SUMMER SLEEP GUIDE

THE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR HOT SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

Summer has officially arrived in the UK! And while with it come sun-basking, warmer nights and all-round good times, for some that’s not all the hot weather brings.

Our body’s internal clock – the 24-hour circadian cycle, controls the sleep-wake cycle and is heavily influenced by body temperature. While low temperatures typically remind the body it’s time to fall asleep, high temperature can stimulate alertness. Not ideal on a hot summer’s evening! Sleep with the windows open and you have another issue on your hands – loud noises and the high pollen count which triggers allergies.

Regardless of the reason, it’s fair to say most of us find it harder to drift off during the summer months, ending up tossing and turning for hours.

This is why the sleep experts at DROWSY have put together a survival guide for hot sleepless nights

TEMPERATURE

Even slight changes to your normal body temperature patterns can be disruptive, so it’s important to be aware of it and prepare accordingly. Invest in a good fan, it keeps the temp down and blocks out external noise. Sleep with a light cotton sheet and if temps really soar, try rinsing it in water to keep you cool. Have your own bedding! In the winter it might be great to cuddle up to your partner to keep warm, but in the summer the heat from your two bodies can make you more uncomfortable. Regulate things by having separate bedding for both of you.

ALLERGIES

If you’re one of the 13 million people in the UK that suffers from hay fever then the chances are that you’ve been kept awake by that non-stop eye and nose itch. If you want to help reduce the symptoms try drinking green tea to help relieve your symptoms or take a hot shower before bed to remove all pollen from your body and hair. Use fresh sheets on your bed to avoid contamination from pollen outside.

To help with setting the mood for a restful night, spray a natural pillow spray on your bed and in the room and make the most of its aromatherapy benefits. The award-winning Drowsy Sleep SOS Pillow Spray £21.95 uses a blend of powerful natural oils shown to promote slow-wave sleep and aid relaxation, helping you ‘set the scene’ and drift off in no time.

If stress and worrying thoughts keep you up, you might want to try the Drowsy Sleep ZEN Pillow Spray £21.95 which works as a functional fragrance to mellow out stressed minds and slow the non-stop stream of sleep-interrupting thoughts, helping release mental distractions and give you the peace of mind you deserve.

EATING & DRINKING

The summer season inevitably brings its fair share of festivities. And just because you sleep badly doesn’t mean you should miss out on the fun. But bear in mind that stimulants like alcohol, tobacco and heavy foods in the run up to bed will disrupt the chemical balance in your brain needed for restful sleep. Instead, drink early in the evening and stop at least 3 hours before bed. Switch beers for non-alcoholic alternatives. They look and taste the same, without the hangover! Eat as lightly and early as possible in the evenings so that digestion doesn’t keep you up.

NOISE & LIGHT

To keep the temp down in your bedroom it’s great to keep windows open and maximise airflow. The only problem then is that outside noise disturbs the peacefulness of your room. And extra light can interfere with your body’s circadian rhythm, which will cause havoc on your sleep patterns.

Invest in a luxury sleep mask to block out all light in the room. The best-selling Drowsy Silk Sleep Mask £49.50 provides the ultimate escape for weary eyes, using 22-momme pure mulberry silk due to its hypoallergenic, breathable properties that look after the skin, hair and help prevent the allergens which cause asthma and eczema. Unlike your average sleep mask, the fluffy-cloud padding blocks even the tiniest ray of light and muffles out noises, for the ultimate feathery-light yet comforting ‘face hug’ feel!

You can also use earplugs or a white noise machine to cover up external noises or listen to sleeping music playlists on Spotify (or binaural beats for extra zen) at a low volume.

All Drowsy products are available at https://www.drowsysleepco.com/

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