Many of us struggle to get a good night’s sleep and the heat can so often be a common contributor to those restless nights, especially at this time of year. Research from leading bed manufacturer, Sealy UK, has revealed that 42% of us regularly wake up hot due to the muggy, oppressive heat. According to Sealy’s sleep expert, Neil Robinson, it doesn’t need to be like this, and there are ways to beat the heat. Here’s his top tips to sleeping like a baby, no matter how warm it is outside, including some advice from BCA Chiropractor, Tim Hutchful.
1. Cool your sheets
This may sound a little extreme, but throwing your bedding in the fridge/freezer for 10 minutes gives much needed relief to the heat. Just make sure your fridge is clean, bed sheets and butter don’t work! If you’re pushed for space, then just cool your pillow case.
2. Sleep solo
Unromantic, yes, but the heat doesn’t have mercy for anyone, loving couples included. If the heat is unbearable then spending the night in different beds can help you stay cool. According to our research, 36% of you already do this!
3. Create a fan ‘cross flow’
While this tip may seem elaborate, opening a window and positioning a fan alongside it can help create a cooling flow throughout the room. Marvel in your engineering triumph while falling asleep in cool bliss.
4. Dip your feet
This one is amazingly effective: position a bucket of cool water next to your bed, and dip your foot in it while you drift off. It can help cool down the rest of your body. Just don’t spill it!
5. A good old traditional cold shower
This one is simple, a cold shower will cool you down right before bed. If you’re a wimp, then go for luke warm water; it will still have a cooling affect.
6. Floor fan
An underrated investment for the summer months – a simple floor fan maintains a cool breeze in your bedroom. Make sure you buy well, however; quality fans will use minimal electricity and will operate almost silently.
7. Sheets not duvets
Get your head around duvet tog ratings. The higher the tog rating, the warmer a duvet is. 2.5 – 7 tog is ideal for spring and summer while 10.5 – 13.5 tog is ideal for autumn and winter.
8. ‘Cold press’ your pulse points
The pulse points on your body can cool the rest of you effectively. Place a cold flannel or ice cubes in a plastic bag on your wrists and neck and you’ll be surprised by the effectiveness. Just don’t let them melt in your bed!
9. Invest in a cooler mattress
For those stuck in permanent heat it makes sense to buy a cooler mattress. Sealy offer numerous models which use adaptive GELTEX® technology, keeping you cool and comfortable at all times.
10. Think cold thoughts
If none of these suggestions are providing any relief, then perhaps the heat is getting to you psychologically. Don’t stress, chill out. Think of a cool spring, a glacier, an ice cream. Who knows, it just might work.
11. No alcohol
Dehydrating yourself before sleep on a hot night isn’t the best decision, obviously. Stay away from the drink to heighten your chances of sleep during a heat wave.
By following these simple tips we can remain cool and calm and ensure that we adopt a suitable sleeping position that creates less physical stress on the back. For example, lie on your side with a small pillow between your knees as this can keep your spine in a more neutral position
Tim Hutchful, BCA Chiropractor added, “Over a third of the people we surveyed stated that sleeping contributed to their back pain and, although moving around can be good for our back health, there is a danger that, when we get hot and bothered in the summer, we will twist our bodies into positions that aren’t good for our back or neck. If we do lose sleep, the ensuing tiredness can impact on our daily lives and making us more prone to slips and trips that can damage our backs and necks.”
For more information on Sealy and its range of cooling mattress technologies, visit www.sealy.co.uk
