It is already starting to warm up. Do you find yourself sweating, tossing the blankets off and having a hard time getting sleep in the summer? We are passionate about sleep and helping you get the best rest ever even when the nights are sticky and hot.
What happens to your body temperature when you sleep?
The temperature of your room and your body have a significant impact on your sleep, so getting these 2 things right is worth the effort to sleep in the summer.
During sleep, you go through multiple stages. The first stage is where you drift from consciousness into light sleep. Then over the following stages, your body’s core temperature generally needs to drop by about two to three degrees2 before you can reach the state of deep sleep. If your core temperature is too high, however, it’s hard for your brain to tell if you’re awake or asleep, which may directly affect the quality of your sleep.
The temperature of your room can also affect your core temperature. In general, around 16 to 18 degrees Celsius is the ideal room temperature for sleeping. Why? Because, this range is what best suits your core during the middle of the night.
A lower temperature also promotes more restful sleep by ensuring that your body doesn’t warm up too early in the morning helping you to transition gently out of the deep sleep stage.
Essentially, this means that a bedroom that’s cool offers you far better conditions to get the best rest each night.1
Tips for Better Sleep in The Summer
- Blind the sun. Opt for blackout curtains on all your bedroom windows (no more annoying sunlight at 5 a.m., plus your room will stay cooler day and night.)
- Take a cold shower before bed. Help yourself out by taking a quick, cool shower before bedtime. Plus, it’ll help you relax too.
- Chill out your bedroom. Try to keep your bedroom at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a rotating fan to circulate the air in your bedroom. Also, consider investing in cooling bedroom products, such as pillows, sheets and even mattresses.
- Pack on the ice. Keep a glass or water bottle filled with icy cool water next to your bed. Drink a little cold water before bed to lower your internal body temp.
- Go spread eagle. Your sleep position may be making you warmer. Always sleep curled up in a ball? Maybe it’s time to try sleeping with your arms and legs spread out, which helps release your body heat, instead of retaining it.
- Sleep solo. Nothing personal, but your partner may be adding to the higher bedroom temps too.
- Get naked. Your pajamas may be trapping heat close to your body making it harder to sleep. Look for pajamas in light, breathable fabrics. Or nix the PJs altogether.
- Have a warm shower before bed. If you’re feeling hot before heading to bed, have a warm shower. Why not have a cold one? Because your body will hijack your efforts by quickly decreasing blood flow to your skin. A few minutes later when the blood flow starts up again, you’ll feel hot again. A warm shower will increase blood flow to your skin and increase heat loss from your body. Then you can slip between the sheets feeling clean and comfortable.
- Less light, more darkness. All light bulbs give off heat which you don’t want when trying to get a good night’s sleep. It stays lighter much later during summer, so take advantage and try to keep light usage to a minimum. Not only does this keep your room cooler, it’s easier to get to sleep if you reduce the lighting level for a while before bed.
- Use a breathable bed linen like 100% bamboo. Lightweight, good quality bed linen is breathable which means that it won’t trap your body heat. The less heat that gets trapped beneath your sheets, the easier it is to feel cool and comfortable as you drift off to sleep. So save the polyester, silk and satin sheets for colder nights or special occasions. Try bamboo fibers instead!
Good Sleep in the Summer is a few easy, practical steps away!