Get naked, don’t snuggle and avoid the bedroom until you’re yawning.
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That’s the advice from the Sleep Health Foundation to help us get through long, hot summer nights.
Sleep expert and foundation chair, Professor Dorothy Bruck, said hot nights could take a heavy toll on sleep.
“Sweltering temperatures make it difficult to fall asleep, wake you often in the night and leave you feeling drained and exhausted by morning,’’ she said.
The foundation quotes research that shows humans sleep most soundly when the temperature is 17 to 19 degrees Celsius – but there are some tricks you can use to cool your body and ensure you get your 40 winks when the mercury soars.
“Stripping down definitely helps,” Professor Bruck said.
“Swap your nightshirt or nightgown for a sleeveless top, skimpy shorts, underwear, or even better, nothing at all.” Cotton sheets and clothing will keep you cooler than synthetic fabrics, she said.
The foundation’s sleep experts also recommend a cool shower before bed, and another if you’re wakeful in the night. You could also try wiping your hands and face on a cold face-washer before bed and let your feet stick out from under your sheet or doona in the middle of the night.
“If you can get the temperature of your hands and feet right then chances are you’ll get to sleep quickly and stay asleep,” the sleep specialist said.
The Sleep Health Foundation also advises people not to hit the sack too early and If you’re using a sheet only, keep a lightweight doona nearby that you can find easily when your body temperature drops between 3am and 5am.
Lastly, Professor Bruck says to avoid getting too cosy with your bed partner.
“It might be romantic but curling up with your beloved will make it very hard to sleep,” she said. “When you cuddle you’ve got to contend with your partner’s body heat as well as your own.”
Hot Nights Survival Guide
• Get air circulating over your skin. An open window or fan are both effective;
• Have a cool shower before bed;
• Use cotton sheets and clothing;
• Strip off totally to get your body temperature down;
• Let your bed partner know cuddling is not conducive to a good night’s sleep;
• Have a warmer bedcover close by for when your body cools down overnight;
• Don’t get dehydrated or sunburnt during the day;
• Stop your bedroom getting too warm during the day. Heavy drapes or blinds pulled all day can keep the room cool when it’s forecast to be hot.