How to keep cool in the heat without air conditioning as sweltering heatwave is set to last eight more days
WE all know how it feels – you’ve been baking hot all day, only to get to bed and find you can’t sleep.
Not to mention trying to keep cool in the daytime in the heat of the summer sun.
While air conditioning is a luxury that most Brits can’t afford – or justify – opening a window or stripping off seems to be about the easiest option.
But if you’re fed up of tossing and turning as you try to get comfortable, you’ll be pleased to hear there are several other ways that you can cool your room before bedtime and get it comfortable enough to fall asleep…
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1. Close the blinds
It might look a little weird to your neighbours, but trust us when we say that you’ll be the ones laughing when your room is nice and cool come nighttime.
Try and keep the hot sun from shining into your bedroom and heating it up throughout the day by closing the blinds or curtains.
The NHS recommends keeping rooms cool by using shades or reflective material outside the windows.
“If this isn’t possible, use light-coloured curtains and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter),” it explained.
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2. Put fan in front of open window
So you managed to keep the curtains shut all day, now it’s time to take things down another notch.
Instead of putting a fan on your bedside table by your head, consider placing it in front of an open window to let that cool air really circulate.
Maximising the draught of air you get by creating a fan “cross flow”.
3. Use ice for extra chill
Simply grab a plastic bottle or two and put puncture holes from the middle to the top. Fill to just underneath the holes with ice.
Either put the bottles in front of the fan or attach them to the back.
Alternatively, if you have a tower fan, place a tray of ice in front of it on the floor for that extra chill.
The air will be cooled by the ice to create an air-con feeling in any room.
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4. Don’t sleep naked
While the natural thing to want to do when it’s hot is strip off, experts say it can actually make you even hotter.
So keep those pyjamas on! Dr Guy Leschziner, consultant neurologist and sleep physician, told the BBC: “People may be better off sleeping in clothing rather than sleeping naked.
“If you’re wearing a natural fabric like cotton it acts as a wick for your sweat and it can increase the surface area for the sweat to evaporate, thus may make you feel much cooler.”
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5. Unplug chargers
Did you know that plugged in chargers can emit heat?
It probably won’t make a massive difference but you’re better off moving any technology out of the bedroom and unplugging anything that’s charging to reduce any extra heat.
Same applies to other electronics so turn off all the plug sockets to help keep things cool – and save some energy while you’re at it.