Summer sleep: tips on how to rest without getting too hot

Managing to sleep is one of the greatest challenges we face in the summer. If you live somewhere like the Costa del Sol or the Costa Tropical, it can also be a challenge for your health. Maintaining the ideal temperature for our body while we sleep is essential to enjoy quality sleep. But how can we manage to rest in the summer, during a heat wave or when the dreaded 'terral' is raging?

In order not to lose sleep due to the approaching high temperatures, we must be prepared. There are already studies linking global warming to insomnia or lack of sleep:

• Rising temperatures are affecting sleep levels around the world.

• The elderly and those living in poorer countries are worst affected.

• People who live in hot climates lose more sleep for each degree increase in temperature.

• Moreover, we already know that lack of sleep is a risk factor for our physical and mental health.

Combine this evidence with the fact that, during the summer, the days are longer and we modify our sleeping habits with longer 'siestas', and we have a cocktail of factors that can lead to insomnia.

How to sleep in the heat: the keys to surviving hot nights

Our ‘Colchonólogos®’, sleep specialists from MiColchón, have prepared a list of tips to beat summer insomnia:

1. The bedroom: the main goal should be to maintain an ideal temperature to encourage rest. The Spanish Sleep Society recommends that rooms be kept at temperatures between 20ºC and 23ºC.

So the room should be well ventilated (remember to use mosquito nets!). If you have air conditioning, make the most of it, but make sure that the airflow does not hit you directly. Ceiling fans are another great solution, although they can affect allergy sufferers. Light and noise should also be avoided.

2. Our habits: avoid intense exercise or sport after 6 p.m., eat light meals and rinse and refresh yourself with water before going to bed.

3. Sleepwear and bedding: should we sleep with or without pyjamas on? It seems that it is best to wear pyjamas, for hygiene and to avoid sweating and better maintain body temperature. And as for bed linen, it's essential to use cotton, Tencel or natural materials that prevent the accumulation of sweat, transpire and absorb humidity.

4. Your bed and your mattress: if the foundation of your sleep system fails, heat will only be an added problem. You need to choose your sleeping equipment wisely:

a.An adaptable mattress, with the right firmness for your physique and requirements, and which transpires correctly.

b.A pillow that keeps your neck in the right position. What if it were cool, too? You'll be amazed when you touch MiColchón's HOT COLD model, with a cool fabric side that stays at least 2 degrees below room temperature.

Tips for better sleep all year round

Our expert ‘Colchonólogos’ share their tips in this video!

Would you like more advice and tips on how to improve your quality of life and your sleep? Visit https://www.micolchon.com/blog, MiColchón’s YouTube channel or their shops in Málaga, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Marbella, Vélez Málaga, Torre del Mar, Motril and soon in Chiclana de la Frontera.

Sleep hotline: 951 555 155. info@micolchon.com