Finding sleep when the thermometer climbs is a challenge.
Fortunately, there are a few simple techniques to sleep better despite very high temperatures that don't require running the AC on full blast.
So, if you want to know more, keep reading, we're revealing it all!
Why heat impacts sleep
In the summer, drinks on the terrace, the beach, all that is great. What's not so great is spending hours trying to fall asleep because your room has become an oven.
And yet, sleeping well is essential for staying healthy and in a good mood.
But why is it so hard to sleep as soon as the mercury skyrockets?
Our body's reaction when it's too hot
When it's hot, our body works to dissipate excess heat and maintain a normal temperature.
To do this, the heart rate increases to accelerate blood circulation in order to eliminate the excess body heat through perspiration.
This intense physiological activity is far from the state of rest the body needs to facilitate falling asleep.
This high internal temperature also doesn't help our body produce melatonin, the sleep hormone essential for restorative nights and good sleep quality.
Heat is responsible for lower sleep quality
Excessive sweating, insomnia, discomfort... when we're hot, we inevitably sleep worse than usual.
Even if you manage to fall asleep more or less quickly, there's a good chance you'll wake up during the night, simply because your body is overheating.
According to the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INSV), the ideal room temperature for falling asleep easily should be around 18°C and should not exceed 20°C. If you want to know more, feel free to check out our detailed article here.
On hot summer nights, it's well above that, and your body temperature has trouble dropping, leading to disrupted sleep cycles and frequent nocturnal awakenings.
Phases of deep sleep (the most restorative) and REM sleep are also rarer. We have an entire dossier dedicated to sleep cycles if you want to know more.
As a result, the next day you feel tired, in a bad mood, and you may experience concentration difficulties.
Our tips for sleeping well when it's hot at night
Don't want to spend your whole summer tossing and turning 100 times in your bed waiting to drift off?
We already have a whole article packed with good advice explaining how to sleep better.
And here, we're adding a few tips to help you better cope with summer heat and sleep as cool as possible during these difficult times:
💧 Hydrate properly
Normally, it is recommended to drink 1.5 L of water per day.
During a heatwave, it is essential to stay well-hydrated to maintain a constant body temperature of 37°C and compensate for sweating.
Remember to drink water throughout the day and in the evening before going to bed. Also, consider keeping a bottle of water next to you at night if needed.
🥗 Have a cool and light dinner
A heavy meal makes digestion much longer and more difficult.
So avoid heavy foods in the summer because while digesting, your body releases heat. It already has enough to deal with given the temperature, so no need to give it extra work!
Prioritize salads and raw vegetables, cold soups, summer fruits and vegetables, white meat, and ban pastries, red meat, and fried foods for a while.
💡 Eating light in the evening is essential in the summer, but it's effective all year round for sleeping better.
🚿 Take a lukewarm shower before bed
To lower your body temperature and get rid of all that sweat, you can take a lukewarm shower.
You can even go to bed directly without drying off completely or fall asleep on a damp towel to prolong the effect.
🥵 Cool down your body
In the event of a heatwave or during periods of high heat, it can be useful to wet your feet, hands, and head to provide a feeling of coolness to the body. Indeed, heat is dissipated more effectively through the extremities.
You can therefore soak your feet and hands in a basin of cold water or even wet your hair, for example.
👕 Wear loose and light clothing
It seems obvious, but we strongly advise against sleeping in your fuzzy pajamas in the middle of summer!
Instead, wear light and natural materials. Cotton is popular and breathable, but it doesn't wick away moisture. Linen, bamboo, or silk are excellent options.
Conversely, avoid synthetic fabrics that make you sweat, as well as tight-fitting clothing that traps hot air.
Or you can take off your shirt and sleep with as little clothing as possible, it's up to you.
🥰 Opt for blankets made of light materials
During heatwave episodes, it's out of the question, of course, to sleep with a duvet or a thick blanket; a simple sheet is enough.
For the material, again choose something cool and breathable like cotton or linen.
🌡️ Close the shutters and windows, lower the blinds during the hottest hours
Remember to do this during the day to prevent your apartment from becoming a furnace due to heat accumulation.
This simple action helps keep a minimum amount of cool air inside.
🌬️ Circulate air when temperatures are cooler
It's in the evening from 10 PM until about 6 AM (a few hours before sunrise) that temperatures can drop a little.
So early in the morning or during the night, don't hesitate to open the windows to ventilate a bit if the outside air is cooler than the inside air.
If you can, create a draft to take even more advantage of the outside coolness.
💻 Unplug electronic devices that give off heat
Not only does blue light from screens cause sleep disturbances, especially if you look at them in the evening and right before sleeping (we tell you more right here), but an electronic device, like a computer or a TV, will warm up the ambient air by emitting additional heat, even if it's in standby mode.
We therefore advise you to turn them all off before going to bed.
💦 Have a misting spray or a fan within reach
You can use them to feel less hot and to cool the atmosphere. If you are sensitive to noise, choose a silent fan!
❄️ Sleep in the coolest room
You don't have to sleep in the bedroom, especially if it's still too hot there.
Opt for the most ventilated and cooler area.
🧊 Cool down your bedding before getting into bed
To soothe the feeling of heat a bit, you can use a hot water bottle filled with ice water in your bed or even place your sheets and pillowcases in the freezer for a few minutes before going to bed.
🛌 Choose your bedding well
Make sure you have a good mattress because some can trap heat.
Many of them actually have two sides: one for summer and one for winter. So don't forget to flip it to the right side when the time comes.
And if you absolutely insist on sleeping with a duvet, opt for a summer model with a light weight (less than 200 g/m2).
Regarding the mattress, making the right choice is a difficult debate, but be aware that memory foam tends to make you sweat more. Perhaps prioritize a spring mattress if you are sensitive to heat.
💔 Sleep separately
If the idea of sleeping away from your better half breaks your heart, you won't like this solution, but sleeping solo when it's too hot at night spares you extra body heat and also keeps you from being disturbed and woken up during the night.
Things not to do during a heatwave
🍺 Drink alcohol, coffee, and sugary drinks
These stimulants will only dehydrate you even more, so limit them as much as possible when it's 30 degrees outside!
🥶 Cool off with a cold shower
The opposite effect will occur.
Cold or icy water will increase your heart rate and cause your body to produce heat to warm itself up. Not exactly the desired effect!
🏋️ Exercise before bed
Physical activity and any kind of agitation are discouraged in the evening because they make it more difficult for your body temperature to drop, which is essential for a quality night's sleep.
Final word: how to sleep better when it's hot
There you go, you now know the answer to how to sleep when it's hot thanks to these few tips.
Even if it can be very difficult to sleep when the temperature goes wild, it is possible to maintain good sleep despite the heat.
Eating light and staying well-hydrated, cooling yourself and the room you're sleeping in, using comfortable and light materials, creating the right conditions to drift off to dreamland while staying cool... All these techniques will help you endure these sweltering nights.
With all this, there's no doubt you'll survive the summer and the heatwave without any problems! ☀️
