Contents
The technique to sleep better even if it is very hot
Sleep
Controlling body temperature is the key to being able to fall asleep (and maintain) sleep on hotter nights
Yes, sleep well on hottest days, it seems that the solution is a fan or an air conditioner. But of course, they are not always available, and there are those who face hot nights without electrical allies.
Do not panic: although it is a complex situation, (Javier Albares, medical director of the Sleep Unit of the Teknon Medical Center in Barcelona and a member of the SES assures that «the ideal temperature for sleeping is 17 degrees“And” if there are 25 out, it’s difficult “), with a few little tricks you can achieve the goal.
If during the day we have kept our house as cool as possible, it will be easier for it to have a temperature at night
nicer. The doctor’s recommendation is, at bedtime, opening windows and doors to create a little draft.
The key: cotton clothing
In addition, among the basic tips, he ensures that it is essential to collect our hair if we have it long, and wear light cotton clothing at night. “It is even better than sleeping without anything, since the natural fabric will absorb perspiration”, advises Javier Albares.
Also, during the day, it is important take care of our diet to be able to sleep better. Thus, the professional advises to hydrate during the day with water, and avoid the consumption of caffeinated beverages, alcohol, or eat a very copious meal at night. “If we eat very heavy, we may feel more heat at night, as this is the cause of active digestion,” he says.
Is it dangerous to sleep with the air conditioning?
“Air conditioning itself does not have any contraindication as long as it meets the necessary health conditions and the appropriate temperature,” explains Dr. Manuel Serrano, head of the Internal Medicine Service at Hospital la Luz. Even so, it is essential to understand that, depending on how it is used, it can cause health problems (or not). Dr. Robert Téllez, specialist in General Medicine and internist at Vithas Granada, comments that if we abuse its use, this can lead to certain contraindications and cause certain ailments and discomforts such as headache and migraine, dry eye, dehydration, respiratory problems, dry skin, and muscle contractures.
If we see that we will not be able to with the heat, another thing that can be done is take a shower with fresh water (but without going overboard) just before getting into bed to regulate the body temperature a bit. “Like, if we wake up in the middle of the night with a lot of heat, we can go out to take a shower, or take a walk around the house to cool off a bit before going back to bed,” he says.
Javier Albares also leaves one more trick of ‘being at home’: we can put the pillowcase, or some socks, in the freezer before sleeping, so that we can fall asleep more comfortably. In the case of socks, by reducing the temperature of the feet, so does the rest of the body. Finally, if it is comfortable for us, we can spray ourselves with a spray of water. “Anything that helps us is fine, as long as it doesn’t keep us ‘too’ cool,” recalls the professional.