It is hot. You start to sweat under the covers, but you can't fall asleep without them. You keep getting up to drink something and cool yourself down with cold water. Then the dilemma starts all over again. It gets light far too early. A classic summer night in which you toss and turn and, if you do, only sleep briefly and restlessly.
Does it have to be that way? Absolutely not! With our tips for restful summer nights, you can get your well-deserved sleep even when the temperature is record high and enjoy all the beautiful things this season has to offer.
1 – The art of the well-tempered bedroom
If you don't have air conditioning at home, you often complain about a heated apartment in the summer and it's too hot to sleep at night. In the bedroom in particular, the ideal temperature is actually between 16 and 18°C. To ensure that this doesn't remain a pipe dream, only air your rooms early in the morning or late at night when it has already cooled down. During the day the windows remain closed and - at least in the bedroom - preferably darkened.
Also make sure to keep all unnecessary electrical devices away from your sleeping area, as they are additional sources of heat. It's better to charge your cell phone in the living room and leave the television turned off. This also has other advantages, as you will soon find out.
2 – No light in dreamland
Our bodies need darkness to sleep, which is why we do it best at night. However, if the eyes come into contact with light, less of the sleep hormone melatonin is released and we do not switch to sleep mode. All year round, it's better to avoid watching TV, cell phones and Netflix right before you go to sleep. (Tip: Activating the blue light filter on your smartphone or tablet, often referred to as “night mode,” helps protect your eyes.)
Especially in summer, when it gets light outside long before the alarm clock, it's best to close the curtains in the evening and lower the blinds so that your gentle slumber is not interrupted unnecessarily early.
3 – Cool down – but do it right
Sweaty and hot after a day in the sun, are you looking forward to a refreshing shower before bed? In fact, counterintuitively, you should take a lukewarm shower in the evening, because cold water stimulates blood circulation - so it has the opposite effect of cooling you down. To increase the cooling effect after the shower, do not dry yourself completely, but let the water on your skin evaporate on its own.
Do you often struggle with feet that are too warm when you fall asleep in the summer? Try using a hot water bottle that you fill with cold water instead of hot. If you don't have any at home, thin socks that you wet, wring out and put in the freezer for a few minutes can also help.
4 – Nightcap for quiet nights
You probably know that you should drink a lot in summer. We lose so much fluid through sweating throughout the day that we often wake up at night very thirsty and have to get something to drink. So that you don't have to get up every time, put a glass of water next to your bed and make sure you drink enough throughout the day. You can read about the minimum amount of liquid you need per day in this article. To ensure that you replenish electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium or potassium that are lost through sweat, always reach for isotonic drinks or still mineral water.
In the evening you can add a few drops of our organic herbal elixir Dreams Maker to your drinks to gently support relaxation with the power of the plant world.
5 – The best supper
In addition to drinking, you should also make sure your diet contains all the necessary minerals, vitamins and trace elements. Especially on summer evenings, a light dinner is the best choice to quickly fall into a restful sleep. A delicious soup with organically grown ingredients, for example, is quick to prepare, rich in nutrients, filling without weighing you down and also helps to improve your fluid balance. The warm meal is also easy to digest and cools the body from the inside out.
6 – The stuff dreams are made of
How you lie in bed is how you lie. That's why different materials are required for summer sleeping quarters than in winter. Linen and cotton are breathable and have a cooling effect on the skin, which is why they are particularly suitable as summer bed linen. If you sweat a lot, you can also consider investing in a special mattress topper that conducts body heat particularly well.
When it comes to pajamas, you can also rely on the materials mentioned above. If you prefer to sleep without it, make sure you cover yourself well even in summer; Because the body's temperature regulation doesn't work while you sleep, the risk of catching a cold increases.
7 – Moving end to the day
Enough exercise during the day ensures better sleep. On hot days, however, it's better to postpone sweaty workouts until the cool morning hours so that you don't heat yourself up by exercising before you go to bed. In addition to an increase in body temperature, melatonin release is also inhibited after exercise. A casual evening walk or gentle stretching exercises are no problem.
Conclusion: Gentle strategy for a restful sleep
There are just a handful of tips that will significantly improve your sleep routine in the summer and ensure that you feel cool and rested. Darkness, the right cooling technique, plenty of fluids and a healthy diet are the pillars of a good night's sleep all year round, but they especially show their value on hot tropical nights.
We hope our blog will make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep in the summer in the future. For even more content about a healthy lifestyle, follow us on Instagram and Facebook - we still have loads of good tips in store.
