Sultry Summer Sleeping

Sleepless Summers Ahead

At this midsummer juncture, sleepers in many parts of the world find heat waves and humid nights interrupting their precious shuteye. While hot, sleepless nights are a staple of every summer experience, unfortunately it seems that with global warming, our sleep is being eroded at an unprecedented rate. Global sleep data suggests that with rising worldwide temperatures, each individual could lose up to 50 hours of sleep per year by the end of the century. With the thermometer reaching 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in the UK and many parts of traditionally cooler Europe, many will be scrambling to find a solution come bedtime. In this article, we explore some of the best suggested remedies to make your sleep more streamlined in the summer months.

Managing Daylight

One of the best ways to ensure your body’s internal clock  is up to date is to kick-start it. By exposing your body to sunlight first thing in the morning, you can help your circadian rhythm  align to your schedule and in turn help it to know when it’s time to sleep later in the day. During the summer months it’s recommended to open the curtains first thing in the morning, however painful to the soul this may be.

Warm Showers

Of course, the remedy of taking a warm shower at night is often received with mixed enthusiasm. Who wants to heat themselves up on an already hot day? However uncomfortable it may be at the moment, the body is reliant on environmental cues. Since a cooling down of the body’s internal temperature is congruent with sleep, the resulting thermoregulation from a warm shock such as a shower will induce the environment necessary for your body to relax and eventually sleep! If you find that the heat is too much, a cool shower is still more beneficial than none at all. Keeping your body temperature regulated in an extreme heat wave is important to not only your sleep health but your physical and mental health. After all, they are all heavily interconnected.

Maintain a Healthy Relationship With Your Bed

Forcing the issue of sleep on an especially hot night can cause some serious frustration to build up. It is always recommended by sleep experts to vacate the bed and engage in other activities when having a troublesome night. The cycle of frustration in bed can become a hindrance on further sleep once your mind has associated the two ideas together. As always with sleep hygiene, be sure not to engage in activities involving blue light. Instead, you may opt to go for a walk around the block or read a book in another room. The last thing your body needs is a beef with the bedroom.

The same rules apply to daytime relaxation. When the purpose is not to sleep, it is generally encouraged to stay away from your bed! Associating one’s bed with a wakeful mindset is another way to disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and relationship to sleep. This holds especially true for individuals who are already struggling with sleep to begin with.

Hot Topic

The very best way we know to handle the heat when you sleep is to remember to take your Zenbev Drink Mix. It can help you sleep through the hottest night in the most natural way possible. Drink it hot or cold or eat it with a spoon but don’t leave it to chance! Zenbev is the best, natural way to beat the heat and sleep through those sultry summer nights.