With summer in full swing many of us are enjoying the warmer temperatures and longer days.
However, with this comes some potential health risks.
One such risk is not being able to get enough sleep due to the heat and light, something that can make day-to-day life difficult and impact our health if it goes on for too long.
With this in mind experts from furniture and mattress suppliers Bed Kingdom, shared some top tips for sleeping in the heat with Express.co.uk.
A spokesperson for Bed Kingdom said: “Summer is a very disruptive time for sleep. With longer daylight hours and elevated temperatures, people are always searching for ways to keep cool.
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“While fans and bedding can be important, keeping cool at night is something everyone can do on a budget.
“Sleeping in less clothing or keeping blankets and duvets pulled back can be some of the easiest ways to get a good night’s sleep in the summer months.
“With many countries around the world seeing record-breaking temperatures in the summer months, it will be interesting to see if sleeping habits begin to change during the season.”
As part of their advice they recommended three sleeping positions that can help keep you cooler through the night.
These are side sleeping, the “starfish” and the “log”.
“Sleep like a starfish,” they said. “Side sleeping is best as the amount of contact between the mattress and your body is smaller, however, sleeping with your arms and legs stretched out increases the surface area so that sweat can evaporate and cool you faster.
“The next best position for a cool night’s sleep is the log.
“This is a side sleeping position that has the legs straight down and not tucked up.
“These positions are best because they allow a greater portion of your body to have fresh air as you sleep. “
They also shared other simple methods of staying cool at night.
Freeze your sheets
“A slightly unconventional tip, putting sheets and pillowcases in the freezer can make a huge difference at night,” they said.
“To do this and not suffer from wet sheets as they thaw, place the bedding into a plastic bag and then into the freezer. A few minutes are enough to cool the material and it will stay cold long enough for you to fall asleep.”
Have space between you and your partner
They said: “If you have a partner, it might be worth putting some distance between you and them in bed. Having a bit of space can improve air circulation instead of sharing body heat which may keep you awake.
“Separate bedding might also be helpful if there isn’t a lot of space to spare and this tip also includes pets.”
Sleep downstairs
They advised: “Heat rises so the coolest part of a room or house is closest to the ground. During hot months it can be better to sleep on the lowest floor of the house.
“If space is an issue or there isn’t a ground floor, try to move your mattress closer to the floor using slats or something to keep it slightly elevated so that air can still circulate.”
Keep your blinds closed
The experts said: “Heat can transfer from the sun into a room. During the hottest parts of the day, consider keeping blinds and curtains closed to block any unwanted heat transferring.
“This is especially important if any windows are facing the sun. If your blinds are dark in colour, consider switching them for a light cream or white to stop them from absorbing the heat.”
