How to Keep Cool at Night in Summer

You’ve tried everything: sleeping with a fan on your bedside table, a cold shower before bed, and even keeping an ice pack under your pillow… but sleep still evades you in those sticky summer temperatures! We’re all familiar with the frustration of tossing and turning at night because it’s too hot to sleep. And, with summer on the horizon, it’s more important than ever to prepare your bedroom for a season of scorching temperatures. Luckily, we’ve pulled together a handy edit of tricks and tips for sleeping well in the heat. A cool summer of sound slumbers lies ahead…

Tips for sleeping in the heat

Wondering how to keep cool at night? Our round-up of hints and tips will help you to sleep soundly as the summer temperatures soar…

1. Keep blinds and curtains shut during the day

When it comes to sleeping well in warm temperatures, it’s important to ensure that your bedroom stays as cool as possible during the day. Keeping your curtains and blinds shut during the hottest hours of the day will stop additional heat and sunlight from streaming into your bedroom, meaning it’ll be nice and cool for bedtime!

2. Try a warm shower or bath before bed

Taking a warm shower or bath may feel counterintuitive when it’s scorching outside – but hear us out! A lukewarm or tepid shower can actually help to lower your body temperature, meaning you’ll feel cooler and calmer when you head off to bed. And, although a cold shower may be tempting, the icy temperature can have a stimulating effect which may make it harder for you to drift off to sleep.

3. Try a light supper before bedtime

Although heavy dinners with lots of fat and carbohydrates may make you feel sleepy, they actually take a long time for your body to digest, which may interrupt your sleep. To ensure that you sleep well in hot weather, we recommend enjoying a healthy, fresh and light evening meal that’ll be easy for your body to break down. How about a zesty summer salad with grilled fish, followed by a delicious bowl of fresh fruit?

4. Exercise in the morning

It can be difficult to find time during the day to exercise, and fitting in a quick evening jog or late-night spin on the exercise bike may feel like a tempting option. However, exercising in the evening means that your body temperature won’t have time to drop before you head off to bed (especially if the weather is warm!). So, for a sound and cool slumber, why not try switching your workout to the morning instead?

5. Turn over your pillows

If you’re feeling hot and bothered and struggling to nod off to sleep, flipping over your pillow to the colder side can certainly provide some temporary relief. To maximise your pillow’s cooling effect, why not also try a breathable cotton, silk or sateen pillowcase? Or why not go the whole-hog and invest in a pillow with cooling properties, such as a temperature-regulating wool pillow?

Want to know how to find the best pillow for you? Allow our guide to walk you through the best options on the market right now!

6. Try a new mattress with temperature regulating technology

Imagine if a mattress could keep you cool on scorching summer evenings… sounds too good to be true, right? Enter the Sleep Sanctuary Elite Gel Memory Pocket 3000! This clever memory foam mattress includes intelligent temperature regulating cool gel, which adjusts to your temperature and conducts heat away from your body – meaning you stay cool and comfortable throughout the night.

Like the sound of a temperature-regulating mattress?

If this mattress tickled your fancy, why not take a look at our full collection of wonderfully squishy mattresses? From spongy memory foam and latex, to bouncy pocket-sprung, we have a mattress to suit each and every sleeper.