As we leave winter behind us and the temperatures (hopefully!) start to rise, some of us can be found wide awake at night, searching for a cold flannel, or digging that old fan out of the loft.
Getting a good night’s sleep in hot weather shouldn’t be a mystery, though, so we’ve put together this guide to help you beat the heat en route to sweet dreams.
1. Don’t nap during the day!
It’s easy to feel more tired than usual when the weather gets warm, which can leave you feeling like a nap is required.
Don’t give in to temptation. Your body’s natural clock will make you tired around your usual bedtime and, if you nap, that’ll be thrown off.
2. Stick to your routine
Hot weather can make us lazy and stop us from sticking to what we need to do – don’t let this happen. You’ll regret it late.
Keep to your usual routines, so if you’re planning on going out to see friends or take the kids to the park, do it anyway.
If you start change your plans for one thing, it’s easy for you to change your plans for another thing… and another and then another, leaving you totally out of sync and behind where you’d be normally.
3. Keep your house cool during the day
During the day, keep curtains / blinds closed to stop the sun and heat from getting in and warming up the house.
Keep windows in the sun closed, so that the heat has less chance of getting in. Plus, if you’ve got a fan, put it somewhere where the air can circulate.
4. Use thinner sheets
Thick duvets will be no help when the temperature is warm.
If you’ve got covers handy, or maybe just sheets on their own, try sleeping under these instead of a duvet.
5. Keep topped up
Hydration is key no matter the weather, but it’s even more important to take on fluids during hot weather. Drink enough water that your body will be cool.
With that said though, be wary of soft drinks. They usually contain caffeine, which wakes you up.
That’s obviously the last thing you want when you try and fall asleep in hot weather, and the same goes for alcohol. So avoid those before bed!
