We all know the feeling… throwing the covers off of our body; contemplating whether you have the will to change the thermostat in the middle of the night; or even frustratingly shedding a layer or two of clothing. Temperature regulation is such a critical part of getting quality sleep - especially during the summer months. We’re right there with you.
Good news though - with some simple planning, there are ways to either avoid or limit the frequency or severity of these heat-induced rude awakenings. Here are a couple of tips to consider..
Watch your exercise before bed
It takes time for your heart rate and body temperature to come down after a workout. So, if you’re someone who works out in the evening, make sure you consider whether you’ve properly “come down” before getting ready for bed. Try working out a bit earlier, or comparing your sleep on the nights where you do work out in the evening prior vs. those in which you do not.
Have your heavy meals or alcohol early
We’re not here to tell you not to have heavy meals or alcohol. Go ahead - indulge when the occasion calls for it! However, we would recommend (for your sleep’s sake) that you try and cut the eating or the drinking earlier in the evening. Giving your body enough time to digest and rebalance is crucial to getting your sleep on track.
Keep the blinds closed during the day
There’s nothing worse than walking into the bedroom before bed and you can just feel that it’s warmer than you want it to be. If you’re leaving your blinds open during the day, that’s just hours worth of heat penetrating through your windows. Most of us have upstairs bedrooms - and we all know heat rises! Keeping the blinds closed during the day will block some of the heat, and better maintain the cool from the night before.
Consider showering before bed
There’s one quick and easy way to drop or balance your body temperature - hop in the shower before bed. Also some people just love the feeling of being clean before they hop into bed - that can certainly help in terms of putting you into the right mentality to fall asleep.
Introduce new cooling products into your routine
There’s better technology out there today than ever before to help you regulate your body temperature through the night. From a new fan, dehumidifier, cooling mattress pad, or pillow - consider how or where you feel the heat the most, and what tools might help you best keep cool. We know that so much of your heat comes out of your head, and believe having the right pillow to help absorb that heat can make a big impact. We recommend our Otter or Hippo pillows if you run hot, but all of our pillows are highly breathable.
Any other tips about how to beat the summer heat while you sleep? We’d love to hear them! Give us a shout on social @lagoonsleep, or shoot us a note at hello@lagoonsleep.com
