Beat the heat: Do these 5 things to stay cool while sleeping

With the mercury set to hit at least 28^oC by Sunday, and lasting well into next week, getting that all-important restful night can sometimes feel impossible.

While countries such as Spain, France and Italy enjoy the luxury of air conditioning units and afternoon siestas, the UK has to muddle through and adopt innovative ways to get a good night’s sleep.

To help beat the heat this summer, Richard Essery, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at leading luxury bed manufacturer, Harrison Spinks, has put together their recommendations to help achieve comfort at bedtime during the next string of hot days.

1. Stay hydrated throughout the day

Drink water regularly during the day, but not too much at night. Staying hydrated throughout the day will mean you don’t disturb your sleep with a trip to the bathroom, as well as ensuring you stay cool while you sleep. About half a pint just before bed will ensure you’re hydrated throughout the night and keep a glass of cold water by your bed in case you wake up hot and uncomfortable.

2. Have a cool shower

Keep your evening shower cool or lukewarm to help lower your body temperature. Be sure not to have a freezing cold shower though, as this sudden change in temperature will force your body to react and preserve heat.

3. Invest in a cooling mattress

To help promote a better night’s sleep, ideally a decrease in body temperature will help to combat interruptions in the sleep cycle. As a result, cooling mattresses made with breathable components should help you sleep better and longer. The Harrison Spinks Lupin 12,000 mattress is handmade with layers of sustainable and natural materials, including wool and Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton has natural cooling properties due to its super fine strands and is an absorbent, high breathability fiber, keeping you cool and dry during the summer months with its superior temperature control. Wool is not only hypo-allergenic and antibacterial, but it also has natural breathability and moisture wicking properties to enable a cooler night's sleep, even during hot nights.

4. Exercise in the morning

Exercise unsurprisingly increases our body temperature, which is something we desperately want to avoid as we head to for some shut eye. Rather than exercising in the evening after work, exercise first thing to help with kick starting your metabolism and allow your core body temperature to cool down

5. Block out the sun

Although it might seem counter intuitive to close windows and blinds on a beautiful day, this simple hack will lower the room temperature considerably. If you can cool the temperature in your bedroom before going to bed, you’ll help ensure a restful night’s sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. If you are wanting to open windows to let fresh air in, open the windows and blinds on the shaded side of the house.