Struggling to Sleep in the Heat?
Almost a third of people (62%) say they struggle to sleep in very hot weather. Even if they use a fan it appears to make very little difference, simply circulating the warm air around.
Here are some tips to help sleep in the heat.
Whilst it's tempting to leave the windows open in the day it's far better to keep both windows and curtains closed and only open them in the evening. Maybe drape a damp towel over the curtain rail and let it act as a filter for the air that comes through.
In winter it's good to be cosy and warm but hot summer feet can prevent us from relaxing and going to sleep. Avoid taking a cold shower as it wakes you up. Instead, let a lukewarm shower rinse away the day's grime. Once in bed use a cool flannel under your feet or on your forehead.
Sleeping in the nude might seem a good idea but, when the weather's so hot, it's better to sleep in cotton pyjamas. They keep you cooler and absorb perspiration. Also, might you prefer to sleep alone in this weather, as having another overheated body too close can be a sleep-inhibitor.
We're all encouraged to exercise but, whilst it's so hot, avoid being too energetic for an hour or two before bed. A pleasant evening walk or some gentle yoga is a more beneficial way to wind down.
Keep hydrated; drink plenty of water during the day as dehydration can hinder good quality sleep in the heat. And keep caffeine, alcohol, sugar and refined carbs to a minimum.
When it's really hot some people like to put their bed sheets in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer. That way they chill without becoming damp.
Essential oils, relaxing music, maybe candles lit safely, all can contribute to a better night's sleep in the heat.
Babies and young children
They need to be kept out of direct sunlight, certainly between 11am - 3 pm. When young their skin produces only a little melanin, the pigment that gives some protection against sunlight.
Use sunscreen factor 30 and apply it liberally, especially if the children are being supervised whilst playing in the sea or a paddling pool. Use a parasol or sunshade if they're in a pram or else a wide-brimmed hat with long flap at the back.
Staying hydrated is important for children. Give them plenty of fluids; a little cooled boiled water, ice lollies made from plain boiled water or from well-diluted fruit juice.
Children sleep best when the bedroom temperature's 16-20 C, so keep their bedroom's windows and blinds closed during the day and use a fan to circulate the air. Maybe keep nightwear to a minimum; perhaps a nappy and a single well-secured sheet.
Give children a cool bath before bedtime.
All these are ways to support both yourself and your child to have a better night's sleep in the heat.
Do You Wind Down Before Bed?
Sleep has long been an issue. Even before coronavirus 90% of adults said they didn't get enough sleep and in 2018 a survey found that stress and sleep-related issues cost UK businesses £40 billion. 25% adults struggle with insomnia on a Sunday night, clearly demonstrating that concerns about the coming week impact on our ability to sleep well. Treating sleep as important and winding down before bed is a crucial element in getting a good night's sleep.
Some ways for to you wind down before bed;
With so many of us working from home it can be tempting to keep going until the last piece of work is finished or to check in 'just once more'. Certainly during the last few months of the global pandemic boundaries between the different areas of life have become blurred. Work, exercise, home education, leisure have been harder to manage as the way we dress, eat, live our lives has lost its previous familiar routine.
- Some people like to finish work and then burn off the day's adrenalin with a visit to the gym, a jog or some serious exercise. It can be a good way to draw a line under any work-related stress or frustrations and clear the way for a calmer evening.
- Or use the drive home to unwind, maybe listening to music, a podcast or even having a quiet 10 minutes parked up near home to quietly ground yourself, let go of the day's pressures and ensure that you're able to anticipate a pleasant evening ahead.
- Evening is a good time to plan a positive routine with good quality sleep the eventual outcome. Maybe take a relaxing walk, perhaps whilst dinner is cooking, and enjoy exploring the area near where you live. You may find it's a good way to wind down, perhaps with your partner or family and together draw the day to a gentle close.
- Are you lonely? It's true that it's possible to feel lonely in a crowd, especially if others seem active, happy and leading busy, fulfilling lives. Loneliness can get in the way of winding down when you're troubled with feeling alone, unsupported or misunderstood.
- Maybe start by connecting online with friends, groups, people with similar interests and build a supportive network around you. Find one that suits you, where you can chat and become more confident. Be cautious about sharing too much personal information but enjoy the opportunity to dip in and out.
- For those who work from home it's especially important to be vigilant about start and finish times. Emergencies aside, be firm about clocking off and give yourself time to clear your mind of work-related topics.
- Have a set time when you turn your work phone off and put it away or on charge. Unless there's an especially pressing matter educate your staff, clients and colleagues that you're not available 100% of the time. People are often fine about leaving a message once they know you'll pick it up first thing the next day.
-Tune in to positives, your successes and achievements each day. Doing that can deliver a real sense of pride and satisfaction and enable you to relax and wind down feeling good about your day. Tackling some unappetising paperwork, making a few calls, sending out emails can all be viewed as stepping-stones in the right direction. Feel positive about what you've achieved.
- Ensure your bedroom is comfortable and welcoming, a good place to wind down. Avoid clutter, too much technology and keep it as your calm retreat in a busy life. Clean sheets, relaxing colours and fabrics, good ventilation all make for a positive winding down experience after you've closed the bedroom door.
- An evening bath or shower can be a good way to end each day, symbolically cleansing away issues and stresses. Maybe set up an indulgent, prepare-for-bed routine for some, if not every, evening. Scented candles, perhaps a leisurely soak, warm towels can help ease you into a winding down, ready for bed mindset.
- Be disciplined about making a list for the next day. That way things don't need to constantly occupy your mind. You can relax knowing that they're on your list, ready for whenever you're next available to start.
- If you're going through a stressful or difficult time a journal can be an effective way to wind down. Keeping a regular appointment with your journal can help you process your thoughts and find some clarity and understanding.
- Reading is a popular way to wind down, with some people never getting beyond the first page before they fall asleep! Going to bed a little earlier with a good book can be a time you treasure at the end of a busy day.
By making time to wind down each day you're reinforcing the message that sleep should be treated with respect. You're proving that it's an important and valued part of your day. Doing things that support your relaxation, like yoga, meditation, phoning a friend for a chat, maybe going to bed a little earlier, invest in a daily routine, where you're taking care to wind down, be on track, ready to enjoy better health and a good night's sleep.
Are You Experiencing Weird Dreams?
Many people have reported disturbed sleeping patterns and weird dreams during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's hardly surprising that during times of disruption, disturbance and crisis people struggle to calm their minds and enjoy a restful, beneficial, good night's sleep.
COVID-19 has caused upheaval to all our lives. Everything that was familiar or secure has gone and no one has been left unaffected by its presence. People have seen family members, friends, neighbours or colleagues become unwell and maybe die. They may themselves have become unwell for a time.
Businesses have been forced to close, leaving staff and owners potentially without an income, career or business to return to. Schools are only opening for the children of key workers or vulnerable children, meaning that most parents have to educate, feed and manage their children from home whilst possibly trying to still work. Thriving high streets have become ghost towns as we're instructed to stay home and only leave for essential reasons.
Whilst this change of pace has brought with it the opportunity to reevaluate our lives and our priorities the prevailing fear and uncertainty has caused disruption to many people's sleep patterns.
Dreams allow our unconscious minds to process what's going on each day, to review and sometimes revise our perspective as a consequence. You've no doubt heard the phrase, 'sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning', meant to deter us from making any rash or hasty decisions. And yes, often after a good night's sleep a new way of thinking or feeling often does emerge.
But when it's not just us who's affected, when the news channels are saturated with statistics and instructions and we're in uncharted waters it's understandable if these unsettling times cause weird dreams.
Someone shared an interesting dream where people were walking in line, keeping a significant distance apart, with no one looking at each other. Whilst this is very familiar during COVID-19 it also references how detached we're becoming from each other. People are social-distancing, keeping themselves apart. Many people are watching each other, monitoring what customers in shops or their neighbours are doing, becoming suspicious or angry at how others should, must or ought to behave. There's little eye contact made in these situations.
Dreams allow our unconscious minds to work through issues and concerns in an effort to reinstate some semblance of control back into our lives. And so they may include unusual resources, where we're flying, jumping or leaping from one place to another, or perhaps feature a monster, mythical creature or celebrity who introduces special attributes and abilities.
Ways to support better sleep if you've experiencing weird dreams;
During this enforced time of change our diet and drinking habits may be very different. If we're getting up later we may be skipping breakfast or combining breakfast and lunch, rather than grabbing a sandwich and eating on the go. Our coffee habit may be different and alcohol sales have certainly soared. These sudden changes impact on our metabolic rate and affect our sleep and dreams.
- Establish a new daily routine. Getting up at the same time, showering, getting dressed, maybe working, exercising, taking regular meals all introduce order into your life and help you to feel more in control.
- Exercise, especially in the fresh air, is important in relieving stress and supports better sleep and dreaming. Being exercised mentally and physically allows us to tire and feel ready for sleep. If you're unable to walk maybe spend time in your garden or perhaps use one of the many free online exercise classes which offer something for all abilities.
- Be vigilant about diet, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Use this time to perfect your cooking abilities or start baking from scratch, maybe involving other family members too. Avoid the temptation to start drinking alcohol earlier each day, or consuming too much coffee.
- Ration your time watching the news or on social media. Nothing significant is likely to have happened in the last hour so avoid constantly checking for updates. Let yourself be distracted by other, more positive activities.
- Count your blessings. Yes, there's much to be upset about but worrying won't change that. Focus on what you do have; discover benefits, gratitude and smiles throughout each day and notice your stress levels gradually lessen.
- Allocate time for working and being productive. Set up a work station and designate specific hours for work or study. Why not commit to learning a new skill, a foreign language, practicing a musical instrument, reading or craft work. Treat this as important me time.
- Keep in contact with others. A phone call or online group can be a pleasant way to share advice or discuss how you're feeling and coping, especially if you're alone. Maybe send a 'thinking of you' card to someone who's on their own. And many business owners are finding that by being more flexible they're able to keep in touch with customers and continue trading to some extent.
- Record your successes and achievements each day and have treats. A leisurely bath, reading or pamper session are important ways to relax, manage stress and invest in a good night's sleep.
COVID-19 is an unprecedented time. Be gentle with yourself and gradually achieve a more positive mindset. Doing this supports a better night's sleep, with consequently fewer weird dreams.
Do You Prefer to Sleep Alone?
An increasing number of us are choosing to sleep alone. In fact a recent survey has revealed that as many as 1/6 British couples or 15% now sleep apart, with 89% of them choosing to sleep in separate rooms. And yet this decision is often viewed as a betrayal of our relationship, being sometimes referred to as Sleep Divorce.
Is it so bad if you prefer to sleep alone?
When 90% of adults say they don't get enough sleep and stress and sleep-related issues last year cost UK businesses £40 billion (in absenteeism, poor performance, accidents) it's important not to underestimate the value of a good night's sleep.
And it's not to do with the number of hours you spend in bed trying to get to sleep. It's the quality of the sleep itself that benefits us in terms of supporting our health and wellbeing. So, disturbed, restless or fitful sleep is going to result in an unrested start to the day.
It's important to address as many factors as possible to improve the quality of your sleep, and if doing so impacts on your sleeping arrangements you may need to determine which will best benefit your health, wellbeing and the overall quality of your relationship.
Sleeping with someone who has health issues which cause them to sleep badly can cause major disturbance to their partner. This may ultimately justify their moving to individual beds, if not separate bedrooms. Someone who regularly snores, who gets up frequently in the night or who tosses and turns can really disrupt their partner's ability to sleep.
On a practical level, having a partner who operates on a different body clock and goes to bed earlier or later, who works anti-social shift patterns or who is perhaps the agreed carer for a new-born baby may be reasons to negotiate more flexible sleeping arrangements, perhaps on a temporary basis. One person may prefer the bedroom cool, the mattress firmer or be a duvet-hogger. Some of these preferences can be fairly easily resolved but others may cause ongoing tension, irritation and even rows.
If you do reach the decision to sleep apart agree to spend quality time together as often as possible. There's no need for intimacy and closeness to suffer and it's often the case that the times you do spend together become better-humoured, more fun and less stressful after a good night's sleep.
Decide which evenings or early mornings could become personal us-time; there may be one or two evenings a week where you commit to using the bedroom for catching-up, chatting and being together. Weekends may provide the opportunity for special personal time too. Ensure that the times you do spend together are about communicating, sharing thoughts and feelings and reinforcing your bond. Keep the bedroom as 'our oasis', especially when you're not regularly sleeping together.
And consider some proactive things which may be able to be introduced to help. Snoring may be alleviated by losing a little weight, drinking less alcohol, exercising more and improving the quality of your breathing. Being stressed and having a lot on your mind can also cause restless sleep. Discuss ways to better manage your stressful areas more effectively, which then improves the overall quality of your relationship, life and sleep.
Health issues and associated medication can disrupt sleep patterns, sometimes even causing insomnia. If you suspect that that's the case book a medical check-up and discuss options with your family doctor. Simple adjustments can make major improvements.
Sleeping arrangements are a personal matter and don't necessarily define the state of your relationship. If you choose to sleep in separate beds or bedrooms it's not the end of the world. That decision may in fact result in you feeling better, being able to dedicate more thoughtful effort to your relationship and ultimately improve its overall quality.
Get a good night's sleep and feel better in every area of your life!
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