6 top tips and tricks on how to sleep during summer

Did you know that, on average, Brits only get around 5.91 hours of sleep a night? That way below the recommended 7-9 hours. 

And with the summer, it’s arguable that many may need more than the recommended amount due to temperature changes, longer daylight hours and changes in routine. This can make you more prone to mood changes, frequent tiredness, a lack of energy, bad decision-making, and much more. 

To lower these risks and make the most of your days, explore our top tips on how to sleep during summer, learn techniques for better sleep, and enjoy one of the best seasons of the year. 

How can sleep be affected by summer heat?

With the UK issuing yellow heat health alerts, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to your sleep during summer, especially if you’re elderly, have a chronic condition, or are vulnerable to not having good sleep. 

But the quality of your sleep in summer heat is often due to a range of factors, not just one alone. Often, your sleep becomes disturbed due to the following factors:

Body temperature 

Usually, to sleep, your temperature has to be below the room you’re sleeping in, ideally a few degrees fahrenheit. However, in the summer, there’s a higher chance of sleeping in a hot, humid bedroom, which makes it harder to cool down and drift off. This makes it difficult for your body to cool down on time, affecting your sleep cycle. 

May hinder sleep stages 

When temperatures are warmer, you may be waking up from your sleep more often. The heat can trigger physiological responses in your body, often adding stress or increasing your heart rate. When you wake up more frequently, your REM sleep decreases, which can hinder your recovery, cell repair, immune system and other processes, leaving you feeling more fatigued. 

Daylight changes

While not temperature, it’s important to highlight that daylight and sleep have a synonymous relationship. melatonin is one hormone that your pineal gland produces more in the dark. In the daytime or when it is exposed to light, it produces less.

Due to longer daylight hours and exposure to sunlight at night, your exposure to light causes your pineal gland to suppress the production of melatonin. This makes it harder for your body to know when it’s the right time to sleep, making it difficult to fall asleep at your regular bedtime. 

6 Tips to have good sleep in summer

To reduce your chances of your sleep being disturbed and hindering your quality of life, try and implement these sleep in summer tips: 

1. Take a hot bath or shower

Diving into a tub of hot water may not be the first task that springs to mind to help you with your sleep, but it could well work. Research shows that if you have a hot bath before you sleep, your body temperature can decrease after you leave the bath or shower, helping you adapt to a cooler environment. It can also help induce a feeling of relaxation, helping you fall asleep more quickly.

2. Find a cool place to sleep

If possible, try to keep the temperature in your bedroom lower than 25°C by using fans, air conditioning, or opening your windows. A slightly less humid room can increase your chances of falling asleep on time.

3. Thinking about your bedding

In the summer, try to sleep in more natural bedding that offers higher breathability. Think about sleeping in natural fibers such as linen or cotton, which can help you cool down. Similarly, plant-based fabrics such as rayon (made from bamboo) may help you cool more. Avoid heavy fabrics at all costs, as they can trap heat. 

4. Limit your alcohol intake

In the summer, we can all be prone to drinking a cocktail or spritzer or two. However, drinking alcohol isn’t always the best idea as it can dehydrate your body, making you prone to nighttime sweats and waking up more.

5. Stay hydrated

Drink a lot of water during the day to help your body regulate your temperature in the evening. However, try not to drink one our or two hours before bedtime, as you may wakeup at night to go to the bathroom disturbing your sleep. 

6.Try to avoid daytime naps 

One reason daytime sleep is bad for sleeping in the summer is that it can decrease sleep pressure. When sleep pressure accumulates during the day, it can help you fall asleep more easily at night. Moreover, another reason is that it can increase feelings of heat stress, increasing your temperature in the evening and making it challenging to sleep. 

Additional support to help with sleeping in the summer 

On top of all these lifestyle changes, you can try supplementary products such as oils and vitamins to support your sleep in the summer heat. Here are four we recommend: 

NutraRelax

NutraRelax is a healthy supplement that supports mental and physical relaxation. It contains a blend of natural and calming ingredients, such as Vitamin B6, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and ashwagandha, that help induce relaxation. The combination of these natural ingredients also helps facilitate healthier sleeping patterns, which can be a great support for sleep during summer. 

Nutra B50 Complex

Many different B vitamins play an essential role in your sleep quality. In particular, vitamins B6 and B12 help support melatonin production, helping you fall asleep on time and more quickly.  Sometimes, though, it’s not possible to get in your diet which is why NutraB50 may help with your sleep, especially in the summer. It’s a super high strength b complex that supports your energy levels, leaving you feeling less fatigued and supporting your metabolism in the summer. 

Nutra C Chewable and Nutra C Sustained Release 

Vitamin C can help support your sleep quality in the hot summer months. This is partly because it contains a lot of antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress and promote restorative sleep. Nutra C Chewable and Nutra C SR can help with this. Nutra C Chewable is a chewable tablet that helps reduce tiredness and fatigue and supports the functioning of your nervous system.   Nutra C SR is a tablet that is slowly released into your body so you can enjoy the benefits for longer. 

French Lavender oil

Another natural method to help you sleep during summer is to use essential oils. French lavender oil may help you feel more relaxed and sleep quicker on a summer evening. Lavender is also said to help relax, cure conditions, and fight off symptoms that disturb sleep, such as anxiety, depression, and stress. 

Bergamot oil

Another aromatherapy oil that could be worth diffusing into your bedroom before you sleep in the summer is Bergamot oil. This citrus oil can help reduce anxiety and stress, make you feel more calm, and help you sleep better. 

Conclusion 

Overall, sleep during summer holidays or just in hot weather can be challenging. With higher temperatures, it’s harder for your body to cool down and prevent you from falling asleep on time. Your sleep-wake cycle can also become disturbed if you wake up due to higher temperatures stopping your body from recovering properly. Moreover, longer daylight exposure can inhibit your production of melatonin, making it difficult to sleep.