Let’s be real, the whole of the UK has suddenly turned into Antartica overnight.
Okay, that might be a bit of an overreaction, but it’s absolutely freezing and with the cost of living crisis looming over us, could the weather just not right now?
Even with our thickest duvet on, it can still be tough work falling asleep if we feel even a bit of a chill – so how can we keep warm in bed without cranking the heating up (and adding to our already soaring energy bills)?
Fortunately one sleep expert has shared the easiest (and cheapest) ways to keep cosy in bed.
According to sleep knowledge pro and CEO of Mattressnextday Martin Seeley, your routine before bed is crucial to staying warm all through the night.
Have a hot bath
He advises having a hot bath, or shower before bed will help increase your body temperature and allow you to fully warm up before getting into bed.
He says: “Most often, when we take a long hot bubble bath, our body temperature tends to increase and stay high for an hour or so afterwards, this means you should be able to get comfortable and fall into a nice sleep before your body temperature drops down again.”
Wear proper jim-jams
Many people could be instantly undoing this before climbing into bed, says Seeley, by not wearing suitable pyjamas. Instead of opting for potentially uncomfortable and sweaty fleece-based pyjamas, Seeley advises investing in thermal ones that will keep you both warm and comfy.
Work out before bed
Look, no one can be bothered working out when it’s pitch black at 4pm, but according to Seeley this could really help you to keep warm in bed.
“Make sure you exercise in the evening as this will help you to feel warm right before bed, not only this but doing a sufficient amount of cardio or interval training should tire you out which will help you get to sleep quickly,” he suggests.
Two bodies are better than one
Yes, if you want to keep cosy all night long, it can be helpful to share your bed with someone else (excuse us while we change our Tinder bios).
Seeley says: “If you share a bed with your partner, make use of each other’s body heat and enjoy some winter bedtime snuggles, or even having sex will help to increase your body temperature considerably!
“Sharing body heat is an effective way to keep warm, and being closer to your partner may also help to improve your mood also.”
Winter calls for us to take greater care of ourselves and each other at this time of year, from our health and homes to our headspace and matters of the heart. Whether you’re seeing motivation or hibernation, HuffPost UK’s Winter Well series is here to help you through the short days and the longer months.
