It’s the third week of July and we are well into the heart of summer, with temperatures across the country reaching well into the 90s and 100s. I don’t know about you, but I was born in the rain belt and I prefer my days in the mid-60s. At night, I can’t sleep if it’s over 70-degrees! Throughout the years, I have accumulated many tips and tricks to keep cool during the hot summer nights, so for those of us who need a little more cool in our lives than we can afford on an AC bill, here are my favorite tricks to keep cool:
1. Buy a Hot Waterbottle
I know, it seems counter-intuitive if you’re trying to keep cool. But, filling a hot water bottle and sticking it in the freezer turns it into the perfect bedtime ice pack. Slide the cold water bottle beneath the sheets at your feet. A wave of cold will cover your feet and keep you cool well after you’ve fallen asleep.
2. Create a cross-breeze
One fan in the wrong place doesn’t cool a room, it just circulates warm air. Place a fan opposite an open window, so the warm air is pushed out the window by the fan while fresh air circulates in. Keep in mind that this works best if the summer night outside isn’t still 90 degrees, and two fans may be a better option.
3. Make a Smart Sheet Choice
As wonderful as silk or polyester sheets maybe, light cotton sheets have the most breathability and will result in the least amount of sweat. If you’re getting too hot and sweaty while you sleep, consider swapping sheets for a more lightweight cotton option.
4. Sleep Like an Egyptian
Did you know the ancient Egyptians had a simple method for cooling themselves off on hot summer nights? They soaked light sheets in water, wrung them out, and slept with the cool wet cloth over their skin. Additionally, they opened windows and let a breeze run over the water, as the blanket dries your body is cooled. You can easily replicate this method by wetting a light cotton sheet and wringing it out. Put a towel over your mattress if you’re worried about drippage.
5. Get Low
Hot air rises, so the coolest part of any room is nearest to the floor. Camping in your living room is one fun way to achieve this, but pulling your mattress onto the floor or sleeping on bamboo mats are also effective ways to keep low. If you sleep in a house with multiple stories, consider sleeping on the ground level if your second-floor room gets unbearably warm.
6. Use Cold-Compresses
Ice packs can be placed at certain critical points, often called “Pulse Points”, and force your body to cool dramatically. In addition, place ice packs at the back of the neck, the armpits, the wrists, the ankles, the groin, and the crook of the elbow or the back of the knee to achieve a quick cool-down.
7. Ice Your Breeze
To create your own icy breeze, place cookie sheets (or a similar flat, long container) of ice in front of your fans. In fact, the ice will cool the air and as the ice melts the cool water will catch the breeze. It’s a quick, easy trick to turn any fan into the perfect room-cooler.
8. Keep the Sun Out
Although, it may sound simple, but keeping your bedroom blinds or curtains tightly closed during the day helps keep the temperature from rising. Keeping the temperature down during the day.
9. Get Rid of Pesky Pajamas
Sleeping in the nude is one of the best ways to eliminate extra heat while you’re sleeping. Most fabrics hold on to heat, whereas your body naturally thermoregulates itself without clothing. Get rid of silk or satin pajamas, and if you won’t go full commando in your own bed, stick with light cotton pajamas and try to wear loose shirts over other options.
10. Wet Your Windows
Take a cotton sheet, wet it, wring it out, and hang it over the open windows in your bedroom before bed. Placing cool water over the window will help cool the night air as it enters your room! Surely, following these tips and tricks will keep you cool on hot summer nights.
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