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This 10-Minute Hack Will Help You Fall Asleep When The Weather Is Hot

This 10-Minute Hack Will Help You Fall Asleep When The Weather Is Hot

Without air-con to help, the stifling hot temperatures are sure to disrupt slumbers across the UK.

Lisa McLoughlin

Lisa McLoughlin

Although we welcome the heatwave hitting the UK this week with open arms, one thing is already weighing heavy on our minds and that is how to get a good night's sleep.

There's no air-con to help and the stifling hot temperatures are sure to disrupt slumbers across the UK, in turn making commuters a lot more irritable without a solid 40 winks.

And if you're one of many wondering how to cope in bed with the heat, PRETTY 52 chatted to sleep expert James Wilson, aka The Sleep Geek, who revealed that putting lukewarm water into a hot water bottle and placing it at the soles of your feet for at least 10 minutes will help cool you down.

The sleep environment specialist shared: "Have a lukewarm bath or shower before bed to encourage your core temperature to drop.

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"Or alternatively put lukewarm water in a hot water bottle and place it on the soles of your feet."

But that wasn't all James shared with us, as he told us six other hacks that will help ease us into the land of nod during the heatwave.

Airflow - The sleep expert said: "Ensure there is a good airflow through the house. Open windows on both sides to allow the air to pass through."

Block out the sunlight - James explained that closing blinds and curtains in rooms that are exposed to direct sunlight is a must. He added: "The shade will help the room stay cooler."

A Bowl of chilled water - If you're using a fan in the hope to cool yourself down while you sleep, James recommended placing a bowl of chilled water in front of it to cool the stream of air it's pushing around the room.

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Avoid bedding in the fridge - Some experts suggest putting your sheets or pyjamas into the fridge-freezer in a bid to cool your bed down. However, sleep specialist James said to do anything but. "It will add more moisture to your sleep environment and that moisture will heat up and make you even warmer," he explained.

A sheet above the rest - Speaking about bedding, James revealed that bamboo bed sheets are the best to use when the heatwave hits. He said: "If you are using a cotton sheet ensure it is as low a thread count as possible as the higher the thread count, the less breathable it is. Cotton is OK in hot weather, although it isn't that great at wicking the moisture away; I would suggest using bamboo."

Keep calm - Let's be honest, there's nothing worse than worrying about not being able to sleep. But it is the thought of 'I am too hot to sleep' that actually prevents us from dozing off in the hot weather.

James said: "My advice would be to suck it up, accept that you might not sleep quite as well, but that it will probably be over in a couple of days and your body will more than likely make up for the poor sleep by giving you better quality sleep once the temperature drops."

Hopefully this has been some food for thought - and for your 40 winks.

Featured Image Credit: Pexels

Topics: Life News, Real, heatwave, Sleep, Health