The heat of the summer is upon us. The temperature is rising. Some would say, too hot. It’s all fun and games while you’re swimming in the pool and sipping on your favorite drink soaking up the sun, but then evening falls. A hot bedroom can leave you uncomfortable, disrupting the quality of your sleep, causing you to wake up feeling hot, tired and grouchy.The heat of the summer is upon us. The temperature is rising. Some would say, too hot. It’s all fun and games while you’re swimming in the pool and sipping on your favorite drink soaking up the sun, but then evening falls. A hot bedroom can leave you uncomfortable, disrupting the quality of your sleep, causing you to wake up feeling hot, tired and grouchy.
While it may be unbearably hot this summer, don’t let the heat interrupt your rest. We have put together 10 Summer sleeping tips to help you rest a little cooler.
- Portable AC Unit or Fans. If your home doesn’t have central air conditional, consider purchasing a portable AC or a fan for your room.
- Close the Blinds and Curtains. To reduce the heat penetration during the day, close all blinds and curtains to keep the sunlight out of your home.
- Open the Windows. If it cools down at night, open your windows and allow the air to circulate. Moving air throughout the night can make the temperature feel less hot.
- Put Your Sheets in the Fridge. Sounds silly but it’s an effort well spent. Bagging up a sheet and bundling it into the fridge or freezer in a plastic bag can help you stay cool for the first five to ten minutes of cooling down in your bed.
- Cover Yourself in Aloe Vera. Known for its cooling properties, aloe vera leaves your body feeling super soft yet refreshed. Keep a bottle in the fridge and slather yourself before bed to cool off and hydrate your skin.
- Keep a Spritzer Bottle with Chilled Water by Your Bedside. Not rocket science but a simple trick to cool down if you’re feeling the summer heat in bed. Spray yourself and cool down whenever you need.
- Eat Small Light Meals Before Bed. Heavy foods such as protein and fats boost your metabolic rate and heat your body up.
- Eat Spicy Foods. This sounds counter intuitive but will surprise you. Capsaicin, the chemical found in spicy food, stimulates heat receptors in your mouth, increasing circulation and causing sweating, which cools your body down. If you’d like to each anything spicy, opt for a few hours before bed.
- Turn Off Electrical Devices. Many electrical devices produce more heat than you would think. To reduce additional heat production, keep everything turned off. This includes computers, televisions and laptops.
- Chill Your Foot. Your feet have many blood vessels and it can help your entire body cool down if you create an ice pack for your feet.
- Sleep Downstairs. Heat rises which means the lower elevations in your home will be cooler. So, if you’ve got a downstairs room, try sleeping there.
- Invest in Cooling Pillows. Cooling pillows contain a layer of gel the help reduce body heat keeping your head cool throughout the night.
- Keep Your Head Cool. If cooling pillows aren’t an option, keep your head cool by lying still. The more frustrated and restless you are, the more your body generates heat.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’re in heat of the summer and struggling with sleep, these 12 Summer sleeping tips are quick ways to help you cool off. But if you’re sleep quality continues to be a problem, see a specialist for diagnosis and treatment options. Testing can give you precise information about what the underlying cause is and help you and your physician develop a treatment plan to manage or even get rid of your symptoms.
To get you started, discuss and review your treatment options in order find the perfect option for you. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Shukla today, for treatment options.
