The best eco-friendly materials and methods to cool your home
We are lucky here in Australia to have long, warm summers, with days that seem to stretch on forever and nights made for relaxing outside with friends.
However, the heat can be a blessing and a curse.
If you are a naturally hot sleeper or suffer on summer nights, you have probably tried running the air conditioning all night or leaving windows open. The trouble is, air conditioning negatively impacts sleep quality and throwing windows open invites in mosquitoes, sounds and light.
So what’s the solution for sleeping soundly on warm summer nights? There are a few easy remedies to stay cool and comfortable, including physiological “hacks” and investing in cooling bed sheets.
1. Pamper your pulse points
Pulse points are places where your blood vessels are close to your skin:
- Wrists (radial artery)
- Neck (carotid artery)
- Inside your ankles, knees and elbows
- Tops of your feet
- Temples
Paying attention to pulse points is a quick, effective way to cool your body down. Before bed, apply a cool compress or run cold water over your pulse points until you feel your core temperature drop to a comfortable level.
2. Choose bamboo bed sheets
Bamboo is the ultimate cooling fabric for sheets. Bamboo fabric absorbs and evaporates moisture more efficiently than cotton, preventing sweat from collecting on your sheets.
Air pockets in bamboo’s natural fibres mean bamboo bed sheets also regulate temperature better than other fabrics. At the same time, the luxurious lightweight feeling prevents you from overheating.
If you’re looking for the best bed sheets to stay cool on the warmest summer nights, look no further than OLARA bamboo sheets.
3. Switch off the stove
Ovens and cooktops heat your home more than you might think. Especially if you live in an apartment or smaller house, try to avoid using the stove to make a late dinner.
Besides, summer isn’t the right time for a roast. Instead, opting for a salad or barbecuing outside is ideal for making the most of balmy summer evenings.
4. Stick to salads for dinner
As well as turning down the heat indoors and using Australia’s abundant fresh summer food, having a lighter dinner helps you sleep easier.
Metabolising meat uses a lot of energy. The more protein you consume, the more your body needs to heat up to digest it. So if you’re waking up with “meat sweats”, consider tipping the balance of your diet towards salad this summer.
5. Banish pets from the bed
Pets make the best companions – until it comes to sleeping on a hot night. Your furry friend acts as a hot water bottle in bed, raising your body temperature and deteriorating sleep quality.
Try to keep your pets off the bed in summer. But if they do sneak onto the bed, at least you know it’s easy to clean your cooling bamboo sheets.
6. Exercise earlier
Like eating lots of heavy foods, exercising too late keeps your body temperature high during the night. It also disrupts your circadian rhythm, boosting your energy levels when you want to wind down.
Try to rearrange your day for a morning run or lunchtime gym session. That way, your energy levels and core temperature will tail off in time for bed.
Rest easy with the best bamboo sheets for hot sleepers
Bamboo is the best bed sheet fabric for staying cool, dry and comfortable all summer. Plus, bamboo is hypoallergenic and antibacterial, repelling dust mites and bacteria shared by any pets that sneak onto the bed.
Browse the OLARA catalogue online and purchase your new summer sheets before temperatures start to climb.
