As the third heatwave of the year begins in earnest, I’ve started to dread the night.
Like most of us, I find that boiling temperatures ruin my sleep.
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Seeta Shah from PANDA London previously said that going to bed half an hour later might help you get some shut-eye (a 2012 paper found that heat affects slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep, meaning the natural cycles you’re meant to go through when asleep are interrupted).
But the British Red Cross advised doing something a little simpler to control the temperature in your room at night.
Unplugging your electronics might reduce heat
The organisation suggested sleeping on the lower floors in your home, as heat rises, as well as staying hydrated and using some thin, breathable bedding.
But I was surprised to read that “even when in standby mode, electrical items can generate heat”.
The British Red Cross therefore suggested switching them off entirely at night.
“Make sure any in the bedroom are turned off and unplugged,” the site said.
Speaking to Ideal Home, David Rees, an appliances expert from HomeSupply, explained that phone and headphone chargers might pose a particularly toasty risk.
These can “seriously overheat and use a lot of excess energy in the summer if not unplugged,” he warned, suggesting we power our devices “throughout the day, so that they can be unplugged as soon as they are fully charged… this will help to save money and prevent overheating in summer”.
Are there any other ways to keep cool?
Wearing cool socks, donning loose-fitting pyjamas, and maintaining a wind-down bedtime routine can all help, the Red Cross said.
