Sleep Cool As Temperatures Rise
May 15, 2018
Warm summer nights are great for outdoor gatherings but not so great for restful sleep. As the temperature starts to rise, it may be tempting to lower the thermostat to achieve the optimal room temperature (between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit) for sleep. And while the short-term benefit is worth the good night’s sleep, the long-term cost may not feel so worth it when you get your electric bill. So how else can you keep your bedroom (and self) cool this summer?
Instead of cranking the air conditioner, opt for a fan. A ceiling fan, box fan, stand fan, etc., can help create a cross breeze or even help suck the hot air out of the room or move it toward the ceiling. Also, the white noise from the fan can help lull you to sleep.
Choose cotton sheets instead of silk, satin, flannel, or jersey material. The lightweight material promotes ventilation and airflow in the bedroom. Better yet, choose light-colored sheets that won’t hold in heat.
Close the blinds and curtains to help lower the temperature of a room. The curtains don’t have to be blackout curtains, just something another barrier between the window and the room to help keep out sunlight and heat. Doing this during the day, especially if your bedroom receives the afternoon sun, provides even better results than just closing them at night.
Keep the lights off. This one may sound like a no-brainer for sleeping. But even keeping the lights off during the day, especially if you use incandescent bulbs, will keep the temperature in your bedroom consistently lower, which will help these other techniques work better.
Staying hydrated is also key to keeping your cool. Tossing and turning throughout the night can actually lead to dehydration. Eight ounces is all you need, though, to not lead to other reasons that you’re waking up throughout the night.
Your mattress can also help you stay cool throughout the night. Selecting a mattress that is made with cooling technology will help bring down your body temperature to better prepare you for sleep. If you sleep hot as I do, this is a great feature all year round. If you’re not a hot sleeper, cooling materials won’t make you uncomfortably cold; they are made to create a cooler sleeping surface, but not be an air conditioner.
