It’s summertime and sleeping isn’t easy.
This summer’s record-breaking temperatures — affecting millions across the globe — are taking a toll on our bodies even after the sun sets. Quality shut-eye is essential for mental and physical health, but when it’s hot, our sleep can suffer. When we’re preparing to go to bed, our body temperature naturally drops, says Matthew R. Ebben, an associate professor of psychology and clinical neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine. But when the temperature and humidity in your bedroom are high, it’s difficult for your body to cool down — and stay cool — which interrupts sleep. Research shows that globally, warmer temperatures reduce sleep, with older adults, women, and those from lower-income countries most affected.
The most effective way to get restorative sleep when it’s hot outside, experts say, is to stay cool inside. Here are some tips for how to sleep soundly during the summer.
In general, people tend to sleep better in cooler temperatures, says Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor at Stanford University’s Sleep Medicine division and the author of How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night.
The easiest way to cool down your bedroom is with air conditioning. If you don’t have central AC, Ebben suggests installing a mini split air conditioner — a ductless air conditioning system that can be installed in individual rooms — which is often quieter than window units. Of course, window and portable air conditioners are just as effective and come with a lower price tag.
While the exact temperature varies from person to person, Ebben suggests keeping your room in the high 60s or low 70s during the night. If you’re still warm or have difficulty falling and staying asleep, you may need to lower the temperature even more. Some experts, however, argue that a higher temperature — around 78 degrees — is comfortable enough when you factor in fans and lightweight clothing. Setting your thermostat a little higher can also offset energy costs and lower emissions that contribute to climate change.
Keeping a room cool for the duration of the evening can still be an expensive proposition. For those who are unable to afford AC units, check to see if your state, town, or city has cooling assistance initiatives or programs that help eligible residents with their energy bills. For instance, New York City provides eligible residents with air conditioning units or fans. The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps residents with their cooling bills.
Add a fan (or multiple) to help circulate cool air. Ilene M. Rosen, an associate professor of medicine in the division of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, suggests placing a small fan on a nightstand or bedside table and pointing it directly at your face. “A lot of people think I need the biggest fan I can get so that it’s blowing in my whole room,” she says. “It just has to be that you personally feel cooler.”
During the day, keep your curtains closed to prevent sunlight from warming your bedroom. If you’re using a window or mini split unit, keep the door to your bedroom closed to keep the cool air contained.
Ebben doesn’t recommend attempting to acclimate to sleeping in warmer temperatures. “We just don’t know whether that is an effective way to address this issue,” he says. “I think probably not.” If you spend your waking hours working in an air conditioned environment, a hot bedroom will feel even more stifling.
There are ways to help encourage your body’s natural cooling process before bedtime. Take a cool or lukewarm bath or shower one to two hours before bedtime, which has been shown to help lower body temperature and promote sleep, Rosen says.
Try to avoid exercising within three hours before bedtime, since working out also prevents your body temperature from dropping, Rosen continues.
Your nighttime accessories can help you avoid overheating, too. Sleep in loose, lightweight cotton pajamas with only a thin top sheet, Pelayo says. (Feel free to sleep nude if that suits you, too, Rosen says.) If you’re due for new pillows, you might want to make a swap to a cooling pillow — one made from materials designed to whisk heat away from your body or to better allow air to circulate through the pillow. A recent study found that participants who used a cooling pillow — specifically the Sleepy’s Signature SUB-0° Triple Cooling Pillow — got more REM sleep and reported cooler, higher-quality sleep.
Remember to stay hydrated, as dehydration causes higher body temperature, which can make it hard to fall asleep. Don’t worry about a full bladder interrupting your sleep. “People who are healthy sleepers typically don’t get up to urinate,” Pelayo says. Consistently rising throughout the night to use the bathroom might be a signal that something else is waking you up, whether it’s the dog barking, a child crying, snoring (your own or a partner’s), or stress from work, he continues.
If heat is what wakes you up, research suggests spraying yourself with cold water or placing a cool washcloth on your neck, which can help cool you down so you can fall asleep again. Try turning on a fan if you haven’t already, Rosen says. You may also want to take a cool shower (just make sure your lights are dim and you’re extra careful not to slip).
This advice is applicable for children too, Pelayo says, though it’s quite likely they haven’t noticed the heat in the first place. “Children sleep deeper than adults do,” he says. “This issue of not being able to sleep as it’s too hot is uncommon in a child, because, again, they sleep so deeply.” Just make sure their pajamas aren’t too heavy; if you notice the back of their head and neck are sweaty in the morning, you might need to switch to more lightweight pajamas.
Should you still feel uncomfortable despite a cool room, lightweight pajamas, and a cold compress, Rosen suggests speaking to your doctor about any potential underlying issues that might cause heat intolerance, like thyroid disease or sleep apnea. Some medications, like those that treat blood pressure, she says, may also impact your heat tolerance.
The unbearable heat may make sleep a little harder to come by, but with the right toolkit, you can get some shuteye no matter the weather conditions.
