If you have an air conditioner in your apartment, then we go to you. Joke. But seriously – what to do if the stuffiness and heat interfere with sleep.
In winter we complain that it is too cold and in summer that it is too hot. But if in winter the problem with comfort is solved with warm pajamas and an extra blanket, then in summer everything is more complicated. According to doctors, the optimal temperature for sleep is from +16 to +21 degrees. Moreover, the head should be cooler than the body – this way the body recovers more efficiently after a hard day. Therefore, we sleep under the covers. But now, when it’s +30 on the street, it’s even sickening to think about the blanket, but you can forget about +20 in the apartment.
Yes, most offices have air conditioning. But at home … It is simply impossible to fall asleep in such heat and stuffiness. But don’t sleep at work! We’ve put together 20 tips to help you get enough sleep without spending money on air conditioning.
1. Place the bedding in a bag and then in the freezer for a couple of minutes. If there is no room, try to stuff at least a pillowcase in there. This will give you a head start – you will have time to fall asleep while the laundry is cool.
2. Pour ice water into plastic bottles. Better to sleep with them in an embrace: you need to cool key points. And these are the folds of the elbows, knees, wrists, feet and neck. You can even freeze the bottle and put it to bed. Just wrap it in a cloth to keep the misting bottle from getting wet on the bed.
3. Pour cold water into a spray bottle and spray on your face, neck, and knees to cool.
4. Aloe-based body cream cools well. It is even better if it is kept in the refrigerator.
5. Bed linen should be made from natural, breathable fabrics. Best of all are silk, linen and quality cotton. Synthetics will only make your life worse.
6. Watch your diet: too much protein increases the metabolic rate, and you heat up faster, assures with reference to expert sleep doctor Dave Gibson.
7. But spicy food, oddly enough, helps to cool, because it makes us sweat, and this lowers the body temperature. But you need to eat it at least three hours before bedtime.
8. Exercise in the morning, not in the evening: Exercise raises your body temperature.
9. Take a warm shower, not a cold one. We are so arranged that if the ambient temperature suddenly cools down, the body will begin to work to preserve heat. And this is now definitely useless.
10. Keep windows closed and curtains drawn. So the heat from the street will penetrate less into the apartment. It is better if the curtains are dark. How else to cool a room without air conditioning, read HERE.
11. Turn off all electrical devices in the bedroom as they heat up and warm the air. Yes, it also applies to chargers.
12. Turn on a fan overnight. It will expel hot air from the room, and cool night air will replace it. And the breeze will give at least the illusion of freshness.
13. Place a bowl of ice in front of the fan. This will cool the air more efficiently.
14. Drink plenty of water, but not at night. The fluid should enter the body evenly throughout the day. And if you drink more than a glass at night, you will have to get up, and then it will be difficult to fall asleep again.
15. If you are not living alone, sleep separately. Two bodies – twice the heat.
16. The best way is to get out of bed and sleep on the floor.
17. Wear socks lightly dampened with cold water overnight. If you sleep in a T-shirt, you can also spray it with water.
18. Rinse your palms and feet with cold water before going to bed.
19. Keep menthol oil next to your pillow. When it’s hot, you can apply a drop to your forehead – the oil will help your head cool down.
20. Place a damp flannel cloth in the refrigerator an hour before bed. When going to bed, put it on your forehead – this way you will fall asleep faster.