Wearing tight clothing to sleep can increase your body temperature. It also reduces the airflow to your body during the night, which isn’t ideal for getting a good night’s sleep. 

Tight waistbands or garters can even trap hot air and excess heat, which can exacerbate feelings of discomfort. Meanwhile, clothes made of lightweight, sweat-wicking, natural fiber help your skin breathe, which can greatly improve your sleep quality. 

To improve temperature regulation, it’s recommended that you invest in cooling technology such as a cooling mattress or cooling pillow with cooling features to keep your bed cooler.

On particularly warm nights, you can also sleep alone to get rid of excess body heat. As heat rises, you can also try sleeping on the lowest level of your house to avoid the updraft of warm air instead of sleeping on the second or third floor.

Drinking cold water can lower your core body temperature and maintain proper hydration levels, creating an environment that will help you fall and stay asleep. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep a glass of cold water by your bed in case of excessive heat. You can also drink a cold glass of water to help you sleep better before turning off the lights. 

We often close the windows when the heat gets unbearable, but did you know that it can worsen ventilation in your room? 

If there’s warm air, keep the windows cracked open throughout the night to give warm air an escape route. It will encourage a natural cross-breeze and provide adequate ventilation, allowing you to stay cool while sleeping.

You can also create cross-ventilation by making a smaller opening in one window for air to enter, and a larger opening in the window directly across it so air can exit your room. You can get the same effect by positioning a fan across a window. This will enhance air speed and improve ventilation for a stronger cooling effect.

A glass of wine or a pint of beer can be a nice nightcap, but it can also make it more difficult to achieve a good night’s sleep.

Alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate and your heart rate to rise, which can exacerbate night sweats. Additionally, because alcohol dehydrates the body, it can cause you to feel hot and uncomfortable while sleeping.

It's advised to steer clear of alcohol at least two to three hours before bedtime to prevent a higher body temperature and hot flashes. So, the next time you’re craving a drink before bed, try a glass of milk or a cup of warm tea instead. 

A ceiling fan can also help cool a room. On a hot summer night, adjust your fan to a higher speed in the counterclockwise direction. The resulting airflow will provide a cool breeze by circulating cooler air to keep your room cool.

You can also install a box fan by the window. It will push hot air out and circulate cool air through your room, increasing airflow. Alternatively, you can place a shallow bowl full of ice cubes between you and the fan. The cold water from the ice’s surface will be picked up by the breeze, generating cool, misty air.

While it may seem counterintuitive, a relaxing warm shower or a warm bath before bed instead of cold showers can relax and lower your core body temperature. 

Your body temperature will initially rise while you’re in the shower but your body will adjust and adapt to the cooler environment when you step out of the bathroom. This drop in body temperature has a cooling effect, making it easier for you to fall asleep.

This is supported by a 2019 study that revealed that a warm shower one to two hours before bedtime can improve sleep quality and help you fall asleep 10 minutes faster. Make sure you're not taking very hot showers since they can heat your bathroom and make your sleeping environment uncomfortable.

Soak a washcloth in cold water and place it in the freezer for a few hours. Use it as a cold compress to keep your body cool when trying to fall asleep. You can also freeze your bed sheets or socks for more cooling comfort. 

You even also try placing an ice pack on your pillow, let it sit for a few minutes, and rest your face on the cool side.

Another method involves an ice pack, a plastic bag of frozen peas, or a water bottle. Wrap the item with a washcloth to prevent it from dampening your sheets, then place it on your head, neck, or face to help you stay cool at night.

Too much sun can harm the quality and duration of your sleep. Summer heat can enter your windows, making your room feel like an oven. Closing the blinds and curtains during the day, especially during the summer months, will help keep your room cooler at night and help temperatures drop. 

According to studies, using medium-colored curtains with a white plastic backing can reduce the indoor temperature by 33%. With that, you may want to think about the material of your curtains as well. You might want to think about investing in blackout curtains, which block out the sunlight and reduce heat in your room.

Eating dinner right before bed means the body has to exert energy on breaking down food particles. Since our bodies aren’t designed to digest food while we sleep, eating dinner close to bedtime can cause a rise in your body temperature, preventing quality sleep. So, eat dinner early in the evening. While you’re at it, eat light, healthy meals to keep your digestive system from working too hard at night.