How to sleep in hot weather
Ah, the classic British climate. One moment you’re snuggling up in bed with a hot water bottle and extra blankets, and the next you’re kicking the covers off and turning on all the fans you can find. Can’t it just be a comfortable temperature for five minutes, please?!
If you’re looking for advice on how to sleep in a heatwave, especially without air conditioning, we’re here to help. We’ve teamed up with Hannah Shore, sleep expert at Silentnight - the UK’s most trusted sleep brand - to create the ultimate guide to sleeping in hot weather.
Read on for our top tips!
Swap out your duvet
For year-round comfort, it’s ideal to have two duvets - a thicker, cosy one for the winter months, and a lighter, thinner duvet for the summertime. If it’s too hot to sleep in hot weather with a duvet at all, Hannah advises removing or replacing it with just a light sheet. “In this kind of weather, you may want to opt for no duvet at all or a light sheet. If this feels better, remove the duvet from the bed completely, placing it on the floor to ensure you have maximum space in the bed.”
Sleep alone
It might seem extreme, but that extra body heat could be the difference between tossing and turning, and a restful night’s sleep in a heatwave. Especially during the hottest nights, convincing the kids and dog to sleep in their own beds is a great idea - and it might be worth even asking your partner to sleep in the guest room, too.
Choose breathable bedding
Your sheets, pillowcases and even pyjamas can make a big difference to how well you sleep in hot weather, too. “You should also ensure your bedding is made from breathable fibres.” Hannah says. “Natural fibres like cotton, wool, and flax are good at temperature regulating - however, some people find these materials a little heavy. If that’s you, opt for polyester instead, as these will offer you a breathable sleeping environment but will not be as heavy.”
Close curtains and blinds during the day
A classic tip that is always banded around when advising how to sleep in hot weather is to keep your blinds and curtains closed during the day. This stops the sunlight heating up your bedroom, keeping the space those all-important few extra degrees cooler by bedtime.
More advice for a better night’s sleep
Here at DFS we’re all about helping you find your sleep thing - and that doesn’t stop at beds and mattresses! We have tons of tips and advice for improving your sleep, whether that’s around creating a restful space, or practical sleeping advice, like what position to choose. Check out some of our tips and advice below.
Keep iced water or a damp flannel by the bed
When all else fails, having iced water or a cool, damp flannel by the bed for a quick-fix cooldown in the night can help improve sleep quality. Whether it’s to keep you hydrated or simply cool you down enough to doze off, both options can be a great help when trying to sleep in hot weather.
Invest in a breathable mattress
Lastly, the quality of your sleep in hot weather could hinge on the type of mattress you are sleeping on. If you find yourself often getting too hot at night, it’s likely your mattress might be the cause - memory foam, for example, is great for support, but not for breathability.
A cool night’s sleep is much easier on something like a pocket sprung mattress, which promotes airflow, or one that has been made from breathable, natural fibres, like wool, flax or hemp, which have the added benefit of wicking away moisture. And because a great quality mattress will last you a minimum of 10 years, it will - quite literally - carry you through many heatwaves and hot nights to come.
