When temperatures soar in the summer, your sleep is likely to suffer – especially if you've chosen your bedding to keep you warm rather than cool.
If you're too hot, you can find yourself tossing and turning all night, becoming increasingly sleep-deprived in the process.
Sleep deprivation can have a severe impact on your health, affecting your concentration, ability to learn and your mood.
If you find yourself struggling to sleep in the heat, don't worry! We've rounded up expert tips to help you get enough rest during a heatwave. Read on to discover scientifically approved tips to improve your sleep during hot summer nights.
8 science-approved tips to sleep better in hot weather
We’ve sourced some great advice on how to avoid sleepless nights this summer, with top tips from Professor Kevin Morgan, a sleep expert from Loughborough University…
1. Close the windows
‘Draw the curtains or blinds during the day and close the windows on the sunny side of your home, to keep hot air out. Open all the windows before you go to bed to get a through breeze. Using fans can also be very beneficial, but choose a model with a low noise level so as not to disturb your sleep further.’
2. Stick to routines
‘Hot weather can encourage you to change your sleeping habits, but try to keep to your usual bedtime routine wherever possible.’
3. No napping
‘The heat can also make you feel a bit lethargic during the day, but try to avoid napping as this can have an impact on how well you sleep at night.’
4. Stay hydrated
‘Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, but avoid large amounts before bed. It’s also important to avoid too much alcohol, as this promotes early-morning waking.’
5. Don’t panic!
‘Most of us need about seven or eight hours of good-quality sleep each night to function properly. But remember that most people can still function well after a night or two of disturbed sleep.’
6. Take a tepid shower
‘Try a lukewarm (rather than cold) shower before bed – water that is too cold can close pores and affect your ability to sweat away any excess heat during the night.’
7. Relax
‘Don’t exercise too close to bedtime, as this will temporarily increase your core body temperature, which needs time to drop again before sleep.’
8. Make a cold water bottle
‘If you’re feeling too warm in bed, try filling a hot water bottle with ice-cold water. This simple idea has an excellent cooling effect and should make you feel a little more comfortable.’
Ask the experts
Find out how to choose the right bedding, why a quiet fan could keep you cool all night, and whether you should opt for cotton or linen bedding…
What’s the best duvet filling to regulate your temperature in hot weather?
Laura Stock is a product technologist at Dunelm, specialising in sleep-related products. She says…
When selecting a duvet filling to manage your temperature in warm weather, you want something that’s lightweight, breathable, and with excellent moisture-wicking capabilities.
Natural fibres that excel at absorbing or wicking away moisture, such as wool (suitable for year-round use), cotton (allowing for optimal airflow), or cellulosic fibres like bamboo with added antibacterial properties, make superb choices for filling.
Also look out for other bedding products like mattress toppers and pillows, designed with the same cooling technology or filling as your duvet. Some duvets even have cooling finishes applied to the fabrics for added comfort.
For instance, Dunelm’s Fogarty Cool Sleep duvet, priced from £70 for a double, has a breathable cotton cover and contains superior cooling technology. Another aspect to consider for temperature regulation is the use of breathable bedding, made from materials such as cotton, or the incredibly soft and lightweight option, Tencel, which is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp and has excellent moisture-wicking abilities.
Low-tog duvets, ranging from 1 tog to 7.5 tog, are another great option for keeping cool in summer.
Do cooling pillows and mattress protectors really work?
Fabio Perrotta is the director of buying at Dreams, so knows all about which products can really make a difference on those warmer nights. He says…
Cooling pillows and mattress protectors are great options for people who are prone to overheating while they sleep. These types of products have fabric covers that help regulate your temperature and keep you cool at night.
The TheraPur cool pillow, for example, features an ActiCool cover, which absorbs heat throughout the night. It’s also double-sided, so you can choose either the supportive memory foam or soft micro-fibre side for a comfortable night’s sleep.
The TheraPur cool mattress protector is specially designed to quickly wick moisture away from the body, while helping to regulate body temperature. It also features unique Quadfill fibres, which are specifically designed to allow maximum airflow, ensuring you stay comfortable all through the night. The 180-thread count, 100% quilted cotton face pairs natural breathability with sumptuous softness, making it the perfect choice for a comfortable night’s sleep.
If you want to experience our coolest mattress ever, you can now try the TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool mattress, which is exclusive to Dreams. This mattress has a surface that always feels refreshing, and provides an unparalleled cooling feeling that helps you to naturally drift into a peaceful slumber. Its removable cover is even machine washable at 40 degrees.
What’s the quietest type of fan, as noise keeps me awake?
Poppy Szkiler is co-founder and CEO of Quiet Mark – a company on a mission to help encourage peaceful living. She says…
Noise inconsistencies, tonalities and overall high levels of noise can easily disturb rest and cause annoyance, especially at night. That’s why Quiet Mark – the independent global certification programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation – identifies the quietest products currently available on the market through scientific testing and assessment.
Cooling fans come in several shapes and sizes, offering a wide range of modes. When testing fans, several models can have the same dB levels but sound completely different. For example, one might have an annoying rattling sound, in which case it would be excluded and therefore not eligible for certification.
Look for the distinct ‘Q’ logo and browse the free-to-use Quiet Mark online directory at quietmark.com for the quietest products currently available on the market.
Something else to look for when purchasing a fan is whether it has a sleep mode, as this usually means it changes to the lowest speed setting and any lights turn off.
Meaco’s brand-new Sefte design is certified by Quiet Mark, and can be adjusted between a desktop and pedestal option, making it ideal for any room in your home.
What’s the most breathable bed linen fabric, and is linen worth the extra cost?
Molly Freshwater, co-founder and creative director at Secret Linen Store, has travelled the world to find the best linen and bedding products. She says…
To ensure you get the best quality sleep (whatever the weather), always opt for sheets made with natural fibres, such as 100% cotton or linen. Both make great sheets, but have very different qualities and feel very different.
Cotton fibres are significantly finer than linen and can be woven together into a higher thread-count fabric with many finishes, from silky to soft, sateen to smooth. Unlike linen, which softens over time, cotton is at its cushiest the moment it’s removed from the packaging.
Cotton sheets are typically the cheaper of the two, because cotton is more widely produced and costs less to manufacture. Linen, on the other hand, has a more crumpled, rustic appearance.
I personally love linen sheets! Thought of as nature’s wicking fibre, linen has unique filtering, moisture-absorbing and evaporative qualities, making it resistant to bacteria and the perfect non-allergenic bedding. Simply put, linen can absorb up to 20% of its weight in moisture before feeling damp, making it a fab choice for warm sleepers or those with sensitive skin.
Linen is a more expensive choice due to the lengthy, labour-intensive harvesting process, but it is the more environmentally friendly option, due to it needing less water to grow. In the end, the choice between cotton and linen really does come down to personal preference and budget – but both are great options!’
