You need to drink a warm beverage before hitting the hay if you want a guaranteed night of good sleep.
Well, that’s according to the experts anyway.
It may sound counterintuitive, but drinking something (obviously, caffeine-free) before slipping between the sheets is a good way to stay cool overnight here.
The resident sleep expert at furniture company Zinus explained: “Ingesting something hot can decrease your body’s heat retention by causing you to sweat.”
But, they did add a caveat: “Since this cooling method requires sweat evaporation, it works best in dryer climates and when you wear light and breathable clothing.”
That does check out. After all, researchers have been suggesting having a warm bath or shower an hour or two before going to bed to help lower your core temperature for years.
This is all to do with regulating your circadian rhythm, which controls your body’s functions in relation to sleeping and waking. It need to be in a consistent pattern for your core temperature to drop, enabling you to be able to nod off easily when our beloved bedtimes comes around.
But, if you don’t fancy drinking a lot just before bed (hello, nighttime pee), there are other things you can do as we all brace ourselves for what could be another very, very hot summer....
You might want to consider swapping to a cooling mattress or topper – these have cooling gels within them to keep your core temperature lower.
You can also establish a good airflow at night by creating cross ventilation, as Zinus pointed out.
The specialists explained: “To do this, locate which direction the outside wind is blowing, and open a window or door on the side of the room that will allow it to come straight in.
“Then open one on the opposite side of the room. This two-window method ensures that stagnant hot air gets swept up and carried outside, leaving things comfortably cool inside.”
If again, this isn’t an option for you (perhaps you have one window in your bedroom rather two), the easiest way to cope in the heat is to block out the sunlight at least a couple of hours before you go to bed.
This may all sound a bit faffy, but losing sleep is no joke – and always best not to end up in serious sleep debt.