Summers seem to be getting hotter and hotter, so the question arises: how can you get a good night’s sleep in those high temperatures and during hot nights? With these sleeping tips, we offer you some cooling relief!
Too hot to sleep?
They are wonderful … Those balmy summer evenings. Sitting outside for a long time and enjoying a setting sun. Delicious! Until it’s time to go to sleep. Meanwhile, with some bad luck, it has often become too hot inside as well, and then you obviously have a much harder time sleeping. Recognizable?
In itself, this situation is not surprising because temperature is one of the most important elements when it comes to your sleep climate. The other aspects you can connect to sleep climate are: ventilation, humidity control and heat control. All these elements are connected to each other and influence your sleep.
When you look at the temperature of your body, we can observe a number of things. Your core temperature protects your organs and brain and is about 36 to 37 degrees Celsius. This temperature drops, in the evening, by about 1 degree as the sleep time approaches. This way, your body uses less energy. As you sleep deeper, your skin temperature closer to your body’s core temperature. That’s why your body radiates heat when you sleep.
As the night progresses and you get closer to the point of awakening, the distance between the two will increase again. Your core temperature normalizes and your skin slowly cools down. If you were to measure your skin temperature during the day, it deviates considerably from the core temperature. A fascinating game that repeats itself every day. A process, by the way, that takes place within the so-called “circadian rhythm. The word is derived from the Latin language and means “about a day” (circa dia).
In summer, however, it is not so easy to lower your body’s core temperature. It is sometimes too hot in your bedroom and therefore also in your bed. To cool down, your body will perspire or in other words, you will suffer from night sweats.
How can you sleep better during the summer? 4 tips!
Sleeping well during the summer can be a challenge, especially when excessive heat interferes with your sleep. Fortunately, there are a few tricks and tips to sleep better during warm nights.
Tip #1: Take a lukewarm shower before bed, timing does matter!
A lukewarmshower just before you go to sleep can help regulate your body temperature downward and help you relax before you go to bed. Your blood vessels dilate and your body will want to reduce your body heat this way.
Also make sure you choose breathable bedding. For example, made of:
- cotton
- tencel
- bamboo
- linen
- wool
This reduces heat buildup in bed. Use thin, light and very heat-regulating duvets or remove the filling from the cover and sleep only under your bedding. In particular, the impact of a duvet is often vastly underestimated. Really choose a duvet that regulates heat, moisture and ventilation.
Tip 2: Keep your bedroom as cool as possible
Of course, installing an air conditioner is an ideal solution, but you can also cool by using a fan. If necessary, hang an ice bag in front of the fan for extra cool air.
Leave a window a jar for air circulation. Although it is important that in that case the outside temperature is not higher than that in your bedroom. The ideal bedroom temperature is around 18°C; from the moment the temperature climbs above 20°C, sleeping becomes increasingly difficult.
Blackout curtains are then recommended. They help keep out the daylight, especially in the early morning hours.
Tip 3: Keep your regular sleep rhythm
It’s tempting to stay up longer, because after all, it stays light longer. Or maybe you wait for the evening to cool down. However, our biological clock likes regularity. Thus, your sleep-wake rhythm remains unchanged and the production of melatonin, for example, occurs at about the same time. So stay true to your sleep schedule so that your body gets and stays accustomed to a certain sleeping pattern, even in the summer.
Tip 4: Avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially in real heat
Just another glass of wine in the warm evening. Lovely to end a day. Unfortunately, it is often disastrous for a good night’s sleep. Avoid (a lot of) alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening, just before you go to sleep. Both substances are broken down by your body during sleep, stimulate your system and raise your body temperature. It is therefore logical that they can disturb your sleep or make it difficult to fall asleep.
Alcohol in particular is an insidious player, you often fall asleep smoothly, however, you sleep lighter and you wake up several times during the night, lowering your sleep efficiency.
What temperature is too hot to sleep?
In summer, it is soon too hot to have a good night’s sleep. This is because our body likes to cool down during the night to save energy. Cooling down our body helps us to have a good night’s sleep. Also check the average temperature by month to know which nights get hottest.
For proper sleep, your room should actually be the following temperature. Do you have air conditioning? Then you can set the temperature to these temperatures in summer:
| below 18 degrees | (Too) Cool / cold |
| 18 degrees | Perfect |
| up to 20 degrees | Doable |
| Above 20 degrees | Too warm, obvious impact noticeable |
The ideal bedroom temperature is linked to your choice of comforter. Is your bedroom warm? Then choose a summer version, an extra thin summer comforter, or sleep only under your cover with no filling. If you sleep with air conditioning, then your duvet can always stay the same.
Why do you need less sleep in the summer?
Exposure to natural light plays an important role in this. It is light earlier in the morning and during the evening hours it stays light longer in summer. As a result, the production of the sleep starter melatonin also starts later. So it takes longer for you to become sleepy. According to sleep researchers, this would cause you to sleep up to 10 minutes less per night.
Some people experience this more than others. They wonder why they sleep poorly in the summer. Often the sunlight makes them more active in the morning, while in the evening they have trouble falling asleep. This creates a temporary lack of sleep. The seemingly active mornings keep this masked, but you may feel tired over time. Good blackout in your bedroom and maintaining regularity is usually a good solution. It is best to get up consistently around the same time, even if you had some difficulty falling asleep. After a few days, you will fall asleep more and more easily.
Conclusion
Remember that a good night’s sleep is essential to your overall well-being, especially during the summer when warm nights can affect the quality of your sleep. With these tips and tricks, hopefully you can enjoy refreshing and restorative sleep, even during the balmy summer nights.
Go into summer well prepared and make sure you have everything you need to help your body and mind relax and sleep well. Don’t let that summer heat be an obstacle to a good rest!
Sleeping tips on warm nights: frequently asked questions
Hoe krijg je het snel koud in bed?
If it’s hot at night and you don’t have air conditioning, for example, you can hang an ice bag behind the fan. You can also apply some lukewarm water to your body to cool down.
Is slapen met airco gezond?
Sleeping with an air conditioner is not a problem. Avoid cold air that flows directly to your body. Draughts can cause mild symptoms such as coughing or muscle pain from a cold neck or back. Also, make sure the air conditioner is not dusty or dirty.
Is een warme slaapkamer gezond?
It is not good to sleep in a bedroom that is too warm. This is because our body needs to cool down at night for a good night’s sleep. It is best to sleep in a room around 18 degrees. Too warm is not directly unhealthy, sleeping poorly is.
