Feeling hot? 10 do's and don'ts for sleeping in the UK heatwave

From sweating under blankets to finding it difficult to breathe, sleeping in a heatwave isn’t an enjoyable experience. When the temperature gets too hot, chances are you’re going to have a disrupted, unrested night’s sleep.

As T3’s Home Editor, I’ve covered sleep for years, and my sleep has never been worse than during a heatwave. But I’ve tried and tested many sleep hacks over the years, and have found 10 do’s and don’ts for sleeping in a heatwave so you know what to do and more importantly – what not to do.

DO: Switch to a cooler sleep accessories

It might sound silly to have separate duvets for different seasons, you certainly won’t feel like that when you’re melting underneath your winter duvet during a heatwave. To keep cool and comfortable, switch to a lighter 4.5 tog duvet or sleep under a thin sheet if you’re really struggling. Another trick is to try a cooling mattress pad which sits under your sheets and helps bring down your internal body temperature.

DON’T: Sleep naked

Sleeping naked in a heatwave can actually make you feel hotter – yes, really. This is because sleeping without any clothes on makes sweat stick to your skin instead of your clothes, which makes you feel much hotter. Having a barrier – like thin pyjamas – helps wick away moisture to allow your skin to breathe and to minimise the amount of sweat that collects on your body.

DO: Sleep in a starfish position

Rather than sleeping curled up which traps heat, try sleeping in a starfish position. Having your arms and legs spread out helps reduce your body coming into contact with itself, and lets heat escape from your skin faster.

DON’T: Have a fan pointed directly at you

One of the most common fan mistakes you can make is having it on throughout the night. This is because the cool air from your fan can cause stiff and painful muscles, dry out your skin and exacerbate your allergies. Having a fan pointed directly at you and too close to you can make this even worse, so if you want your fan on at night, try to point it away from you.

DO: Hang a wet sheet by an open window

A handy trick to cool your bedroom is to hang a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze from outside blows through the lightly dampened sheet, and gives you a light airflow that cools down your room. Unlike a fan, this trick is less likely to make you feel sore, and the sheet can trap bugs and pollen from getting inside.

DON’T: Over-ice yourself

When it’s hot, it’s tempting to get yourself as cold as possible. While running your wrists under cold water before bed is a great way to cool yourself down, you don’t want to push this too far as an ice bath or even a cold shower can cause your body to go into shock. This makes your body respond by producing body heat to warm you up, which is the opposite of what you want to achieve. Instead, stick to the wrist trick or have a lukewarm shower before bed.

DO: Add a cold water bottle to your bed

If you don’t want to switch to a cooling mattress or pad, cool your bed down by placing a cold water bottle in your bed. The best way to do this is by filling a hot water bottle with cold water and putting it in the freezer before placing it in your bed before you go to sleep. Not only does this feel refreshing but it lowers your body temperature which can help you sleep better.

DON’T: Keep your windows open

Keeping your windows open when it’s hot might seem like the obvious way to keep cool, but unfortunately, it’s not. If you’ve had your windows open all day, your room will trap the heat inside, so instead, keep your windows open when the temperature drops and close them when it’s too hot to avoid excess heat getting in.

DO: Drink plenty of water

Staying hydrated is the key for keeping yourself cool. It’s refreshing, and most importantly, being dehydrated in a heatwave is uncomfortable and can be dangerous, Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day and before you go to bed.

DON’T: Nap during the day

While you might be tempted to have a nap in the hot weather, it’s best to avoid it so you don’t disrupt your sleep schedule. This is the case regardless of the time of year, but as your nighttime sleep will be disrupted anyway because of the heatwave, it’s best to avoid disturbing it any further with an afternoon nap.