I don't know about you, but as much as I enjoy the hot weather, the barbeques and the cold ones cracked open that come with summer, I reckon the season has a few downsides.
A big one is that it becomes near impossible to drift off with the combination of humidity and temputure.
Luckily a weather expert, Philip Eden, has recommended a technique common in Mediterranean countries for getting some shut eye.
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He told the BBC: "I make sure all the curtains are closed during the daytime to stop the sun coming in. I have the windows open on the shady side and closed on the sunny side. It means running round the house halfway through the day to close one side and open the other."
He opens the windows in his gaff an hour before he intends to hit the hay, but says if you're scared of getting burgled then it's time to invest in a fan.
"The most sensible option is to use a fan," recommends Mary Morrell, professor of sleep and respiratory physiology at Imperial College London. "It will help move the air around your body and increase the chance of sweat evaporating."
She also thinks that your best bet for bedding is thin cotton sheets rather than nylon, as cotton will absorb sweat rather than leave the sleeper covered in a film of moisture.
All pretty sound advice. For ladies and gents looking to cool down even more they might want to strip down completely - not just for the heat but also because science has claimed people who go to bed naked tend to be healthier.
According Dr. Chris Winter, you should be aiming to be nice and cool when you're asleep for the optimum health benefits, reports the Huffington Post.
Researchers conducted an experiment where they tested the blood sugar/insulin levels and caloric expenditures of some volunteers.
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Some slept at 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and some at 66.
According to Elite Daily, they tested their subjects over four months. In the end, they found that those who slept in the cooler room experienced a number of metabolic advantages. They found that after the four month period, the amount of 'brown fat' (which is apparently good) of test subjects had almost doubled.
If you sleep in a warmer room, you're probably going to look older than your cold-room-sleeping counterparts. Rooms warmer than 21 degrees Celsius stop your body from cooling down naturally. At night, your body releases melatonin which helps keep you looking young. This doesn't work as effectively if you sleep in a warm room.
So basically, sleep naked or keep your window open a crack.
Featured Image Credit: Creative CommonsTopics: Sleep, hot weather