5 ways to sleep well during a heatwave in Switzerland

While the Swiss weather continues to bring sunshine and heat, many people are struggling to get some good quality shut-eye at night. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help make your bedroom more comfortable and help you sleep better during the heatwave.

Understand the science of keeping cool at bedtime

In order to get the best night's sleep, scientists say that we have to keep our bodies cool. According to Gerard Kerkhof, professor emeritus of psychophysiology at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, deep sleep happens when your body cools down, so if it's exceptionally hot in your home, then your body will, of course, struggle to reach this low temperature.

Deep sleep is the most important phase in our sleep pattern for recovering from the previous day mentally and physically. Here are five tips to help you combat the heat for a great night's sleep!

1. Don't drink alcohol

While alcohol may make you feel sleepy, research shows that people have worse quality sleep after drinking compared to when they're teetotal. We don't want to miss out on afternoons in the park, barbecues in back gardens or sitting on terraces of cafes and bars to enjoy a few drinks, but drinking alcohol brings your temperature up, dehydrates your body and ultimately will not lead to a good night’s sleep.

Stick to juices, soft drinks, mocktails, or - even better - water. If the taste of beer in the sunshine is irresistible, alcohol-free beer is increasingly popular, so now’s the time to enjoy it.

2. Dress your bed with natural fabrics

In hot weather, it's important to prepare your bed in a heat-friendly way. Natural fabrics like cotton let the air circulate, so using cotton or linen bedsheets will help you keep cooler than using synthetic fabrics. It might be time to put the duvet away temporarily and sleep under plain cotton bed sheets. You can even put your sheets in a plastic bag in the fridge or freezer; you’ll feel massive relief when immersing yourself in the cold sheets!

3. Use ice to help you out

If you're really struggling to keep your room cool, you can always rely on ice to soothe the sizzle! Sleeping with a hot water bottle filled with ice or cold water is useful for keeping your feet cool. Filling any bottle, for that matter, and putting it in the freezer, is a really useful tool for keeping those feet cool in bed. Ice is your friend in this weather.

4. Know when to keep windows and curtains open and closed

If it is safe to do so, it's a good idea to keep your windows open while you sleep. If you have multiple windows, open as many as you can, to let the air circulate. Leave your bedroom door open too, for the same reason. Leave the curtains partially open, so that the fresh air is not blocked. 

During the daytime, on the other hand, keep the windows and curtains in your bedroom closed to prepare your bedroom for the night. If the temperature is hotter outside than it is inside - which is likely in many types of homes during these weeks - then this is vital. Do not open them until it has cooled down outside.

5. Turn off your electronics

Though we all know that you shouldn't be watching screens before bedtime, during a heatwave there's also another great reason to switch off your devices before bed. TVs and computers generate heat, even when they are on standby, so ensure that they are switched off completely (and not on standby) to avoid adding to the room temperature.

Get a good night's sleep during the Swiss summer 

Hopefully, these tips can help you have a blissful night's sleep even during the hot weather. If you take matters into your own hands, you can get the most out of this great weather, as you enjoy the warm summer days outdoors and still sleep well at night.

Have you got any other tips for keeping cool? What works for you when trying to sleep during a heatwave? Let us know in the comments below.

This article originally appeared on IamExpat in the Netherlands.