6 Ways to Sleep More Soundly This Summer

When the dog days of summer hit, many people find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Read why this happens and discover ways to sleep more soundly this summer.

1. Regulate the room temperature

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the optimal temperature for sleep is 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally, this is much easier to achieve in the cooler months of the year. In the summer, it can be difficult and costly to set your room temperature this low. So if you’re having trouble getting to 67 degrees, use a fan and a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers generally use less energy than air conditioners, and they’ll help cool off the room by removing the moisture in the air. This alone may not get you to optimal sleep temperature, but it can take some pressure off of the air conditioning system to help reduce energy cost.

2. Invest in blackout curtains

June 21 is the longest day of the year, and this may result in some sun disturbance while you’re trying to sleep. Blackout curtains will help keep the morning and evening sun out of your bedroom, so if you’re trying to sleep during daylight hours, you won’t have any trouble. As an added benefit, blackout curtains provide a deeper level of insulation than standard curtains, so your air conditioning will run more efficiently.

3. Take a nighttime shower

Showering actually mimics the body’s natural cooling process (sweating), so a quick shower before bed can help keep your body cool as you drift off to sleep. Even after you towel dry, your body is still holding moisture. And as that moisture evaporates, it creates a cooling effect on your skin. Naturally, this is temporary, but it can keep you cool for long enough so you can get to sleep.

4. Use cooling sheets

The type of sheets you use in the summertime will have an impact on your body temperature. Sheets with a high thread count tend to trap heat and make you feel warmer. If at all possible, try to avoid microfiber or flannel sheets, which are designed to make you feel warm. Instead opt for fabrics like silk, sateen, bamboo, or linen. Cotton sheets are fine for summer as long as you look for sheets with a lower thread count (between 200 and 400).

5. Take it easy on the cocktails

In the heat of the summer, we tend to overdo it with the cooling cocktails. A frozen margarita here and nice cold beer there isn’t much of a problem. But when you have a few drinks before bed, it may interfere with your ability to sleep. At least one study suggests that alcohol before bed interferes with the body’s ability to enter REM sleep, which is a deep, restful sleep stage. So if you’re overdoing it at the summer barbecues, you may not be sleeping as well as you should be.

6. Upgrade your mattress

You might be surprised to learn that the latest trend in mattresses isn’t necessarily the best mattress for keeping cool. Memory foam mattresses absorb and retain more heat than other mattresses. But if you enjoy this style, you have options. You can opt for a memory foam mattress with a cooling gel layer. Or you can get a gel mattress topper to keep your mattress from absorbing your body heat at night. Some people find the body heat issue to be more problematic than others, but if you’re sweating bullets at night, it may be time to upgrade your mattress.

Many people find it more challenging to sleep in the summer, but with a few extra steps, you can regulate the temperature of your room and body to get a great night’s sleep.