With temperatures reaching 30°C last week and more warmer weather on the way, it’s fair to say that this summer is going to be a scorcher! But, while this means great things for the daytime, it’s not so great at night.
As if it wasn’t difficult enough to get good quality sleep in warmer temperatures, it turns out that the weather could also be playing havoc with your dreams.
Why is that, then?
Well, for our bodies to get into sleep mode, we need to reduce our internal temperatures by 1°C. The heat usually escapes from our heads, but if the room is warm then it becomes super difficult for this heat to be lost.
In fact, your body has to work harder to regulate its temperature, which means that it cannot properly rest.
This can result in endless tossing and turning, which in turn leads to increased brain activity and disturbed sleep. During this time, any negative thoughts we experience as we strive for rest can impact the dreams we are having.
When it finally switches off, the brain carried those thoughts forward and enters into an extremely vivid REM sleep. This stage can result in memorable nightmares which can be so detailed that it is possible to remember them in full the next day.
So, what can you do to limit this?
Firstly, it’s a good idea to get a fan on the go. Circulating the air in the room will help it to feel cooler, even if the air is still relatively warm. Place a bowl with ice in front of it to help create a cool breeze.
Secondly, only sleep on cotton sheets as they will help to keep your skin cool.
Keep your curtains closed during the day to limit the amount of heat coming into the room and turn all electrical items off so that they don’t contribute to the rooms’ warmth.
Only ever invest in mattresses with infused cooling gel as they will help to regulate the body’s temperature, while cooling pillows with specially designed fabric will dissipate heat from the head a lot faster than normal pillows.
If you would like to find out more about how a REM-Fit Mattress, REM-Fit Sleep Monitoring technology or Zeeq Smart Pillows can help you to get a better night’s rest, please get in touch with our experienced, knowledgeable staff by calling 020 8731 0020 or email us via sales@rem-fit.co.uk.
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