France’s searing heatwaves can also bring with them some hot, sticky and uncomfortable nights – so here are some tips from experts to help you sleep when it’s hot.
Heatwaves in France – and across Europe – are becoming more frequent and more intense, and climate experts predict that this trend will continue.
As well as scorching days, many heatwaves are also characterised by ‘tropical nights’ – nights when the temperature doesn’t drop below 20C. As well as increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses in high-risk groups such as the elderly, these hot and sticky nights also make it difficult to sleep.
Here, then, are a few tips to keep cool overnight, and enjoy better sleep on hot nights.
Don’t sleep naked
It’s tempting to ditch the PJs on very hot nights. But sleep experts say this is a mistake, as any moisture from sweat accumulates on your body.
Cotton pyjamas/nighties and cotton sheets are very effective in absorbing sweat and taking it away from your body.
Avoid naps, keep a routine
It’s tempting, but avoid any extra napping during the day.
It’s easier to sleep overnight when you go to bed tired than when you’ve already slept a little. More generally, hot weather can cause us to change our habits. Even small changes can disrupt the sleep cycle.
Try, then, to maintain a routine, and go to bed at your usual time, after doing the things you usually do before bed.
Eat and drink sensibly
Old news, but what you put in your body affects how it performs. Drink sensibly and regularly throughout the day, and avoid having a lot of water just before bed – you’ll only need to go to the bathroom in the night.
Avoid alcohol, obviously. Yes, it can help you fall asleep quickly, but it also promotes early and abrupt awakening, and you get poorer quality sleep in general. Limiting alcohol is advised in general during a heatwave as it dehydrates you.
And eat light – a diet based on fruits, vegetables, or fish is good when the temperature is high.
Evening shower
Are you used to taking a shower before going to bed? It’s not a bad idea during a heatwave: it lowers the body’s temperature, which helps you fall asleep.
But keep the water lukewarm. A cold shower may be tempting, but the body reacts by shivering and generating heat – which is exactly what you don’t want.
Keep your home cool
If you have trouble sleeping in the heat, the first thing to do is to keep your room – and your home – as cool as possible.
Follow the French tricks of opening your windows early in the morning and late in the evening when the temperature is lower, then shutting both windows and shutters (or curtains if you don’t have shutters) when the sun is high.
To keep room temperatures the same, open internal doors to allow the air to circulate.
Meanwhile, don’t spend all your time on the PC, playing on a games console or watching TV – screens give off heat that add to the heat of the room.
Fans are good
As long as you’ve been able to keep your room relatively cool, fans work. They help evaporate sweat which, in turn, helps your body regulate its temperature.
Putting a bowl of ice in front of the fan can also help cool the room.
Humidity works
Some people swear by dampening their sheets before going to bed. But if you’re not used to it, the feeling can be a little disconcerting. You can also place multiple ice containers in the corners of your room which will melt slowly overnight and cool the air.
Still can’t sleep?
Get up and do something relaxing – like read a book, or even write.
But avoid doom-scrolling on your phone, or powering up the laptop … even if you really, really want to read The Local.
The light from personal devices is overstimulating and will, in fact, keep you awake.
