THE temperature is heating up and another heatwave is on its way, but as the cost of living crisis continues to affect Brits, saving energy is going to be a priority for many.
We spoke to Theresa Schnorbach, Sleep Scientist at Emma – The Sleep Company, for her top tips on how to keep cool at night, without needing a fan.
And many of her tips may surprise you, as one of the things Theresa recommends is cuddling up in a blanket.
The sleep expert said: “Our body core temperature can fluctuate throughout the day, often peeking through the early hours of the morning and in the afternoon.
“However, in order to wind down for bed and get a good night’s sleep, our bodies also need to do a bit of cooling off.
“With many Brits often resorting to fans to help them keep cool in the summer months, there are some potential drawbacks to using fans at night.
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“Circulating air from a fan can dry out your mouth, nose, and your throat, which can then lead to an overproduction of mucus, which may, in turn, cause headaches, a stuffy nose, sore throat, or even snoring.
“In addition to this, fans can often circulate dust and pollen in the air, which may trigger allergies in some individuals.
“Although fans don’t pose any serious risks during the night, for many, they might lead to mildly irritating symptoms, not to mention the money associated with running your fan all night long.”
With this in mind, Theresa shared her top tips on how to keep cool at night, without needing to turn a fan on.
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Keep your room cold
According to Theresa, the key thing to enable you to sleep easy at night is to keep your room cold during the day.
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She explained: “First, you want to keep your room cool by keeping windows and curtains closed during the day.
During the night, you can open your windows and curtains to allow a fresh breeze in.”
Cuddle up
Secondly, Theresea recommends cuddling up in a warm blanker to keep cool (sounds odd, but she claims it works).
The sleep expert said: “This might sound counterintuitive, but cuddling up with a warm blanket or taking a warm shower/bath before bed can help in reducing your core temperature by encouraging your blood vessels to dilate thus losing excessive body heat.”
Ice ice baby
Not only this, but Theresa recommends using an ice pack to ensure you stay cool at night.
She continued: “Take an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or a towel (never apply an ice pack directly to your skin) and hold it against places where your blood flows closest to the surface of your skin and will quickly cool you off.
“You can also use a hot-water bottle filled with cold water or even a damp flannel.”
Get to the pulse point
As well as this, before getting into bed, Theresa stressed the importance of getting your pulse point wet.
Theresa added: “Similarly, you can splash water on pulse points such as your wrists or the sides of your neck.
“Your body's blood vessels will react to the cool sensation and instantly bring your core temperature down.
“However, avoid your feet and hands, as this can prevent you from falling asleep.”
Cotton pyjamas
While many of us may quickly rip our clothes off in an attempt to cool down at night, according to Theresa, this isn’t the correct way to go about things.
The sleep expert claimed: “A lot of Brits will be stripping down to their birthday suits when it gets hot but for those who prefer some night-time clothing, wearing pyjamas of natural cotton is your best bet and cotton actually helps your skin breathe, while absorbing your sweat during the night.”
Avoid spicy food
And finally, if you want to keep cool at night, without having to turn your fan on, it’s best to steer clear of any spicy food.
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Theresa concluded: “Try to avoid spicy food as much as possible as this is shown to increase your body temperature.
I’d also recommend avoiding eating late in the evening as if you eat a large meal before bed as your body will be trying to digest it, in turn keeping you awake longer.”
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