We’re bracing ourselves for balmy temperatures this week.
And while we welcome the warm weather, sleeping during a heatwave can be a sticky and sweaty affair.
Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can do to stay cool at night.
The experts at Mattress Online have put together six tips to help you sleep better during a heatwave – with one trick costing just 50p.
Dreading getting into bed tonight? Give these tried and tested hacks a go.
Keep a 50p spray bottle of water next to your bed
A fast or body water mist is a great way to cool down, so keep a small water-filled bottle next to your bed.
These bottles can be picked up for 50p at most bargain stores. So simply fill one up with water and keep in the fridge until bedtime – then reap the cooling effects if you wake up in a hot and flustered mess.
Close the curtains but open your windows
Although it can be tempting when it’s sunny, it’s a good idea to avoid opening your bedroom curtains if you know it’s going to be a hot day ahead.
This is because the curtains will act as a barrier, preventing the hot sun from shining in and heating up the room.
However, try and open the window to let in any chance of a breeze. This should hopefully keep the sun’s rays out but cooler air in.
Rub an ice cube across your wrists
The experts at Matress Online say rubbing ice cubes onto your pulse points can help too – such as across your wrists.
These are the areas where your blood vessels are close enough to the skin that you can feel a pulse – including your wrists, neck, inside your elbow and at the back of your knees.
And keeping your pulse points cool helps to lower your overall body temperature.
Open your loft hatch to let heat rise
If you have a loft at home, keep the hatch open during the warmer months and let the heat rise to the top of your property.
This can help to keep your bedroom cooler as the heat won’t stay trapped on your second or third floor and instead it will rise into your loft.
Swap your sheets for bamboo bedding
Bamboo is a breathable and moisture-wicking material, so it’s one of the best options if you sweat a lot during sleep.
As a general rule of thumb, avoid cotton bedding at all costs during a heatwave – as it’s not moisture-wicking and can make you feel sweatier.
Take your duvet out of the cover
As a free alternative, you could take your duvet out and simply sleep with the cover.
Also, try to change your sheets regularly during a heatwave.
Steve Adams, CEO at Mattress Online, says: ‘Heat can not only affect the amount of sleep we get, but also the quality of our sleep, so it’s important to consider ways we can combat this when temperatures begin to rise.
‘Hot weather can also cause a minefield of germs lurking in your bedding, since you sweat a lot more on summer nights. This results in a build-up of bacteria and skin cells, plus all the other germs which get into your bed, like dust mites, pollen and pet hair.
‘During the summer months, change your sheets twice a week to avoid getting into a dirty and potentially damp bed at night. Always wash your bedding at 60°C or higher, as this is the temperature which kills bacteria.’
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