Sleep tips: How to get a good night sleep during a heatwave, including a genius hack that won’t cost a cent

With much of the country set to swelter this week through the most significant heatwave to grip Australia in six years, many of us will be left to toss and turn in our beds.

Getting a good night sleep during a heatwave can be tricky, and research from late last year has even shown the associated sleepless nights can be bad for your health.

So, to quote Aussie band Midnight Oil, how do you sleep when your bed is burning?

Read on for our step-by-step guide for sleeping during a heatwave, including a genius hack that won’t cost a cent but is guaranteed to cool you down.

According to the Sleep Health Foundation, there are a number of things you can do to help you get a good night’s sleep during a heatwave.

A few hours before bed

It is easy to become dehydrated during hot weather, so make sure you drink plenty of water during the day and avoid alcohol and too much caffeine, which can cause dehydration and also affects your sleep.

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Research has found the ideal sleeping temperature is between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius.

Prepare your house and room early in the day for an expected heatwave. Close window coverings and decide where you are going to spend the night.

If your bedroom is the hottest room in the house, why not move out to the living room?

Set up the room where you are going to be sleeping with either a ceiling fan or a small pedestal fan if you don’t have air conditioning or don’t want to run it overnight.

An evaporative cooling system is another option.

Even if it is hot, open a window so air can circulate and you are ready for any cool breeze that might eventuate.

Hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window will cool the air entering the room.

Preparing for bed 

Having a cool shower before you go to bed can help cool you off. If you are having trouble sleeping or falling back to sleep, you can even try another cool shower.

Dress thoughtfully for bed by exposing as much of your skin as possible to flowing air.

Avoid synthetic materials. Instead wear cotton pyjamas or clothing such as sleeveless tops, loose fitting shorts, underwear, a short nightie or nothing at all.

Make sure you make up your bed with cotton sheets that can be loosely draped over your body during the night.

Genius hack

One of our favourite hacks that won’t cost you a cent is a cooling towel.

You can buy a cooling towel product or you can make your own cool towels at home simply by soaking a towel in cold water, wringing it out and placing it in the fridge until it is time to use it.

You can also add a few drops of soothing lavender oil to help aid sleep.

Some people like to take a cold face washer, towel or ice pack to bed with them to place on their skin during the night.

A hot-water bottle can be made cold, but if using ice, make sure you have a barrier such as a sheet or cloth so you do not burn your skin.

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Once in bed

The temperature of your hands and feet are particularly important for sleeping, so try placing your feet or a foot outside any covers.

Once you fall asleep, your core body temperature drops, reaching a low point between 3am and 5am, so make sure you also have a lightweight doona or blanket ready to pull over you in case you wake up cold.

Make sure you have some water by your bedside ready to sip.

A thermal bottle full of chilled water and ice is best as it will stay cool all night and is less likely to spill.

Try to relax

Once you are in bed, try to relax and not think about the heat, as stressing about it will only make it worse.

When it’s hot, you will feel more uncomfortable and restless. You are less likely to sleep deeply, and wake often, and when you do wake up, you may have trouble getting back to sleep.

Don’t keep checking the clock as this will cause an emotional reaction.

The key is to stay calm and relaxed and try to achieve a ‘dozy’ state.

Keep your thoughts positive and neutral – don’t dwell on things that may make you emotional or make your mind too busy. Breathe slowly and deeply.

If you are frustrated, get up and try to cool off using one of the steps above and calm down.

Try not to get anxious about how you will be affected by reduced sleep. After all, you will not be the only one coping with less sleep during a heatwave.

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