A sleep expert offers tips: How can you sleep like a baby despite the heat?

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When it’s hot outside, heat builds up inside. On the other hand, lowering the blinds and closing or tilting the windows during the day can help. A shelter is made from the apartment, into which light and heat are not allowed.

“The recommended temperature in the bedroom is 15 to 18 degrees,” says Marc Spielmanns, sleep specialist and chief physician at the Zurich rehabilitation centers. However, according to the doctor, it is difficult to reach this temperature when it is very hot outside. “Anything above 20 to 21 degrees is generally perceived as unpleasant.”

take a shower and sleep naked

So what to do when the bedroom turns into a sauna? “It’s definitely a good idea to shower before bed,” Spielmanns says. It is important not to take cold showers. “The water should be a little colder, but not too cold.” Even if you wake up in a sweat at night and can’t sleep, the sleep expert recommends wet cooling.

You can do without clothes at night, as the doctor explains: “Terrycloth pajamas are inconvenient. The function of the clothes is usually to keep you warm, so it is recommended not to wear them when the temperature is high. This allows air to enter the body and the body can naturally regulate body temperature with the help of sweating. But you should still get a blanket.

“Always point the fan away from you”

A very specific tip: cold compresses on the calves. An ancient home remedy that is also used for fever. “This point is recommended as there is little neuritis in the calves.” It is quite inefficient to place envelopes in the neck. This also applies to sleeping in a wet, cool shirt. Envelopes should only be left open for five to ten minutes. It is useful to repeat the application after a short time.

Putting the pillowcase in the freezer before going to bed should be avoided. “This can cause inflammation in the middle ear or nose.” Fans can also cause such problems. Some people may react sensitively if the airflow is too strong. “Under no circumstances should you point the fan at yourself. You better set it to blow against the window,” says Spielmanns.

Very cold drinks are not cheap either. Because this leads to secondary heating. The expert recommends: “Moderately chilled drinks are better!” On such hot days, it’s usually important to drink enough fluids. Two to three liters of water are required. And if you want, it’s best to put a bottle of water next to the bed. So when he wakes up at night, he is ready to cool off.

Women are more likely to have trouble sleeping

Men and women perceive heat differently. It’s harder to fall asleep but basically everyone does it. Spielmanns: “In principle, women cope better with heat. Men tolerate cold better.” A study also shows that women generally struggle more with sleep problems.

Spielmanns says that there is another factor that affects sleep quality in the summer months and continues: “Now we get more daylight. For many, it’s a problem to get some rest at ten o’clock in the evening when it’s still light.” This is why the bedroom should always be darkened.

Biorhythm breaks down in heat

In general, sleep disturbances on warm nights manifest as an inability to sleep deeply. “You wake up more often and the dream phases get shorter,” says the sleep expert. Since the body usually reaches its lowest core temperature between three and five o’clock – we are talking about a “normal” night. If the outside temperature is quite high, this works against the biorhythm. “At first, it’s harder to fall asleep, and then the biorhythm isn’t optimally clocked, so the body wakes up more easily.”

Source : Blick