sleeping better during a heat wave: They call it “night heat stress” and it is nothing more than the inability to sleep when the thermometer does not go below 25 degrees at night.

The heat wave triggers cases of insomnia in summer and experts have given us 10 tips so that the heat does not interfere (so much) with your quality of sleep. sleeping better during a heat wave

There have already been three heat waves so far in the summer of 2024 and we are going through the fourth, with record temperatures. sleeping better during a heat wave

The excess of degrees, and the fact that these are soaring, rising in many places to 40 and with nights above 23 or 24 degrees, cause many problems, including direct interference in the quality of sleep , which is affected and our rest is impossible to achieve.

In summer, when daylight hours increase, there is also a delay in the production of melatonin, which is the hormone needed to help you fall asleep . sleeping better during a heat wave

If you add to that the high temperatures, considered tropical nights when the thermometer does not fall below 25 degrees, the perfect broth is cooked for nocturnal thermal stress to brew The results: fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, low productivity, poor concentration…

From Frialtec , an advanced centre for food research and development, such as Vidalim food supplements , they highlight that a recent study carried out in towns in the south of Spain, coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela and published in the scientific journal Epidemiology, warns that excessive nighttime heat is a risk factor for health and can cause mortality , as it prevents the body from resting normally.

And it can’t do so for a reason: while in order to enter the REM phase it needs to lower its pulse, when it’s hot, it can’t lower it because it needs to work to lower its temperature.

So, what can you do to sleep better these days? Here are the experts’ ten tips to promote good mental, emotional and physical functioning of our body… and sleep a little better in such hot weather. sleeping better during a heat wave

Decalogue for sleeping better during a heat wave

• Take a warm shower before going to bed.
• During the day, lower the blinds in the room and close windows and curtains to prevent the sun and heat from entering through the glass.
• Put wet towels in the freezer and before going to sleep, use them to cool down certain areas of your body. These are the nape of your neck, wrists, back of your knees, neck and ankles.
• Avoid going to bed right after dinner, leaving at least 2 hours from the last meal until bedtime.
• Choose cotton sheets that help you breathe better.
• If you have air conditioning, turn it on half an hour before going to bed.
• When it gets dark, open the windows to ventilate the room.
• If you have fans, place ice cubes in front of the air to keep the room cooler.
• Stay well hydrated throughout the day but avoid drinking too much water before going to sleep.
• Add supplements with ingredients such as omega 3 DHA or melatonin to your diet to help you rest better.