3 Weird Ways to Cure Summer Insomnia That Really Work
Trust us, you'll sleep like a baby.
If warmer weather and longer daylight hours are keeping you from reaching the deep sleep you crave, these easy home cures can help!
Eat your water.
One unexpected cause of poor sleep in summer: low-grade dehydration. Even being slightly parched disrupts the “body clock” that regulates your sleep cycle, making you restless. The fix: Snack on frozen grapes before bed. The chilly treat brims with electrolyte-charged “gel water,” which Quench author Dana Cohen, M.D., explains is proven to be up to twice as hydrating as regular H2O. Another plus: Gel water disperses fluid slowly, keeping you hydrated longer without triggering overnight bathroom breaks.
Schedule ‘sunset’ indoors.
While summer’s longer days mean more time for warm-weather fun, late-evening sunsets cause the body to produce less of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, robbing us of as much as two hours of good snooze time a night! The surprisingly simple fix: After 7 pm, close your blinds and switch to using side or table lamps instead of brighter overhead lights. New research from the University of Houston in Texas suggests that dimming the rooms you use most for at least three hours before bedtime increases melatonin production by more than 58%, making it even more effective than slipping on expensive blue light-blocking glasses at night.
Chill your night-for free!
The same hot water bottle that keeps you toasty in the winter can keep you cool in the summer. Simply fill it with ice-cold water and place it in bed when you turn in for the night. The cold temperature will slowly dissipate, keeping the bed — and you! — cool for up to 8 hours. The proof: Recent University of Texas research that suggests the trick can help you fall asleep 36 percent faster and snooze more soundly.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
