Top tips to stay cool on hot summer nights

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We all look forward to the warmer weather and longer days that summer brings, but along with these welcome benefits can come the affliction of uncomfortably hot nights and disturbingly light mornings. But there are things you can do to make sure you have a cool and restful night’s sleep despite the heat.

Top tips to stay cool on hot summer nights:

  1. Keep your bedroom cool
  2. Block out the sun
  3. Switch off the electrics
  4. Change your duvet
  5. Choose natural bedding
  6. Lower your body temperature
  7. Avoid late eating, drinking alcohol or exercising
  8. What to wear in bed
  9. Create a calming bedtime routine

 

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KEEP YOUR BEDROOM COOL

The optimum night time bedroom temperature for a good night’s sleep is 16 to 18°C. If our bedrooms are hotter than that, it will take us longer to fall asleep and lead to a disturbed night's sleep. Most of us in the UK don’t have air conditioning, so keep your windows and doors open to create a breezy airflow through your bedroom. If your attic or roof space has a hatch, also leave that open to allow hot air to rise up and out of your living space.

‘Your body temperature needs to drop slightly before you go to bed, which is why you just can’t sleep when you’re too hot. An ideal bedroom temperature should be around 16 to 18°C, so it can be difficult to get comfortable in a hot and stuffy space, which leaves many people suffering from a disturbed night’s sleep,’ according to Simon Williams of the National Bed Federation (NBF).

 

BLOCK OUT THE SUN

Keep your curtains and blinds drawn during the day to keep the heat of the sun out of your bedroom. Shutters and blackout blinds are ideal for hot weather, preventing sunlight from entering but still allowing air to circulate. If you don’t have black out blinds or curtains, then a silk eye mask can help prevent unwanted light from disrupting your sleep. Silk is also cooling against the skin and naturally breathable. 

 

SWITCH OFF THE ELECTRICS

Turning any electrical appliances and lights you don't need off can also help as many electrical items and lights give off heat. Keep your fan on though as it will help air to circulate and provide a welcome cooling draft.

 

CHANGE YOUR DUVET

Swap to a lower tog summer duvet, which will provide a lot less thermal insulation than your winter duvet. A 4.5 tog duvet is the perfect tog rating for summer. scooms also offer an ultra light 2.5 tog duvet for high summer nights and hot sleepers. See our guide to duvet tog ratings. Make sure your duvet is made with a natural, breathable filling like goose down, which offers four times more air circulation than a synthetic duvet filling.

 

CHOOSE NATURAL BEDDING

Avoid synthetic bed linen and opt for 100% cotton or linen sheets and covers instead. These natural materials will help with temperature regulation and wick away any moisture throughout the night.

 

LOWER YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE

A warm shower or bath before bed will trigger your body's natural cooling response. Having a cool shower or bath before you go to bed can also help you feel cooler. Use a cold flannel as a compress on your wrists and neck if you still feel hot and keep a glass of cold water by your bed to sip on during the night.

 

AVOID LATE EATING, DRINKING ALCOHOL OR EXERCISING

Try not to eat, drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks, or exercise too late in the evening. These activities can make you feel dehydrated and raise your body temperature, leading to disturbed sleep.

 

WHAT TO WEAR IN BED

You may be tempted to go commando but cotton nightwear will help your skin to breathe as well as absorbing any perspiration, unlike synthetics, satin or silk.

 

CREATE A CALMING BEDTIME ROUTINE

Relax and cool down before bedtime by creating a mindful and calming bedtime routine. Put a couple of essential lavender oil drops on your pillow or burn a Lavender oil candle before bedtime and gently inhale the relaxing scent as you drift off.

 

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Bedding size guide

DUVET SIZE GUIDE

These are standard UK bedding measurements so if you know your mattress size, you can easily work out which duvet size you need. (Width x length.)

UK sizes Duvet size Mattress size
Single 135 x 200cm (53 x 79") 90 x 190cm
Double 200 x 200cm (79 x 79") 135 x 190cm
King 225 x 220cm (89 x 87") 150 x 200cm
Super king 260 x 220cm (102 x 87") 180 x 200cm 

US/CANADA BEDDING SIZES: Approximate matches to UK sizes are US King/UK Super king, US Queen/UK King,  US Full/UK Double and US Twin/UK Single.

EUROPEAN BEDDING SIZES: Each size - Single, Double, King and Grand king - is a little larger than the UK equivalent.

Measure your mattress to see which size bedding you need: our UK v European v US mattress comparison guide.

 

DUVET TOG RATING GUIDE

Young children can overheat so if they are old enough to use a full size bed, we recommend using a single size 4.5 tog duvet.

 Tog rating Season / heat Feel
2.5 tog High summer / hot sleepers Light thermal insulation
4.5 tog Summer Lower thermal insulation
9 tog Spring & Autumn Cosy medium heat
All season 13.5 tog 4.5 tog + 9 tog Very warm
All season 11.5 tog 2.5 tog + 9 tog Warm
All season 7 tog 2.5 tog + 4.5 tog Lower warmth

 

DUVET FILL WEIGHT GUIDE

Our goose down duvets have high 700 fill power. Fill weight is measured in GSM (grams per square metre). For example view our 9 tog king size goose down duvet for more duvet details.

Fill weight (not total duvet weight)
Single All seasons - 788gsm
9 tog - 486gsm 
4.5 tog - 302gsm 
2.5 tog - 220gsm
Double All seasons - 1168gsm
9 tog - 720gsm
4.5 tog - 448gsm
2.5 tog - 320gsm
King All seasons - 1478gsm
9 tog - 911gsm
4.5 tog - 567gsm
2.5 tog - 400gsm
Super king All seasons - 1671gsm
9 tog - 1030gsm
4.5 tog - 641gsm
2.5 tog - 480gsm

 

PILLOW SIZE GUIDE

Our pillows come in two sizes and provide medium support. (Width x length.)

Standard  50 x 75cm
King 50 x 90cm

 

BED LINEN SIZE GUIDE

Our fitted sheets are deep fit, up to 40cm / 15.7" mattress depth. And our duvet covers fasten with large, easy to use buttons. (Width x length.)

Duvet cover Fitted sheet Flat sheet Pillowcase (pair)
Single 140 x 200cm 90 x 190cm 180 x 275cm
Double 200 x 200cm 135 x 190cm 230 x 275cm 50 x 75cm (Standard)
King 230 x 220cm 150 x 200cm 275 x 275cm 50 x 90cm (King)
Super king 260 x 220cm 180 x 200cm 305 x 275cm

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