Keeping yourself cool during Summer

Are you among the percentage of Aussies that prefer to don a night gown or a pair of pyjamas prior to bed? According to sleep expert, Professor Jim Ellis, those that choose to sleep in the nude might have the right idea.

 

Professor Jason Ellis, Director of the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research states: “our body temperate changes when we sleep, so in the evening we start to cool down and then in the early hours of the morning we heat up again.”

 

That means if you’re wearing pyjamas or something else to bed, you’re not going to be able to regulate your own temperate very well. If you’re like the majority of Australians, that can’t give up your pj’s, don’t worry! Ellis advises that cotton and silk are the best materials to opt for. “They allow you to breathe and help regulate your own body temperate.”

 

 

Keep cool, even when wearing pyjamas

Fear not if you can’t give up wearing clothes when night time comes. Professor Ellis has some helpful tricks to avoid overheating in bed.

 

1. Stick your feet out

 

If you’re ever feeling hot, take your ankles out from under the blanket, as we lose our heat through our head, hands, and our feet. Our hands and head are already out of the sheets, so the only other place that needs to lose heat is our feet.

 

2. Use breathable bedding

 

When it comes to sleeping comfortably, you shouldn’t focus on the number of blankets or pillows. The wrong material can trap too much heat, which pushes your body temperate into the discomfort zone. Materials such as polyester tend to trap heat, and are much less breathable than their natural counterparts, such as cotton, linen, wool, and bamboo. Natural fibres will also help wick away moisture, such as sweat.

 

 

3. Plan your workout strategically

 

Countless studies support the idea that exercise promotes higher quality sleep, but the timing of your workout plays a much larger role in whether you can sleep easily or not. When you work out, everything gets fired up and elevates your body temperate which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Research suggests that exercising early in the morning can help you sleep more than workouts that take place in the evening.

 

Not too keen on an early wakeup for a workout? Opting to exercise between 5:00pm and 7:00pm as your body temperate is still fairly high at this point, so you can burn off all your remaining energy. It’s also early enough that you still have plenty of time to cool down before you head to bed.

 

 

4. Take a warm bath prior

 

I know it sounds counterintuitive, you’re trying to avoid overheating, right? So why get into a warm bath or shower? When you’re in the bath or shower, you’ll feel hotter but as soon as you step one foot out, you’ll cool down quickly as the moisture on your skin begins to evaporate.

 

Try to get your relaxation soak in at least one hour before bed, to give your body enough time to chill before you slide in under the covers.