With temperatures set to pass the 30° mark on Wednesday and Thursday, the heatwave in Ireland is showing no signs of cooling down and while plenty of people are loving the sunshine, others don't.
It's arguable that the humidity and heat are at their worst when people are trying to fall asleep and attempting to sleep in hotter temperatures can be a struggle for some.
During a recent interview, Alex Savy, a certified Sleep Science Coach, shared some of his tips on how to prepare for the warmer nights.
Speaking with TheDozyOwl.co.uk, the Sleep Science Coach shared the following tips along with some information that's specifically aimed at helping children sleep too in the heat.
Choose mattresses with natural materials
A mattress with open-cell foams, plant-based foams, or gel-infused foams as a comfort layer is more conducive to a better night's sleep because it will help regulate your body temperature as they retain less body heat.
Use a dehumidifier
A dehumidifier will purify the air and help it to cool down the room, which will result in a better night's sleep.
Use cooling toppers
Not everyone can go out and buy a new mattress but a mattress topper can also have a positive impact because it also helps keep it cool.
Keeping the bedroom cool
Whether or not your windows are open or closed, blackout netting for the bedroom will help to keep the room cool and dark for bedtime. The optimal temperature for the bedroom is between 16 - 20 degrees Celsius.
Keeping a fan on at night-time with some ice in front will also help to circulate cool air around the room.
Choose quality bedding
Due to its breathability, linen is the best bedding fabric for hot sleepers.
However, if you aren’t comfortable with the feeling of linen, you can also choose silk, bamboo rayon, or Tencel fabrics.
Other tips
The sleep experts have said that keeping a pillowcase in the freezer for an hour before bedtime can be a short-term fix to lower body heat.
Alternatively, a sock filled with rice and put in the freezer before bed can cool down pressure points to provide some relief.
Sleeping advice for children in the hot weather
While most adults can kick off the excess heat as a minor inconvenience, the growing temperatures might cause a bit more distress to the daily bedtime routine of younger people that can also apply to adults.
However, Lisa Lewis, Sleep Consultant, has also shared some expert tips on how to keep children cool at bedtime.
Sunlight and Hydration
Lewis says: "Children exposed to sunlight from 8am to midday wake fewer times in the night so some time playing outdoors is key.
"Outdoor play is tiring so keeping your child well hydrated during the day will also aid their journey into sleep during the night. This doesn’t have to be through drinking water, be creative with fruit, milk and homemade ice lollies."
Stress-free bedtime routines
A calm and stress-free bedtime routine can be very helpful because stress causes more anxiety and greater difficulty in getting to sleep.
The Sleep Consultant recommends a warm/tepid (not cold) bath before bed.
"This will not only aid in stress reduction but raises the core body temperature slightly which enables the body to drop its temperature by a degree which we need to fall asleep," she says.
Clothing and cool bedding
While many adults prefer to sleep with as little clothing as possible during the heatwave, light cotton nightwear is better than no bed clothing for children.
This will allow the skin to breathe, and draw sweat away from the body at night.
