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Choose cotton
Cotton bed sheets are breathable and excellent for promoting ventilation and airflow in the bedroom.
- Feel the freezer burn
Put your sheets in a plastic bag and place them in the freezer until you are ready for bed.
- Air flow
Make the most of your fans by pointing box fans out the windows to push the hot air out. Adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades run counter-clockwise, pulling hot air up and out instead of just moving it around.
- Cool sleep
Dampen a sheet or towel in cool water and using it as a blanket. Just be sure to lay the damp sheets on top of a dry towel so your mattress doesn’t get soaked.
- Get loose
Pick a loose, soft cotton shirt and shorts or underwear.
- Get creative
Make your own air conditioner by putting a shallow pan full of ice in front of a fan. The breeze picks up cold water from the ice as it melts, making a cooling mist.
- Quick cool down
To cool down quickly, put ice packs on your pulse points at your wrists, neck, elbows, groin, ankles, and back of knees.
- Fill up the tank
Get a head start on hydration by drinking a glass of water before bed, since sweating at night can result in dehydration.
- Cool off
Rinsing off under a stream of tepid water brings down the core body temperature and rinses off sweat.
- Get low
Since hot air rises, set up your bed, hammock, or cot as close to the ground as possible to beat the heat. Think: on the floor, ground floor or basement if you have one.
- Turn off the lights
Light bulbs give off heat, so turning them off will keep things cooler.
- Hang out
Cool down a whole room by hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze blowing in will quickly bring down the room’s temperature.
- Give your oven a summer vacation
Chow down on cool or room temperature dishes such as salads to avoid generating extra heat in the house by using the oven. If you feel the need for a hot meal, fire up the grill instead of turning on the oven.
- Get cold feet
Cool down your whole body by dunking (clean!) feet in cold water.
- Be a bed hog
Sleep alone in a spread-eagled position (i.e. with arms and legs not touching each other) to reduce body heat and let air circulate around your body.
