12 ways to help you sleep during a heatwave
Sweet dreams
It's gorgeous weather during the day, but at night it's a different story.
Sleeping during a heatwave without air conditioning or fans can be difficult, so here are some tips to help you have a good night's sleep tonight.
1. Cool your sheets While it would be great to put all of your bedding in the fridge or freezer before you go to bed, a cool over sheet or pillow cases will help. Stick them in a plastic bag and then in your fridge or freezer for around 10 minutes before you go to bed and it will cool you down.
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2. Sleep alone Even if you normally share your bed with your significant other, body heat can make a hot night even hotter. Maybe it's time for one of you to sleep in the spare room for the night.
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3. Tepid shower Don't be fooled into having a cold shower, a tepid shower is better at lowering your body temperature. If you have a cold shower your body can overcompensate and make you even hotter!
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4. Avoid alcohol Although it's very tempting to enjoy a cold alcoholic drink when it comes to bedtime you might regret it as alcohol dehydrates.
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5. DIY A/C When a simple fan isn't enough to cool you down try filling a pan or bowl with ice cubes and putting that in front of the fan. The fan's breeze will then create a cooling mist.
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6. Use sheets instead of a duvet Get rid of your winter duvet and maybe even your summer duvet, swapping it for a thin sheet to keep you cool.
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7. Cool your feet Dipping your feet in a bucket of cold water before you go to sleep can help cool down your body, but make sure you don't spill it or get water all over your bed!
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8. Windows and curtains Make sure you keep the windows and curtains closed during the day to keep the heat out and then open them when it's cooler. This will help circulate the cooler air.
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9. Drink plenty of water Aim to drink at least two litres of fluids a day if you can, stay away from caffeine and alcohol.
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10. Cool your pulse points Put a cold flannel on your wrist and neck to cool down your body.
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11. Cold water bottle We've all heard of a hot water bottle, why not do the same with cold water when it's hot weather. Alternatively you could use an icepack in towel.
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12. Fan cross flow If you have a fan or blow heater then put it on the cool setting and create a cross flow. Point it so that the warm air at the back is pushed out of an open window, that way it will keep your room cool.
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We hope these tips help you sleep tonight. Sweet dreams.