dog days of summer. You A/C is probably running to its capacity and your significant other and you are having thermostat wars. Kids are leaving the door open and you’re watching dollar bills just blow away. And worst of all, you can’t sleep at night. You’re laying around, sweeting, staring up at the ceiling and wishing for those cold nights of winter. The last thing you think about is jump in the hot shower. What?? A hot shower! Yep….little did you know a hot shower or bath is a start to a good night of sleep during the summer.
There are so many sleep tips out there. Avoid screen time. No coffee after 2pm. No late night workouts. Aim for same bedtime each night. Avoid alcohol before bedtime. Sleep naked…yikes! Now it just got hot in here. So many tips and there is a great list of how to sleep better in the summer by our friend, The Sleep Doctor, Dr. Michael J. Breus
One tip to sleep better during the summer that we often forget about starts with getting HOT. Yep, jump in a hot shower or bath. Get it steamy. You might think a cold shower should be the way to go.
A cold shower to “cool down” might seem a good choice in that instance. We feel cooler because of the combination of the cold water and the decreased blood flow to the skin, but in fact our core temperature will increase because of reduced heat loss from the body without skin blood flow. Furthermore, the pores on your skin will close in response to the cold temperatures Some minutes later, we feel hotter than we may have before. In contrast, having a warm shower will create a warm sensation on your skin which will kick your heat loss responses into overdrive which will end up cooling your body in the long run.
Spherical Hysterical
90 minutes to two hours before bedtime, jump in a hot bath or shower for 20-30 minutes. Guaranteed your body will heat up and then cool down in the long run. What a great way to start the night out on a hot summer night. “If you raise your temperature a degree or two with a bath, the steeper drop at bedtime is more likely to put you in a deep sleep,” says in Health.com Joyce Walsleben, PhD, associate professor at New York University School of Medicine.
So you’re feeling hot. You house is heating up. Winter can’t come soon enough and you can’t sleep. Remember to to turn up the heat in the shower and bath and shower and get ready for a deep night of sleep.
Extra Credit: Don’t forget to get some breathable, cool sleeping 100% bamboo EverSheets launching in early August.