As much as we all love a bit of sunshine, I think it’s fair to say we’d be lying if we said we loved everything about it.
I mean, really. You can’t tell me you love the sunburn that 10 times out of 10 comes as a package deal, or the lack of aircon in the office which results in you resembling a melted ice pop every day.
Or, in fact, the lack of a good night’s sleep which comes with the nights getting hotter, only getting worse as the temperature creeps that bit closer to the 30°C mark.
Obviously, we always have the option of a trusty fan to keep us cool in the summer months, but ever since it came out they could actually be dangerous for us, we’ve rightly been a tad wary of them.
Not to worry though, because a couple of sleep experts have given The Independent a few handy tips as to what we can do to get the best night’s sleep. And if you were thinking of opening your window anytime soon, don’t!
Not because it could cause any health problems like the fans, or because creepy crawlies could come through the open windows (which they 100 per cent can, so I’d watch out for those), but because keeping the window closed throughout the day actually keeps your house cooler.
Who knew? Sleep expert Dave Gibson, that’s who. He also advised to keep your curtains closed for that same reason, as well as advising you not to eat too much protein as this can actually heat your body up by boosting your metabolic rate.
More advice includes eating spicy foods (at least three hours before bed though!), putting your bedding in the freezer for a couple of minutes, and filling a hot water bottle with iced water and placing it on your knees, ankles, wrists, neck, groin, and elbows.
For all of you in relationships, listen up. According to expert advice, it’s best not to sleep in the same bed as your partner when it’s hot outside because two bodies equals twice the body heat.
Basically, if you’ve gotten a bit fed up with your other half’s constant snoring or sleep talking, you’ve now got the perfect excuse to sleep in a separate bed. Why? Science.
According to Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a sleep expert at Silentnight, the optimal bedroom temperature for sleeping is between 16°C and 21°C – which still seems pretty high to me.
Ramlakhan told The Independent:
A good night’s sleep is important in order to process information throughout the day as well as to repair and re-balance the body physically and mentally.
Ideally, in order for us to sleep well, there needs to be a fractional temperature difference between our body and our brain – a warm body and a cool head.
Other handy tips include exercising in the morning rather than at night, keeping your feet outside the covers, and rinsing your wrists and feet with cold water before getting into bed.
If all that fails, I recommend just tipping a load of cold water over yourself before getting into bed. What could possibly go wrong?*
(*Everything. Do not try this at home.)
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).