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How to Keep Your Bedroom Cool Without Air Conditioning

Simple hacks to beat the heat.

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There’s so much to love about summer. Longer days, silky pajamas, mosquitoes, sweaty sheets, and restless nights! Okay, so the temperature surge isn’t all mangoes and piña coladas for everyone — it can cause broken sleep and long staring competitions with the ceiling, but a number of easy changes to your bedroom set-up can make a huge difference. Here are eight ways to ensure you catch some quality Zzzs even during the thickest of heatwaves.

Get the air moving.

If you’re a sleep-with-the-door-shut type of person you’re not allowing for crosswind airflow which, if you’ve been to any tropical destination, you would know helps you stay cool. So open up the windows, including those just outside your bedroom, as well as your bedroom door, to eliminate hot air and get the breeze circulating.

An even better alternative is to invest in a fan — either pedestal or ceiling. It ensures you always have air-flow even when the wind isn’t blowing outside. Not to mention that soothing blissful white noise which will help you get to sleep. Place a shallow bowl or pan of frozen water in front of a pedestal fan. The breeze will pick up the cold water from the ice as it melts; creating a cool mist that offers as much relief as air conditioning. Alternatively, keep a spray bottle on your bedside so you can mist your face and body.

Another hack is to position fans at cross angles, directed towards windows so you push hot air out. If you have a ceiling fan, reverse the setting so instead of blowing downwards, it sucks hot air upwards.

Invest in the right mattress.

Having a comfortable bed is conducive for quality sleep and if you’re a hot sleeper at the best of times, or just suffer through summer nights, you’ll want to take this into consideration when mattress shopping. If you bought yours more than eight years ago, it may be time for an upgrade in any case – with sweat and bacteria have built up in the fibers over the years. Prior to purchase, there’s a couple of questions to ask yourself:

Is it too soft, too firm, or just right? While some people are devout believers in the health benefits of a firm mattress others lean towards soft for comfort, while the majority of us prefer a balance between the two. The reality is the “perfect” firmness of a mattress depends entirely on the individual sleeping on it so be sure to test before you buy. Or, if you buy online, check there’s a decent trial period where you can return it for a full refund. The uncomfortable bed will only add to your frustration on humid nights. 

Does it contain cooling materials? Not all mattresses are created equal and out of the four types available on the market, traditional innerspring are known to offer the best air circulation due to the space between the coils.

Buy a new pillow.

The ideal temperature range for a good night’s sleep is 59 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit but we all know during the hot summer nights temperatures can linger around the 70’s — plus humidity — so “flipping your pillow to the cool side” will be an all-too-familiar practice. But with the advent of modern-day pillow designs, there’s no reason to let heat disrupt your sleep. 

Upgrade your sheets.

There are three types of bed linen which will ensure you stay cool and dry throughout the night.

Bamboo: One of the most breathable and absorbent materials you can buy.

100% Flax Linen: Although it’s more expensive, the loosely woven fibers of linen make it by far the most breathable fabric to sleep in. Not unlike bamboo, this fabric is eco-friendly and kind to your skin. It’s also cool in summer and warm in winter.

100% cotton: If you’re not into the texture of bamboo or linen bedding, cotton is still a great option. However, always read the label because a lot of the time “cotton sheets” are actually combination sheets featuring microfiber and polyester — which is going turn up the heat.

Lay low and block out windows.

Hot air rises so the lower you are to the ground, the cooler you will be. If you live in a two-story house with a guest bedroom on the ground floor, consider spending the night there. 

If you don’t have the luxury of an extra room, you can still ensure your room stays cool. Sunlight entering through windows during the day will cause the temperature in your bedroom to rise dramatically. Although it can feel a little morose, keeping the curtains or blinds closed throughout the day will stop this from happening.

Unplug all technology.

Leave your phone, computer, and anything else electrical unplugged and out of the room. Not only do their lights affect melatonin production — which you need for sleep — also they radiate heat, making sweaty nights even clammier.

Go up a size in pajamas.

Loose linen and cotton pajamas wick sweat from your body so it can actually be a cooler option than sleeping au natural.

Switch your light bulbs.

‘Traditional’ incandescent bulbs emit their wasted energy in the form of heat, which is very unpleasant on a hot summer night. Switch to energy-efficient LEDs, which are cool to the touch and will save you a fortune in power costs.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Homes to Love.

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