How to Stay Cool at Night: 25 Best Tips
Written by Nectarsleep editorial team
Fact checked
Last Updated on Feb 06, 2023
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Your sleeping space may get too hot during summers or springs and may increase your body temperature while sleeping. Sleeping in a hot or humid environment can be very irritating and may cause frequent sleep disturbances during the night. According to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping in a cool environment was one of the most significant factors in getting good quality sleep. In this detailed article, we have outlined 25 well-researched tips that will help you understand how to stay cool at night.
How to Cool Down Before Bed
There are many ways to destress and cool yourself before getting to bed. Let's run through the 25 best tips that will help you stay cool while you sleep.
1. Take a warm shower
Taking a warm shower or bath reduces the body temperature and makes you feel calm. Taking a warm shower or bath can also helps you fall asleep faster.
Do not use water that is extremely hot or cold. Too hot water may raise the temperature of your bathroom and may heat your room. On the other hand, chilled water might stimulate your body and chilled water might stimulate your body and make it difficult to fall asleep.
2. Use a freezed washcloth
While sleeping, you sweat a lot on your head and face. A good way to keep yourself cool is to reduce the sweat in these areas and keep it cool. One way of doing it is to use a frozen cloth on your head and face.
To do that, freeze cloth or washcloth before bed. Now compress this cloth on the head and face while you try to fall asleep.
3. Avoid eating heavy meals before bedtime
Consuming heavy meals such as carbohydrates, fats, and spices just before bedtime consumes your energy for the digestion process and leads to sweating during the night.
Ensure that you consume your last meal at least 3 hours before bedtime. Still, if you can't resist your hunger, try foods that help you sleep, such as juices, salad, fruits, popcorn, or dark chocolates.
4. Freeze a water bottle
Keep a bottle full of water in a freezer and allow it to freeze for a while. You can use this frozen water bottle as an ice pack on your head and neck. You can also keep this bottle near your bed to keep the sleep environment cool.
5. Cool your pulse points
You can cool your pulse points using ice packs, frozen cloth, or frozen water bottles. Cooling the pulse points helps in regulating temperature throughout your body.
The pulse points that help you get the maximum cooling effect include the back of your knees, wrists, ankles, inside part of the elbow, and top of the foot. You can perform this activity 20 minutes at a time to get maximum benefit.
6. Avoid alcohol consumption close to bedtime
Alcohol consumption negatively impacts sleep quality. When you drink alcohol, the blood vessels expand and move closer to the skin surface, which leads you to sweat. It also causes night sweats and hot flashes in the body.
Still, if you are tempted to drink alcohol, you should consume it 4 hours before your bedtime, or you can choose to have tea or milk instead. Excessive alcohol drinking immediately before bedtime may lead to body heating.
7. Avoid exercising before bedtime
Exercise leads to much sweating. If you exercise just before bedtime, the body temperature may not fall while sleeping. Instead, you can exercise in the morning. Exercising regularly for about 20 minutes in the morning improves your heart rate, movement in muscles and decreases melatonin production. Exercising early in the morning is an excellent way to enhance sleep quality and increase deep sleep.
8. Drink ice water
Hot sleepers sweat a lot while sleeping. They might get dehydrated during the night because of sweating. Keeping a cup of ice water near the bed is a good option. You can drink it when you wake up from sleep thirsty. It's also a good idea to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day to avoid dehydration during sleep. If you are sleeping hot, drinking ice water is the quickest way to cool your body down.
9. Keep the blinds shut during day
Avoiding excessive heat from entering your room is an excellent way to prevent overheating at night. To do that, you can keep your blinds closed throughout the day. You should primarily follow this during the summers.
10. Avoid too much sun during the daytime
It is an excellent idea to soak in the morning sunlight. It helps you get vitamin D and wakes you up naturally in the morning. However, excessive sunlight can lead to skin diseases and sunburns, leading you to sweat during the night. Try limiting excessive sunlight during the daytime. You can also use sunscreens to avoid direct contact with sunlight while going out, especially if you sleep hot.
How to Stay Cool While Sleeping
Creating a cool sleeping environment is essential, but staying cool while you sleep is also necessary. Below are some of the best ways you can follow to keep yourself cool.
21. Sleep Naked
Sleeping naked has many benefits like reducing stress, helping you sleep faster, and improving sleep quality besides keeping you cool throughout the night.
22. Sleep alone
Sleeping with a partner produces excess body heat during the nighttime. Try sleeping alone during hot summer nights to eliminate any extra heat. It will help you stay cool during the night.
23. Freeze your socks
Another great way to keep yourself cool at night is to freeze your socks. Put your socks in a bag in the freezer for 45-60 minutes before going to bed. When ready to go to sleep, wear those frozen shocks and stay cool during the night.
24. Keep Your Skin Moist
You can easily stay cool during the night by keeping your skin cool and moist. You can do this by applying a face pack, moisturizing creams, and aloe vera gel on your skin before bedtime. Another way to keep the skin cool is using face wipes. It helps in creating a cooling effect and eliminates sweat.
25. Change your sleeping positions
Depending on your sleeping position, the mattress absorbs your maximum body temperature. If you feel overheated while sleeping, it may be time to try a new sleeping position. If you sleep with a partner, avoid physical contact with the partner as it may transfer excess body heat to your body.
Conclusion
Staying cool at night is the easiest way to fall asleep faster and get quality sleep. There are many ways to cool down the room naturally and stay cool at night. Hopefully, following our 25 tips will help you stay cool at night and get quality sleep.
How to Cool Down a Room
A significant factor in helping you sleep better at night is the sleeping environment and the temperature. Let's understand how to cool down your room to get better sleep.
11. Create cross-ventilation in your room
The best way to cool a room is to create natural cross-ventilation in your bedroom. You can do this by preventing the heat from entering the room. You also need to ensure that even the smallest amount of heat doesn't stay in your room. Create cross ventilation in your room by opening the windows and doors on opposite sides. Leave a small opening on one side to allow the air to get out. Leave a large window opening on the other side of the room to let the air come in.
12. Freeze your bed sheets
To beat the scorching heat during summers, you can freeze your bedsheets that will help you keep yourself cool. Start by placing your bed sheet in a plastic bag and keeping it in a freezer. After an hour, take out the frozen sheet. The frozen sheet will keep you cool for a considerable amount of time.
13. Flip your pillows and sheets over
Many times your pillows and bedsheets overheat at night. Flip the pillow and bedsheets to the cold side. It helps you stay cool during the night. Although this is not a permanent solution, it is enough to help you stay asleep.
14. Create a Natural AC unit
There are two ways to make a DIY AC unit. The first way is to put ice in a plastic bag, bowl, or jar. Then place these ice cubes in the direction of the air that comes from your fan. The second way to make an AC is by cutting the bottom part of two empty bottles. Fix these bottles on the back of a table fan. Then fill these empty bottles with ice cubes and start the fan before bedtime. The fan will cool the room and help you fall asleep quickly. It is one of the best ways to cool down a room if you don't have AC in your home.
15. Try Egyptian Method
Ancient Egyptians used to soak their bedsheets in cold water before bed to keep themselves cool during the night. To do this:
1. Take a towel or a bedsheet and soak it in cold water.
2. Remove as much water as you can before putting it in the washer.
3. Place it in the spin cycle so that it is wet but not dripping.
4. Place this damp sheet on your bed during the hot summer night; it will help you stay cool during the nighttime.
16. Replace your Pillows
Sleeping on traditional pillows may lead to sweat and heating during the night. Try replacing your pillow with modern temperature regulating pillows. Temperature regulating pillows adjust to the room temperatures helping you to stay cool. The Nectar Memory Foam Pillow with Tencel cooling fabric and active ventilation keeps you cool all night.
17. Sleep on a lower level
You may feel overheating while sleeping on the top floor than on the ground floor, as typically the heat tends to rise. If you stay in a multi-story apartment, try moving your mattress to the ground floor.
18. Replace your bedding
If your old bedding is heating up and not allowing smooth airflow, try replacing it with a breathable new bed that allows airflow. Try getting the airy linen sheets. These sheets keep you cool in the warmer months.
19. Use fans strategically
Using your fans strategically can help you stay cool during the night. Adjust the blades of the fans in an anticlockwise direction. It will create a wind-chill effect and keep your room cool. Also, place your box fans on the window to take out the hot air from your room.
20. Buy a cooling mattress
If you experience overheating while sleeping and wake up dripping in sweat in the middle of the night, then it may be time to replace your mattress. Get a cooling mattress with the latest inbuilt technologies that help increase the bed's airflow and give you a relaxed feeling every time you sleep on the mattress.
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress hugs your body and keep you cool to help you get better sleep each night.
