A hot water bottle may be the last thing you are thinking of in this hot weather but filled with cold water and ice it can cool your bed down before you go to bed helping you get a good night’s sleep.
Other good ideas include . . . .
Choose Cotton Sheets
Light-coloured bed linens made of lightweight cotton are breathable and excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow in the bedroom.
Be creative
If you thought fans are just for blowing hot air around, think again! Point fans out the windows so they the hot air out and adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades run counter-clockwise, pulling hot air up and out instead of just twirling it around the room.
Sleep like an Egyptian
Nile-dwellers knew how to do it right. The so-called ”gyptian method” involves dampening a sheet or towel in cool water and using it as a blanket. We recommend laying the damp sheets on top of a dry towel to avoid soaking the mattress.
Get loose
Less is definitely more when it comes to summertime jammies. Pick a loose, soft cotton shirt and shorts or underwear. Going full nude is ultimately the best way to help keep cool, while others claim going au natural means sweat stays on the body instead of being absorbed by fabric.
Go old-school
Remember when refrigerators were iceboxes that contained actual blocks of ice? Us neither. This stay-cool trick is straight out of the icebox era, though. Make a DIY air conditioner by positioning a shallow pan or bowl (a roasting pan works nicely) full of ice in front of a fan. The breeze will pick up cold water from the ice’s surface as it melts, creating a cooling mist.
Create a cross-breeze
In this case, position a fan across from a window, so the wind from outside and the fan combine in a cooling cross-breeze.
Pamper your pulses
Need to cool down, stat? To chill out super-fast, apply ice packs or cold compresses to pulse points at the wrists, neck, elbows, groin, ankles, and behind the knees.
Be a lone wolf
Sorry lovebugs, but sleeping alone is way better than spooning for staying cool. Cuddling with a partner increases body heat, making the bed a sticky, sweaty pit of despair instead of a cool, calm oasis.
Fill up the tank
Get a leg up on hydration by drinking a glass of water before bed. Tossing and turning and sweating at night can result in dehydration, so get some H20 in the tank beforehand.
Cool off
A cold shower takes on a whole new meaning come summertime. Rinsing off under a stream of tepid H2O brings down the core body temperature and rinses off sweat (ick) so you can hit the hay feeling cool and clean.
Turn off the lights
This tip is pretty self-explanatory. Light bulbs (even environmentally-friendly ones) give off heat. Fortunately, summer means it stays light until eight or nine at night. Take advantage of natural light as much as possible, and keep rooms cool after dark by using lights minimally or not at all.
Hang out
Cool down a whole room by handing a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze blowing in will quickly bring down the room’s temperature.
Stay away from the stove
Summer is not the time to whip up a piping hot casserole or roast chicken. Instead, chow down on cool, room-temperature dishes to avoid generating any more heat in the house. If hot food is in order, fire up the grill instead of turning on the oven. And swap big meals for smaller, lighter dinners that are easier to metabolize. The body produces more heat after you chow down on a huge steak than a platter of fruits, veggies, and legumes.
Encourage cold feet
Those ten little piggies are pretty sensitive to temperature because there are lots of pulse points in the feet and ankles. Cool down the whole body by dunking feet in cold water before hitting the hay. Better yet, keep a bucket of water near the bed and dip feet whenever you’re feeling hot throughout the night.
Unplug at night
As in, literally disconnect electronics. Gadgets and other small appliances give off heat, even when turned off. Reduce total heat in the house (and save energy!) by keeping plugs out of sockets when the appliances are not in use.
Hog the bed
Sleeping alone has its perks, including plenty of space to stretch out. Snoozing in a spread eagle position (i.e. with arms and legs not touching each other) is best for reducing body heat and letting air circulate around the body. Hit the hay in this sleep position to keep limbs from getting crazy sweaty.