Just Too Hot to Get Any Sleep

This may already have been posted - ive not read thoroughly - but a cheap alternative that definitely works is to buy a large microfibre towel - I get mine from amazon - bathsheet size, wet it in cold water, wring dry - and it feels dry ( bit like a large chamois leather?) but cold to lie under. And it stays feeling cold till it dries. Honestly - it’s a life saver abroad, but increasingly here too !!

That's worth knowing, thanks.
I think I may have just one towel.
I'll have a look.

The irony and possibly the answer is in your username’warmglovesandsocks’ 🤣

Perhaps you should also consider what kind of mattress you have.

If like me you have a box mattress with a thinner separate mattress that goes on top of it, check what it is made of. Mine was made of foam rubber, which I found too warm, even although I am rarely too hot at night, or at any other time.

Creating a through draugth by having a bedroom window even very sligthly open, as well as a window at the other side of the storey your bedroom is on open, will make your bedroom cooler.

Finally, which way do your bedroom windows face? Mine are due west, so rollling the blinds down at about two in the afternoon, just as the sun is getting round there, really helps.

I know this has nothing to do with bedding, but all of these tricks are inexpensive, so if you have not already tried them, they are a good place to start.

I half fill a hot water bottle and freeze it It’s fabulous at keeping you cool. You can also buy long slim ones. X

Quoting myself, from a different thread---

DeLonghi, portable air con do make a huge difference, I believe.

Ours are fairly quiet, small, roll around, and my husband fitted vents for them by engineering the hose vent parts to fit wall openings he also engineered.

I don’t have a problem sleeping in the heat, but friends apparently do.
Two of them were having this conversation on a WhatsApp group just after 6am this morning and my phone kept pinging until I turned the sound off.
Apparently if they can’t sleep no one else is allowed to!!

Thank you all for your ideas (and laughs). I’ve taken the plunge and ordered a gel filled mat (same for humans and dogs) and two gel filled pillowcases from Amazon. Like Miss Adventure I am wondering though which part of me I shall cool! If I find they’re any good I might buy another gel mat so the whole of me is covered underneath. Thanks for all your views!

Will you let us know how you get on, please?

Well I have a powerful fan at bed height. And soak a light top in cold water and wear it. I have tried just spraying myself with water but wearing the soaked top is better. I have an expensive cooling blanket.. it’s very heavy thin and cold. It’s ok. But now I’ve put it on the dog bed and she likes it - she doesn’t like the cooling mat.its cold to the touch.

Another vote for lying on a bath towel-cotton not microfibre. It really works- as does a hand towel over the pillow for those pesky hot flushes!

Oodie sell cooling blankets which get good reviews, they've got a sale on at the moment. I've got one of their sleep tee shirts which is very comfortable but I haven't tried the blankets. I would order one if I wasn't due to go on holiday in a few days time.

I'd imagine getting up with a poc marked face from a towel.
I'll give it a go, though.
Thanks.

Warmglovesandsocks

Forgive me Gransnetters if this is in the wrong category but I don’t post very often. My health is suffering through lack of sleep and I’m wanting to buy the best double cooling sheet and pillowcases I can possibly afford. Don’t laugh but I started by looking at pet cooling mats until I realised that I can get them for human beings. I’ve skirted through a well known online retailer which I usually use and am happy to use, but the choice is too much. Has anyone bought a double cooling sheet or cooling mat that actually keeps them cool for a reasonable time.

For me I fill the hot water bottle with cold water . That does the trick the duvet lands on the floor most nights in this heat .

You obviously don't live in Scotland. Was cloudy, grey and raing this morning 12° now 21° at 7.45pm!

I live in a "new build" which gets boiling so 2years ago I invested in shutters Best decision ever

Norah

Quoting myself, from a different thread---

DeLonghi, portable air con do make a huge difference, I believe.

Ours are fairly quiet, small, roll around, and my husband fitted vents for them by engineering the hose vent parts to fit wall openings he also engineered.

They’re also expensive Norah. Many couldn’t afford them,

I bought a dog cooling blanket from temu, it almost fits my double bed and is cool for a while so my feet searching for a cool bit.

The fan seems to have helped a better night's sleep. There was no point buying a posh one here because we won't be taking it home in the car, that space is reserved for the wine!

I was only thinking how clever the body is at adjusting to temperature. The longer this heatwave continues, the more both body and mindset become accepting and somehow cope.

So far, my best tip is putting bed linen in the freezer until needed.

Hope you're all bearing up and managed some rest.

Make your HWB into a CWB. Once youve put cold water in just pop it in freezer. Put it in bed before you go up yourself and it cools bed a treat and stays cold for ages. If its too cold against your skin wrap it in a tea towel to take chill off 😂

I have a drink coolbox and i replaced the lid with a wooden one with two holes (one large, one small). I freeze a bread pan ice cube, place it in the box, set a fan face down to blow into the box and icy air blows out a tube from the other hole.

Its affordable but dont let the fan get wet .

I can’t help, as haven’t got that problem in NE Scotland. It was 17deg yesterday. The sun is out this morning, so hoping for a warmer day.

It was over 30 at midnight both in and outside but I can’t stand the mossies so slept with the windows closed. It’s better that way as I certainly would not be able to sleep if one was flying around.
There are no air conditioners in the shops at the moment but maybe I should think about getting one for next year as this is the second wave we have had this year, 39 yesterday.
Traveling to Manchester next week, that will be a shock to the system.

Similar to the hot water bottle idea, I have a large freezer block which is meant for cool bags. Once frozen wrap it in a tea towel and that helps getting off to sleep.

Not great for my DH whom I care for. He was up several times with atrial fibrillation so I was up giving him an extra beta blocker and waiting for it to slow down. He had the Watchman surgery last year to avoid another stroke but that does not stop AF.
This weather is not good for older people with serious health difficulties.