12 tricks for sweltering summer nights

Everyone knows the struggle: the shifting and turning in one’s own sweat all night, desperate for sleep – but even if we get some, it’s hardly ever relaxing.

If you have felt sleepy, drowsy and frustrated in the mornings recently, you know exactly what I mean. We sometimes feel that the best option is to move up to the mountains or seek shelter in a cool forest – because those hot days become all but unbearable when we are so tired.

Here are a couple of tricks to ensure a good night sleep.

1. Take a cool shower (with lukewarm water) before bedtime.

2. If the heat grows unbearable, cool your wrists and feet (with ice cubes or flowing water) for a quick relief

3. Consuming enough liquid is crucial not only during the day – so make sure you drink a glass of water before you go to bed

4. Wear a cotton night gown or cotton pyjamas and let the textile absorb the sweat

5. Lie as low as you can – the air is usually cooler near the floor

6. Unplug all electronic devices that you are not using – to save money on energy and to prevent those devices from heating your rooms further

7. Put a towel in a plastic bag and pop it into the fridge or freezer – when it’s cold enough use it as a pillow cover. The method is the same if your pillows are filled with spelt or sour cherry seeds.

8. Fill a small textile bag with rice or other grain and cool it well. You can give a gentle brush to your body and face.

9. If you have a Thermo Pack, fill it with water. Tuck it under your pillow or blanket

10. If you have a ventilator: put a big bowl of ice right in front of it, it’s great to cool the air indoors

11. Soak some bed sheets in cold water and hang them up in front of the windows. Drying slowly in the gently moving air, wet textile adds to the humidity of your room and make the air feel cooler

12. Promote relaxing sleep with essential oils: put 1-2 drops of Lavender Essential Oil or Lemongrass Essential Oil on your pillow cover

What are your tricks to survive the nights of a heat wave?