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How to Cool Down a Room Before Bed

How to Cool Down a Room Before Bed

Sandland
Sandland Editorial Team
· 6 min read
man sleeping - how to cool down a room before bed

Drowning in sweat and wondering how to cool down a room? We get it. Summer heat and hot weather, in general, can make sleeping a nightmare. Throw in ambivalences surrounding air conditioning units, and energy prices, and things get even stickier. If you're been looking for a way to beat the heat during hot summer nights, you'll love the tips listed below. Ready for a cool, comfortable sleep? Read on!

13 Ways to Cool Down a Room Fast (Without Air Conditioning)

Your bedroom temperature has a huge impact on your sleep quality. And your sleep quality determines not just your mood and productivity level the following day, but your overall health.

That's, poor sleep can lead to a host of health conditions that we'd all rather avoid. This is why it's important to learn how to cool down a room when it's outside. Let's take a look at 13 ways of doing so—without AC. You'll thank us in the morning!

Keep the Blinds Closed During the Day

Your blinds are not only for preventing nosy neighbors from peeking into your home! They're also your protection against direct sunlight which can heat your room up on hot days. This also locks in cool air.

It's best to do this for all the sun-facing windows in your home. Closing your windows may not seem like the best way to keep your house cool. But considering that up to 30 percent of unwanted heat is said to come from windows, it may be time to take this seriously!

Blackout curtains are a great investment since they don't only block out the sun but also naturally insulate a room. These will help keep your room cool so you can stay cool at night.

Open the Window

keep warm air out - outside of house on a hot day

You can't know how to cool down a room unless you know when to open your windows and when to close them. Keeping your home cool is all about trying different tricks and seeing what works.

During a heat wave, for example, it may not be a great idea to open windows. But when there's a breeze, you can open windows so that air can circulate. This helps keep your house cool so that come bedtime, you can enjoy cool air even in a room without AC.

Leaving your windows open at night is also a great idea as this allows night air to flow freely. Cooler air means fresh air!

Place a Tray of Ice in Front of Your Fan

Remember what we said earlier about trying different tricks to see what works? Well, here's one cool trick that works. Generally speaking, a fan may seem like a great way to stay cool but in hot weather, ceiling fans and other types of fans push hot air around.

So what's the solution? Your very own DIY air conditioner! To make your DIY air conditioner, you need to use a floor or table fan and ice—like, a lot of ice. A bucket filled with ice cubes may be enough to get the results you're after!

Place your ice cubes on a tray and slightly angle down the fan so that it cools warm air as it passes over the ice. This in turn creates a cooling mist.

The only downside to this method is that the ice cubes melt fast. To prevent this, you can use a large block of ice.

Drink Water

You likely know that whether it's cold or hot, it's important to stay hydrated. But did you know that heat increases our need for hydration? This is because our body loses water through sweating.

That's not all. Another reason why it's important to stay hydrated is that hydration regulates our body temperature. In simple terms, your water intake allows your body to maintain a safe and healthy body temperature. Dehydration is even linked to poor sleep.

While the idea of drinking cold water on hot nights sounds appealing, it may not be the best option. Swap it out for cool water instead to stay hydrated.

Take a Warm Bath Before Bed

A warm bath when your room is hot? This may sound like someone's playing a cruel joke on you, but it works! But how so? The answer is two-fold. First, we all know how relaxing taking a warm bath is. And we happen to sleep better when we're relaxed.

But there's another reason why taking a hot bath can help. A warm bath causes an increase in blood circulation, which then removes body heat. Lower body temperature signals your body to produce melatonin.

This is the sleep hormone that regulates night and day cycles. In short, taking a warm bath lowers your body temperature which in turn tells your body it's time to sleep. Studies show that a warm bath 90 minutes before bedtime can help you fall asleep fast. This may not be the first solution that comes to mind in hot temperatures but it's one way to stay cool.

Use an Ice Pack to Cool Off Your Pulse Points

Did you know that you have areas in your body that cool down faster than others? Called pulse points, applying something cool to these spots helps your body temperature drop much faster.

Wondering where your pulse points are located? They can be found on your neck, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles, in the groin, and behind the knees. Placing an ice pack or a cool cloth on these areas will help you stay cool.

Buy the Right Bedding

Your choice of bedding makes a huge difference in how cool you sleep. If you're struggling to cool down a room, cooling sheets will help you to stay cooler.

Cotton sheets, tencel, linen, or lyocell, the eco-friendly fiber made of eucalyptus are all great cooling sheet options. Don't forget—even your mattress can be your friend or enemy depending on what it's made of.

If you're a hot sleeper or want to sleep cool in hot weather, you may also consider buying a cooling mattress. These are made of breathable material that's designed to keep you cool.

Also, consider using a wet sheet. Known as the Egyptian method, a wet sheet involves wetting a sheet with cold water and then using it to cover yourself with it!

Use Energy Efficient Bulbs

Another way to cool a room is to consider switching to energy-efficient bulbs. Why? Traditional light bulbs spend only 10% of their energy on producing light and 90% on heat. Yep, these light bulbs produce excess heat which means your effort to keep your home cool, as well as yourself, is in vain!

Unlike traditional ones that produce more heat, energy-efficient bulbs such as led bulbs don't emit as much heat, which means there's one less thing creating hot air in your home.

Energy efficiency may not be the main concern to you when you're roasting during hot nights, but they're a great way to cool a room. Speaking of which...

Avoid Using the Stove Before Bedtime

You probably know that using the stove at night won't make your home cooler. If your home feels 100 degrees, it may not be such a great idea to turn on a 400-degree oven! When it's hot, eat cooling foods such as salads, wraps, hummus, and plenty of fruits.

If you fancy hot food, use a grill or cook outside. While you're at it, try to minimize your use of electrical appliances. Not only will you save on your electric bill but you will also give your entire house the chance to cool.

Don't Wear Tight Clothes to Bed

What you wear or don't wear has a lot to do with how cool or "uncool" you sleep. This is why wearing loose clothing is important for a good night's sleep. How come? Well, this is because tight clothes can stick to you and make you even hotter—something you're trying to avoid.

Loose clothing on the other hand, allows your body to breathe more easily. You should also consider what material your loose sleepwear is made of. Lightweight sleepwear made of natural fibers such as cotton, bamboo, and linen can help you stay cooler.

The more lightweight and looser your sleepwear, the cooler and more comfortable your sleep will be.

Suspend Your Bed

If you want to sleep without an air conditioner and still have cold air, consider suspending your bed. Sleeping above the ground helps create airflow. Even in a room without an AC unit, sleeping high above the ground will allow the surrounding air to cool you. If you don't already have a hammock or a cot, it may be a good time to invest!

Get Creative With Your Fans

By now you know it's possible to sleep cool without air conditioning, just like they did years ago. So how about using the tools you have available to get creative? If you have a ceiling fan and a table, you can easily create a cross-breeze so you have more cool air moving around.

Simply place two fans across the room from each other so that cool air can circulate. Another option is to place a box fan across an open window to create a cross breeze.

Sleep Solo

This option isn't for the faint of heart, but if you share your bed with big and little humans (as well as your furry friends), sleeping cool is just a distant dream for you! Think about it. More bodies mean more heat—something you're trying to reduce.

Lay Off The Electronics

Your laptop and smartphone may be beloved to you but if you want to know how to cool down a room, you have to ditch them. You already know the heat electronics emit, especially when plugged in. So for a cooler room without AC, keep electronics out of your bedroom.

A Few Reasons to Avoid the AC

sunrise out the window - ceiling fans help keep you cool at night

Now that you've seen all the ways to stay cool, you may be thinking that this one item may solve all your heat problems. Not exactly! The truth is air conditioning has some significant downsides you might want to live without. Let's take a closer look at what they involve.

  • Energy Costs

    If you've ever owned an air conditioner, you know how energy-consuming they are. For many people, however, when heat rises, so does their electric bill. While an air conditioning unit may seem appealing, it's not cost-effective or eco-friendly.

  • Allergies

    Did you know that air conditioning units spread bacteria? Turning on an air conditioner can circulate contaminated air that can trigger an allergic reaction. If you find yourself sneezing, coughing, or sniffling when the AC is turned on, you know why!

  • Dust

    Dust can easily accumulate in the coils of your air conditioner. This not only decreases your ACs performance but makes it easy to spread around.

  • Dryness

    Another con of having an air conditioning unit is that it makes the air in your home too dry. The dry air in your home can create issues especially if humidity levels drop below 30 percent.

How Does Cool Air Impact Sleep Quality?

The quality of your sleep depends on how cool you sleep. Cool air helps lower the temperature of your body, which is important for falling asleep. How does this work? As we've previously mentioned, lower body temperature signals the body to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. The production of this hormone signals to your body that it's time to sleep. 

Fall Asleep Fast With Sandland Sleep

We know. It's no fun waking up in a sweat. Thankfully, you now have plenty of ways to have cooler air in your room without an air conditioner. Have fun experimenting with these different methods to see which ones work for you. We're confident they'll help!

What if you've heat-proof your room but still can't sleep? Don't sweat! Our all-natural sleep aid can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Made from premium ingredients that promote quality sleep, you no longer have to dream about getting a good night's sleep. Shop now to get well-deserved Zzzs.

Sandland
Written by Sandland Editorial Team

Our internal editorial team has put together research on key topics including product formulation, efficacy studies, and sleep advice.

Too Hot to Sleep? Here's What To Do

Being too hot to sleep is a frustrating feeling. Even more frustrating is knowing that hot weather alone isn't always the reason why we warm up at night. But don't sweat! There are as many ways to cool down so you can get good sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. Wondering what they are? Read on below to find out.

The Best AC Temperature for Sleeping

A good night's sleep depends on your sleeping conditions and hygiene habits. Ideal sleeping conditions include a dark, quiet place with a slightly cooler temperature. For example, a cool room can help you get enough sleep. But what is the best temperature for sleep? Read on below to find out. In this post, we'll discuss why sleeping in cooler temperatures is ideal, the best AC temperature for sleeping, and tips for achieving a better sleep environment. 

How To Stay Cool While Sleeping

Picture this: you're riding out the ultra-hot weather. You’ve finally managed to get some shut-eye, but as soon as you start going into a deep sleep, you wake up soaked in sweat. If you've been here before and have struggled to get back to bed, you're not alone. Overheating can interfere with your circadian rhythm, disrupting your sleep and affecting your overall health and well-being. In this article, we're discussing how to stay cool while sleeping—and no, we don't mean by blasting air conditioner all night long. Read on below for more information on how your core body temperature affects your sleep quality. We'll also offer strategies for avoiding night sweats, hot flashes, and damp sheets while sleeping. 

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