There really is nothing better than a long sunny day but when the sunny weather starts to disrupt 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 just to get a good night’s sleep. We’re going to take a look at what causes our bedrooms to firstly 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 a number of reasons. For upstairs bedrooms, heat rises and in the warm weather, there’s nowhere else for it 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 then check that your air vent isn’t closed or obstructed as this could be the culprit. Finally, although it seems counterintuitive we should try to 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 itself, there may be a number of other contributory factors to a poor night’s sleep on warmer nights and these include bedding, material choices and not making use of external cooling aids.”
How can you keep your bedroom cool in the summer heat?
“Now that we have an idea of some of the reasons why our bedrooms can get so hot, let’s look at some solutions to the problem.
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Firstly, our windows are a huge heat source for our bedrooms. Try to keep your curtains and blinds closed during the hottest hours of the day or when the sun is shining directly in as this will block some of the intense heat out. Secondly, keep windows closed during the day and finally check that your air vents are open and unobstructed.
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Invest in cool fabrics for your bedding. When we think of summer interiors we imagine light and airy fabrics and this certainly 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.
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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 tog 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.
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Even your pillow material can have an impact on your sleep in the summer. Opt for down-filled pillows as these are light and fluffy and more breathable than those with a 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.
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Invest in a cooling mattress topper. Choose a mattress topper made of gel-infused foam or latex as these are designed to regulate temperature and keep you cool throughout the night.
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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 going to bed and you’ll get instant refreshing coolness as you drift off to sleep.
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Bring out the hot water bottle. Yes, you read that right but instead of boiling water; freeze your hot water bottle to provide a cooling ice block for your bed.
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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.” – Deirdre Mc Gettrick, home expert, co-founder and CEO of ufurnish.com.
