TOO HOT TO SLEEP?

While summer means enjoying sunnier days, heat can severely disrupt your rest. Here's how to keep cool

- DEBRA WATERS

Summer is the season of sun and fun, but one downside is struggling to get enough sleep when it’s hot. Menopausal? Those stifling nights can be even worse. This lack of restful slumber can result in moodiness and difficulty concentrating – so not so fun, after all.

From when to exercise to what to wear, we speak to the experts about how to get a good night’s sleep even when the temperature is soaring.

Feeling the heat

‘Humid nights cause people to wake more frequently, reducing sleep quality and quantity,’ says Alison Jones, sleep expert at mattress brand Sealy. ‘Warm temperatures reduce the time spent in slow-wave sleep and REM sleep – stages when the body does critical work to rejuvenate and restore itself.’

The optimal sleep temperature is 16-18C, however hot summer nights in the UK and abroad are invariably warmer. Just a 1C rise in temperature at night can result in insufficient sleep* – an issue expected to get worse because of climate change. Meanwhile, menopausal women would benefit from a bedroom temperature of 12C, explains Simba’s sleep expert Hope Bastine, which sounds positively frosty and – unless you have air con – unlikely. But there are other ways to cool down…

Avoid late, large meals An indulgent evening meal won’t bode well for sleep. ‘Steer clear of large, late-night meals and spicy food, as it will raise your body temperature,’ says Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity.