The UK is currently experiencing record-breaking temperatures with warnings it could exceed 40C in the coming days.
Millions of Brits have had disrupted sleep because of the heatwave and there are no signs of the temperature dipping during the nights.
Many may turn to putting on a fan throughout the night, but as electric bills continue to rise, it is not the most cost-effective option.
However, there may be one tool you have that you typically keep stored away at this time of year: a hot water bottle.
Designed to keep you toasty through the night, they actually have another use during the summer months you may not be aware of.
It’s such a simple trick, you’ll be kicking yourself for not thinking of it sooner.
How do hot water bottles help?
As recommended by the Hot Water Bottle Shop, filling one with cold water can cool you down just in the same way filling it with hot water heats you up.
Simply pour in freezing cold water or use ice cubes in the water to keep it cold.
Much like how the hot water cools down over the course of the night, the cold water will heat up, eventually matching the temperature of the bed.
But it's a great way to cool your bed down before getting in it.
Similarly, it is great to keep with you through the night as it continues to cool the temperature down as your body heat rises.
As stated on the Hot Water Bottle Shop website: “A cold water bottle is great for cooling down your bed before you enter or for just keeping you cool whilst you sit down.
“It is advisable to wrap your water bottle in a towel if it doesn’t already have a cover to prevent overexposure to the cold and to have a continuous supply of ice cubes by refilling empty moulds.”
How hot will this heatwave get?
The Met Office has forecast continued heat across the UK, though some parts of the north could receive much-needed rain in the coming days.
The Met Office stated: “Showers or longer spells of rain in the north-west, dry with sunny spells elsewhere.
“Very warm in the far South East at first and becoming very warm in the south on Friday.”
As for the weekend there is “the potential for a very hot spell in parts of central, south, or eastern England”.
