Posted by Aline Martin O'Brien on 18th May 2020
Cooling Bedding Helps You Sleep In Warm Weather
Like everyone, we look forward to the summer. Long, beautiful days and outdoor activities are pleasures we enjoy with the arrival of summer. For many of us, this season gives us new energy. But what about sleep? Why is it so hard to fall asleep and sleep when it is hot?
When it’s hot, we sleep less and with a poorer quality of sleep. As we fall asleep, the body temperature lowers. Ambient heat makes this natural process more difficult. The heat annoys us; we don't know how to get comfortable in bed, so we move around, which further amplifies the heat. To simplify your nights and help you get to sleep quickly, consider our range of cooling bedding products.
Inspired by a technology created by NASA to regulate the body temperature with fabric, the latest cooling technology available at DOWNLITE bedding can help ease tossing and turning and moderate night sweats.
The effects of summer on our sleep:
The seasons have an impact on sleep. The sleep-wake cycle is intimately linked to daylight and temperature.
Humans are sensitive to light and the alternation of light and dark is the main synchronizer of our body clocks and rhythms. Indeed, our eye is the organ "which knows the time;" daylight blocks a hormone called melatonin, helpful in sleep, and the absence of light releases it. Therefore, it can be said that light stimulates wakefulness and the absence of light stimulates sleep. This is why long summer days promote wakefulness while shorter winter days promote sleep.
In addition, excess temperatures disturb sleep. If the nights are too hot and there is no air conditioning, sleep may be poor. Normally, the body cools by 1-2° F when you fall asleep. It is more difficult to dissipate heat when the temperature is high. People who can easily lose heat have an easier time sleeping, but people who are overweight or have poor blood circulation have additional worries sleeping during the warmer seasons.
When it's hot and difficult to sleep a person often falls asleep, wakes up, drops off again, etc. and has a very unstable sleep. When the body goes into REM sleep (the final and deepest phase of the sleep cycle), the body’s temperature regulation is less effective and temperature increases. As a result, our brain suggests we start waking up! One way to avoid breaking out of this cycle is to lower the body temperature as much as possible during the night.
Simple ideas can help; they include ventilating the room, creating air currents, preventing heat from entering during the day by closing the shutters, sleeping uncovered, and cooling off with water (vaporization, cold shower, etc.). More advanced means can include cooling bedding technology.
Accessorize your bed with cooling technology bedding:
- Add a cooling mattress pad to your mattress: You will have the sensation of sleeping in a luxurious hotel bed with this refreshing mattress pad, while bringing a freshness to the bed. During the summer your normally comfortable mattress can become uncomfortable because it absorbs heat. Refreshing toppers are also a great option for those who sweat easily.
- Consider cooling pillows with cooling pillowcases to keep your head and face cool: Knowing that the body regulates its temperature by the extremities and mainly by the head and the feet, the cooling pillow might help you to improve your sleep, especially if you suffer from sweating during the night. Sleep is much better with a refreshing pillow, since the coolness also relieves headaches and neck pain.
It is also possible to use this cushion on other parts of the body to benefit from its analgesic and decongestant properties. For example, if you have heavy legs, this refreshing pillow will bring welcome relief.
- Choose bed linens in natural materials, such as the Downlite Bedding PrimaCool sheet set:
Synthetic sheets and pillowcases are anything but breathable. In winter, they retain heat, but in summer they become almost unbreathable, which makes hot nights even more uncomfortable. TENCEL®, cotton, linen or silk bed linens are good alternatives. These are light and breathable fabrics that provide a pleasant feeling of freshness in summer.
Available in Gray, Ivory, White, and Taupe, made with PrimaCool™, an innovative fabric featuring TENCEL®, these sheets will keep you cool and comfortable all night long.
- Replace your thick duvet with a lightweight comforter: Are you too hot in the summer under your thick cover, but you can't sleep without it? Replace your winter comforter with one of our lightweight comforters providing coziness and comfort in warmer climates and seasons. You will definitely feel the difference.
If you need assistance to choose or determine what products to purchase you can contact our customer service representatives by phone or email.
Additional sources:
- Adapt to Seasonal Changes: Regain a Healthy Sleep Pattern
- Summer Style Swap: Transform Your Bedroom Into A Breezy Oasis