The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
Marbella, Barcelona and Ibiza are among the areas that have been colder than the UK this week, where temperatures hit 28 degrees Celsius.
This is great news for Brits, who rarely get to be smug about the weather.
But the change of weather can be less fun at night, in a country where air-con is redundant most of the year round.
So here are some tips and treats to prepare your bedroom for a sweltering summer, and guarantee a breezy sleep.
1. Not-so-hot water bottle
A simple trick of hotel-suite luxury is transforming your hot water bottle into an ice pack.
Simply fill it as usual and leave it to chill in the freezer for a few hours. Slip that between your sheets just before you climb into bed, and they will feel like a fresh relief (rather than a suffocating cocoon).
You could also just stick your sheets in the freezer if you have space.
YuYu Bottle is home to the super-long water bottle (81cm), coming in everything from funky snake designs the kids will love, to this excessive cashmere casing we couldn’t not include.
YuYu 10% classic – £95, yuyubottle
The Hot Water Bottle Shop specialises in eco-friendly rubberless hot water bottles, made from recyclable thermoplastics. They also come in adorable designs.
1-litre heart-shaped velvet rubberless hot water bottle – £19.99, hotwaterbottleshop
2. Airy pyjamas
Loose pyjamas are your friend. The right fabric can actually be more comfortable than nudity, as it will remove that sticky perspiration from your skin.
Natural materials like cotton are the obvious go-to. Heavy sweaters, however, may want to look at bamboo, which has a much higher absorbancy than cotton, meaning it is less likely to stick.
There are also definite eco-benefits to buying bamboo. It is a self-sufficient crop that uses one third of the water than cotton needs to grow, as well as requiring no pesticides (while non-organic cotton requires many). It is worth noting, however, that bamboo fabric is still chemically processed most of the time, and typically done so thousands of miles away.
Cotton Floral Boderie Nightie – £65, thewhitecompany
Multi Stripe 100% Organic Cotton Pyjama Set, £40, johnlewis
Reanna Bamboo Pyjama Top (£19) and Trousers (£22) – wearethought
Let’s be totally honest: silk is the one. Not only do you look like Aphrodite but you feel like a cool stream of soft water is constantly licking your skin. You have to pay for it though.
There is much to love about these 22 Momme long silk pyjamas for men (except for the price, but first-time buyers get 10% off) – £170.10, lilysilk
3. Fans
Fans are a quick-fix, if you don’t mind the distant whirring and dancing dust they can cause.
Copper Pedestal Fan – £48.99, therange
For the light-sleepers, silent air fans will cost more, but can create a powerful airflow without a single blade. The luxury price category will also earn you a remote control and sleep timer. They also look futuristic and cool.
Dyson Cool AM06 Desk Fan – £249, johnlewis
TIP: If you position your fan across from a window, the outside breeze and fan current combine to make a cooling cross-breeze.
4. Insulated water bottles
If you sweat in the night, you have to make sure you drink what you lose, or you will wake up with a pounding headache.
Good-quality water bottles not only keep the dust out, but the cool in – go with aluminium – lightweight and long-lasting.
Chilly’s artist series 500ml – £30, chillysbottles
5. Essential oils
These will not do much for temperature control, but can offer a little sedation. Scent can be influential. Our smell receptors are directly wired to the brain’s centres of memory and emotion via the olfactory nerve. This is why a slight whiff can evoke very powerful memories and feelings, unique compared to the other senses.
Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser – £90, neomorganic
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for medicinal purposes, one of which is commonly sleep them. A diffuser is a great way to spread sedative smells through your room.
As for which scents to buy, “the Sleep Doctor” Dr. Michael Breus recommends lavender, vanilla, rose, geranium, jasmine, sandalwood and citrus for sleeping.
TIP: If you cannot afford a diffuser, simply rubbing a few drops of these essential oils into the skin on your wrists, chest or temples will have an incredibly soothing effect, while preserving your oil stocks for years.
Aromatherapy Associates’ 10 Miniature Bath & Shower Oil Collection – £40, spacenk
6. Breathable sheets
Pure cotton sheets are naturally breathable, and tend to become less clammy than synthetic alternatives when your body temperature rises. Price goes up with thread count: the higher the count, the smoother the fabric.
Stick to light-coloured linen for a cooler wrap.
The White Company offers a bargain full double set of Egyptian cotton bed linen (200 thread count) for £85, thewhitecompany.
TIP: In the morning, pull the bedsheets back to help your bedding breathe and freshen up while out of use.
7. Lighter duvets
Bedding measurements are far more complicated than cm and kg, with questions of thread count and tog that mean nothing to the lay person.
Luckily, we’ve got the duvet intel from Christy England’s head of design, Lucky Ackroyd: “For summer, a lighter tog of 4.5 is perfect. If you like something a little heavier but still breathable – try a 10.5 tog.”
Superior Soft Touch Anti Ellergy 4.5 Tog Double Duvet – £66.50, Christy
8. Temperature-regulating mattresses
Mattresses can have a surprising influence over our body temperature, depending on how aerated and flexible they are.
“Generally speaking, a mattress with a high content of natural fillings such as wool, cotton or bamboo is often a great choice for those struggling to sleep in the heat as they tend to be cooler as well as being naturally hypoallergenic,” advises Jonathan Warren, director at Time4Sleep.
Sleep Sanctuary Wordsworth Silk 2000 Pocket Sprung Mattress – £379, time4sleep
Which?’s choice is the Emma original mattress which has “Airgocell” foam as well as a temperature- and moisture-regulating top cover. It’s also “the most-awarded mattress” in the country – £429.00, emma-mattress
9. Shutters and blinds
Blinds and shutters are multipurpose, acting not just as barriers to light, but to outdoor temperatures as well.
Jason Peterkin, director at 247 Blinds, recommends wooden venetian blinds or plantation shutters for temperature control. You can leave them closed to keep out the heat, while adjusting the slats to let in light as needed. “The wood also acts as a natural heat conductor, helping to keep the warm air out during the summer months”.
Venetian, Ecowood, Penthouse Fine Grain Bling – from £10.22, 247blinds
Daytona, Dolphin Grey Plantation Shutter – from £97.05, 247blinds
Blackout blinds can make an enormous difference to a night’s sleep. The thick fabric does not only block all outdoor light from entering, but can also significantly keep indoor temperatures down during a heatwave. The danger of these is sleeping through a glorious day.
Pamuk Rose Roman Blinds (blackout) – from £11.95, blindsdirect
TIP: During the day, it’s a good idea to leave doors and windows open to boost air circulation and freshness. Attic-dwellers, try opening the hatch. Hot air rises.
On that note, sweet dreams.
