Can't Sleep In This Heat? This 30-Minute Fix Might Help

As I write this, I’m sitting on my (slightly cooler) living room floor, typing in front of the meagre breeze blowing in through my window.

That’s because the weather near me is an absolutely accursed 28°C, expected to reach 31°C tomorrow. 

New research suggests worse news: British summers are only likely to get hotter. 

The Met Office’s Dr Gillian Kay said the chance of exceeding temperatures of 40°C in the UK has been “rapidly increasing”, and it is now “over 20 times more likely than it was in the 1960s”.

She continued: “Because our climate continues to warm, we can expect the chance to keep rising. We estimate a 50-50 chance of seeing a 40°C day again in the next 12 years. We also found that temperatures several degrees higher than we saw in July 2022 are possible in today’s climate.” 

Heat ruins sleep, which is why I was pleased to hear from Dr Seeta Shah from PANDA London about how a 30-minute change could help.

Reset your bedtime in hot weather

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Shah revealed that the body’s natural circadian rhythm, or body clock, “adjusts to environmental cues”.

A 2012 paper found that heat affects slow-wave and rapid eye movement (SWS and REM) sleep, meaning the natural cycles you’re meant to go through when asleep are interrupted. 

So, “during extreme heat, consider going to bed slightly later when outdoor temperatures have dropped a few degrees,” the doctor advised. 

Keeping your windows and curtains shut throughout the day can help, she added.

“Rooms exposed to direct sunlight can retain heat well into the night, so
minimising daytime heat load can create a more sleep-friendly environment after sundown.”

Try not to go to sleep any later than 30-45 minutes after your usual bedtime though, as this too can disrupt your sleep pattern. And “make sure you still get adequate sleep duration by adjusting wake time if possible”, the doctor added.

Reconsider taking a very cold shower before bed

If the hot weather makes you think a pre-slumber cold shower might help, Dr Shah warned you might want to think again. 

“Many take a cold shower before bed in hot weather, but a shockingly cold shower can actually raise core body temperature as your body works to counteract the sudden cold,” she said.

“A lukewarm to slightly cool shower (around 32–35°C) is better. It gently reduces body temperature and triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, helping your body wind down and enter a sleep-conducive state.”

Noted!