7 tips for sleeping in the UK’s 30° heatwave, according to sleep experts

The UK is currently experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 34°. While I’m absolutely loving the warmer weather, it’s been extremely difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re struggling to sleep in the heat, here are nine expert-approved tips to help you sleep in the UK’s 30° heatwave.

1. Switch to cooling, breathable materials

As the weather gets warmer, it’s vital to switch to cooler, breathable materials to help you feel more comfortable in the heat, while also managing your temperature regulation and sweat labels. Start by switching to a lighter, summer duvet with a tog of 4.5 to avoid overheating while you sleep.

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Once your bed is cooler, it’s important to change to breathable pyjamas and sheets. According to Hannah Store, Head of Sleep Science at Mattress Online, you should “make sure to swap your cotton pjs for loose-fitting bamboo pjs as they wick moisture away from the skin and dry out quickly… Cotton takes a while to dry out, so if you struggle with sweating during the warmer months, switching out for polyester or bamboo sheets can stop you getting clammy during the night.”

2. Try the Mediterranean cooling method

We’ve all heard of the Scandinavian sleep hack, but now it’s time to turn to warmer countries for their sleep advice. Bill Parkinson, bed expert at Sleepy Piglet has found the Mediterranean cooling method is great for Brits who are unprepared for surging temperatures, and it’s an easy way to ‘heat proof’ your home.

Parkinson states that “You will notice in many Mediterranean countries that homes are set up to stay cool naturally. During the day, shutters or thick blackout curtains are used to create a ‘shade trapping’ effect – helping to keep cooler air inside – then in the evening everything gets opened up again to let air move through.”

He goes on to say that the Mediterranean or cross-breeze method “works best when you create a clear draught by opening windows on opposite sides of your home or room, so cooler air can easily flow in and push warmer air out. That constant movement of air can make a real difference to how the room feels at night.”

3. Cool your bed with a frozen water bottle

Similar to cooling your room down, cooling your bed before you get in it can make a world of difference to your sleep and comfort levels. Parkinson comments that his “favourite thing to do when the warmer months set in is to freeze a hot water bottle… Placing it in your bed a few minutes before you get in brings the temperature down quickly.”

If you have a mattress which tends to hold onto heat, you should consider adding a mattress cooling pad. This way, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a new mattress, and you can beat the heat in the summer and keep your warmer mattress for the winter months.

4. Avoid sleeping naked

Many people wear a lot less clothing when they sleep in a heatwave, but Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, sleep therapist and sleep expert at MattressNextDay says that this is the worst thing you can do.

When sleeping naked, there is “nothing helping absorb sweat or move moisture away from the skin overnight… without breathable natural fibre bedding to wick sweat away, moisture simply sits on the skin and creates a clammy humid ‘microclimate’ that is more likely to wake you up in the middle of the night.” Instead, stick to breathable materials, as mentioned above.

5. Adjust your meal timings

Rather than eating dinner late in the evening, try to move your meals earlier in the day. Shore from Mattress Online recommends “eating larger meals throughout the day, and smaller foods that are easier to digest, in the evening.”

The reason for this is “when we digest food, our core body temperature increases. So, eating large complex meals just before bed will cause your core body temperature to increase when you need it to decrease.”

6. Limited hidden heat from electronics

Cooling down your bedroom and other rooms in your home can do wonders for your sleep, but you might not have realised how much your electronics can contribute to indoor heat, especially laptops and TVs. Parkinson suggests “switching these off an hour or two before bed can help the room cool down properly; if possible, keeping them out of the bedroom altogether will help create a more analogue setup too.”

He also points out that “ charging your phone in a naturally cooler part of the house can make all the difference and will also help you reduce your screen time in the evening, allowing you to fully switch off before bed.”

7. Exercise earlier in the day

It’s difficult to exercise in the heat, particularly as our body temperature increases as we do. If you exercise too close to bedtime and don’t cool down properly, this can have an impact on your sleep. Try moving your run, workout class or other activities to earlier in the day to avoid this disruption. Whether you’re working out or not, you should also be keeping hydrated during a heatwave by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

For more sleep tips, check out these 10 do’s and don’ts for sleeping in the heat.