Sleep therapist warns sleeping naked or on top of your duvet in a heatwave makes you hotter
There have been endless heatwaves this summer and many of us haven't had a good night's kip in months.
But you might want to think twice before whipping your clothes off before bed tonight.
Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, sleep therapist at MattressNextDay, has warned that sleeping naked in a heatwave can actually make you hotter.
"Removing or sleeping on top of your duvet may feel like a logical decision in a heatwave, but the problem is when you replace it with nothing," Natalie explains.
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"Sleeping naked feels logical, but without breathable natural fibre bedding to wick sweat away, moisture simply sits on the skin and creates a clammy humid ‘microclimate’ that is more likely to wake you up in the middle of the night."
She explains that body heat and sweat build up during the night. This is usually absorbed and released through breathable bedding.
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But if you're laying naked on top of the sheets, the sweat has nowhere to escape, and it can make you feel even hotter.
So, how can you make sure to get some decent shut-eye this weekend? Find out more below.
How to fall asleep during a heatwave
If you're already dreading getting to sleep in the sticky heat tonight, listen up.
For those of you who like to sleep in the nude, Natalie recommends upgrading your bedding to include breathable fabrics that will help heat and moisture to escape.
"Lightweight natural fibres like cotton and linen allow airflow around the body, while also absorbing sweat and helping heat escape gradually overnight," she explains. "They are far more effective than thick synthetic bedding during hot weather."
She also recommends using a cooling mattress topper or pillows to reduce heat retention around the places people overheat the most such as the back, neck and shoulders.
Other heatwave-proof options include using blackout curtains, turning the fan on for a couple of hours before bed or investing in a cooling face mask.
You can shop our top pick of cooling products below, from towels and fans to bedding.
Shop our top heatwave picks:
Sukeen Cooling Towels
£19.99
£16.99
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
£31.99
Skin Gym CryoChill Face Mask
£33.10
Silentnight Cool Touch Pillowcase
£14.99
Handheld Fan with Active Ice Cooler
£11.99
£10.19
Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Cordless Fan
£190.11
Dyson Cool AM07 Bladeless Tower Fan
£349.99
Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 Fan
£188
Topics: Women's Health, Sleep
Danielle Fowler