Nothing is better than a long sunny day, but when the sunny weather disrupts our night’s sleep, we can quickly want to return to cooler weather. But fear not; you don’t need to move to the Antarctic this summer to get a good night’s sleep.
As we look at what causes our bedrooms to get hot and what we can do to remedy this. In no time, our bedrooms will be a cool, comfortable sanctuary for the summer months.
Why do bedrooms get so hot during the summer?
Bedrooms get hot during the summer months for several reasons. Heat rises for upstairs bedrooms, and in the warm weather, there’s nowhere else to go, so it settles in upstairs rooms. Another reason our bedrooms hold on to so much heat is having the curtains or blinds open and allowing the sun to shine in.
If your bedroom is exceptionally warm compared to the rest of your house, check that your air vent isn’t closed or obstructed, as this could be the culprit.
Finally, although it seems counterintuitive, we should avoid opening our bedroom windows on very hot days as this allows the external hot air to enter the room. Wait until the day has cooled down before letting some air in.
Apart from the heat, there may be several other contributing factors to a poor night’s sleep on warmer nights, including bedding, material choices, and not using external cooling aids.
How can you keep your bedroom cool in the summer heat?
Deirdre Mc Gettrick, home expert, co-founder and CEO of ufurnish, shares solutions to the problem.
Now that we know why our bedrooms can get so hot let’s look at some solutions to the problem.
- Firstly, our windows are a huge heat source for our bedrooms. Keep your curtains and blinds closed during the hottest hours of the day or when the sun shines directly in, as this will block some of the intense heat. Secondly, keep windows closed during the day, and finally, check that your air vents are open and unobstructed.
- Invest in cool fabrics for your bedding. When we think of summer interiors, we imagine light and airy fabrics, which translates to bedding. Linen and cotton will be your best friends during the warmer months as woven from natural fibres, they breathe well, allowing you to stay cool.
- Swap out your duvet. A duvet’s tog rating relates to its warmth, so the higher the tog, the warmer the duvet. For summer, anything between 2.5 and 7 togs will be perfect, and with a huge range of interchangeable duvets offering two togs in one, you’ll be able to take it the whole year through.
- Even your pillow material can impact your sleep in the summer. Opt for down-filled pillows as they are light, fluffy, and more breathable than those with synthetic fill, making them perfect for summer. You can also choose a pillow designed specifically for cooling, such as those made with cooling gel or ventilated memory foam, which will help dissipate the heat throughout the night.
- Invest in a cooling mattress topper. Choose a mattress topper made of gel-infused foam or latex to regulate temperature and keep you cool overnight.
- Freeze your sheets! Place your bed sheets and pillowcases in sealed plastic bags and put them in the freezer for a few minutes before bedtime. Take them out just before bed, and you’ll get instant refreshing coolness as you drift off to sleep.
- Bring out the hot water bottle. Yes, you read that right but freeze your hot water bottle instead of boiling water to provide a cooling ice block for your bed.
- Finally, why not consider a fan? Position the fan to blow cool air directly onto your bed but avoid running the fan throughout the night as this can quickly dry out your eyes, ears, and mouth.
