5 Tips On How To Stay Cool At Night This Summer
It’s getting late at night and you climb into bed to sleep. However, something doesn’t feel quite right. You toss and you turn; you try sleeping as you do normally, but somehow everything is too hot. What is the problem?
Bearassentials
Night sweats and hot flashes are more common than you think and can be especially difficult to sleep through in the summer months
Keeping your room cool by adjusting the temperature in the room and keeping it dark, as well as bedding and eating habits can play a role in staying cool at night
Bearaby’s very own cooling weighted blanket is made from the moisture-wicking and silky-soft TENCEL™ fabric that provides calming and cooling comfort, perfect for the summer and for anyone who tends to sleep warm!
Did you know?
The ideal sleep environment can differ among people, but it's usually around 60°F to 67°F, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Staying cool at night can be difficult for some people during the summer months, but it’s important. A good night of sleep means staying asleep through the night.
Removing any hindrances to poor sleep, including feeling too hot to sleep soundly through the night, is crucial. We outline below a few tips on how you can stay cool at night (and no, it’s not just about turning on the AC).
Adjusting to the weather
How do you cool down an overly warm room? Well, let’s start with the obvious: the weather. If you’re trying to sleep in the summer and if you live in a part of the world where the summer temperature rises to extreme levels, you’re almost certain to find it too hot to have a good night’s sleep.
Are you someone who is naturally sensitive to external temperatures? Think about it: do you find it too cold to sleep during winter? Does the soundness of your sleep fluctuate depending on the temperature on your thermostat? Finding it too cold to sleep during winter or during extreme dips in temperature is the opposite problem of feeling too hot to sleep, but they both point to the same issue — your body is naturally sensitive to the weather.
If so, try installing an air conditioner or a cooling fan. There are many different types of air conditioners and cooling fans out there, so you might need to do a bit of research to find one that is most suitable for your room size and your cooling needs. The constant flow of cold air can bring instant comfort and help you stay cool throughout the night.
Consider your bedding
Bedding makes such a difference for your sleep in summer. Choosing breathable and airy bedding is essential to help you cool down. Materials such as TENCEL™ Lyocell or linen are great options in the summer as they are materials that provide cooling comfort. Besides that they will wick moisture to help you keep cool.
Another possible option for cooling down at night is having a blanket that is appropriate for the weather. Most of the time a duvet just proves to be too thick for the summer months. A breathable blanket could be the solution for that.
Bearaby’s popular cooling weighted blanket, the Tree Napper, is made from natural eucalyptus fibers, known as TENCEL™ Lyocell, and provides that cool-to-the-touch feel. This might be just what you’re looking for in the summer as it helps you sleep better and feel calmer and cooler, naturally.
Our Tree Napper has been rated as one of the best cooling weighted blankets since the chunky-knit loops allow for air to flow through, which makes you feel less trapped in your body heat. The open-weave design is breathable, as a result, and distributes weight evenly across the body. The silky soft feel of the TENCEL™ fabric, combined with the open-knit design can be soothing on the skin and can help stave off night sweats.
Watch what you eat before bedtime
Another point that is often overlooked when we talk about a good night’s sleep is the type of food you eat just before bed. If you enjoy eating spicy or fried food just before sleeping, you might find yourself naturally feeling a little overheated.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying different kinds of food — after all, variety is the spice of life! However, if the food you eat makes you sweat, gives you a burning sensation, or causes indigestion, it may be the cause for you feeling too warm to fall asleep.
Food intake definitely plays a big role in helping you sleep better - we found that melatonin-containing foods, such as almonds, pistachios, kiwis, watermelon, strawberries, and cantaloupes are great additions to your dinner to improve your sleep habits. These hydrating foods might also help lower your body temperature for a good night of sleep. Besides, eating smaller amounts of food is a great way to help your body to digest it all before sleeping.
In general, it’s best to finish eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows you to digest the food before going to bed, so you can enjoy a full night of rest. This should also prevent you from feeling hungry. However,If you do end up feeling hungry, try drinking a glass of water to fill up the stomach.
Limit Alcohol And Drink More Water
Who doesn’t love winding down after a long day with a nice glass of wine? Well, it turns out that too much of that could be why you’re feeling warm at night. The reason for this is that the liver takes time to metabolize the alcohol and the body’s natural temperature regulators are affected. This might even cause hot flashes at night.
If you already drank that glass of wine before bed, then don’t sweat (hah!), there’s still hope! Sweating will, for obvious reasons, cause dehydration. Dehydration calls for a nice cold glass of water. Drinking water will help you cool down at night as well as dilute some of the wine you had. Win-win!
Try limiting the consumption of alcohol up to four hours before you go to sleep.
Cooling Down Hot Feet At Night
Some people find themselves with a strange phenomenon: hot feet. The exact sensation differs between individuals, but the general complaint is that the feet feel too warm for sleep. You might be asking yourself, “Why are my feet so hot at night compared to other parts of my body?”
Now, it is important to understand that if you persistently experience unusually hot sensations in your feet that it might be a medical condition requiring care. However, if you just feel that your warm feet are making it slightly uncomfortable for you to sleep, there are some easy solutions you can try.
So how do you cool down hot feet at night? If you have a hot water bottle that you use during the summer, try filling it with ice water instead and putting it on your feet. Similarly, you can place a cooling pillow near your feet to help your feet cool down. If you do not find this tactic working for you, you could leave your feet out of the cover to let them be cooled by the room temperature or by a fan nearby.
When reading through the reviews, some customers of ours have found that our cooling weighted blanket, The Tree Napper, is airy enough for their feet to breathe through the night to avoid them from getting hot.
Better Sleep Matters
Here at Bearaby, we believe that better sleep is always worth the investment. Nothing prepares you for a day of productivity and enthusiasm than a good night’s sleep. We hope these tips will help you identify why you are feeling too warm to sleep and get back to enjoying high-quality, undisturbed sleep throughout the night.