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As tropical nights with consistently high temperatures become more frequent in summer, many people likely experience restless nights. This article introduces methods for creating an optimal sleep environment and selecting bedding that allows for comfortable sleep.
Why is it hard to sleep in summer?
When the body's internal temperature (core body temperature) drops, the brain enters a relaxed state, which leads to comfortable sleep onset. However, in hot summers, core body temperature doesn't drop easily, leading to a decrease in sleep quality. Here are three crucial aspects of your sleep environment to check for better sleep.
1: Temperature
To promote easier sleep, ensure your bedroom is cooled to an appropriate temperature before bedtime. When doing so, if you pull back your duvet, heat can escape from the mattress more easily, allowing the entire bedding to cool efficiently.
The ideal indoor temperature for summer is said to be around 27°C (15-18°C in winter), so set your air conditioner to 26-28°C as a guide. Be careful not to overcool your body with air conditioning or a fan.
2: Humidity
Difficulty sleeping is not only caused by room temperature but also by the sticky discomfort from humidity and sweat. The ideal humidity for comfortable sleep is about 50-60%, so adjust it with your air conditioner or other means.
3: Inappropriate bedding
If you're still having trouble sleeping even after adjusting the temperature and humidity, your bedding, such as your pillow or mattress, might not be suitable. On hot nights, it's said that people sweat over 500ml, so bedding with excellent breathability, moisture-wicking properties, and sweat management is recommended.
Key points to consider for your summer sleep environment
Even on tropical nights, over-cooling your body can lead to health problems, so caution is advised.
Getting too cold can cause summer fatigue
If your body gets too cold, blood circulation in your hands and feet worsens, making it difficult for your core body temperature to drop smoothly, which hinders comfortable sleep onset. Additionally, if the room temperature is too low, your body tries to generate heat, making it difficult for your body to rest even while sleeping.
As a result, this can lead to summer fatigue and autonomic nervous system imbalances, so it's important to avoid over-cooling.
Don't overcool your body temperature
By effectively lowering your core body temperature, you can achieve deep sleep during the crucial first 90 minutes of sleep. Since sleep quality changes with room temperature, adjust it to the recommended 27°C (15-18°C in winter).
Why do I need a summer duvet?
As people's body temperature gradually drops during sleep, if you sleep without any covers, your body might not be able to regulate its temperature effectively.
Even if it's hot, not using a duvet can cool your body and make you prone to illness
In recent years, tropical nights are common, and many people likely sleep with the air conditioning on until morning. Since body temperature drops during sleep, to avoid getting sick, it's necessary to prevent your body from getting too cold from the air conditioner's breeze.
Even on hot days, use a summer duvet to help your body regulate its temperature appropriately.
Is cooling-touch fabric good? Points to note
In recent years, many bedding and clothing items made from "cooling-touch material" that feel cool to the touch have been released. To avoid regretting your purchase later, let's review some precautions beforehand.
The cooling sensation doesn't last
Cooling-touch refers solely to the effect of feeling cool upon contact, so the coolness does not last indefinitely. When wearing clothes made of cooling-touch material, there's a lot of movement, making it easy to constantly feel the coolness, but bedding is different. During sleep, there's not much movement, so the same part of the skin continuously touches the cooling-touch fabric. As a result, the temperature difference between the skin and the fabric disappears, and it starts to feel lukewarm over time.
On extremely hot days, if the room temperature is not adjusted, there is a risk of heatstroke
Cooling-touch refers to the effect where the body temperature of the skin transfers to a cooler object upon contact with bedding or clothing, making it feel cold.
Cooling-touch materials are characterized by high thermal conductivity, excellent moisture absorption and release, and a smooth, comfortable feel. However, they do not solve the problem of intense heat on scorching hot days. When you feel restless due to the heat, don't neglect heatstroke prevention measures, such as using air conditioning or fans.
Depending on the material, insufficient moisture absorption and wicking
Cooling-touch materials such as polyethylene, polyester, nylon, and gel lack moisture absorption and wicking properties. Therefore, they cannot absorb the evaporative heat (sweat released as vapor) from the body during sleep, which can lead to stuffiness and discomfort.
For greater comfort, choose products blended with moisture-absorbing materials, or for materials without moisture absorption, select those with high breathability like 3D mesh processing.
Recommended duvets and mattresses for summer?
Summer and winter bedding differ in thickness and function, so use summer duvets and mattresses during the summer.Towel blanket
A duvet made of towel fabric, with a thin and soft texture. Its excellent absorbency and breathability keep you comfortable even when you sweat, preventing stickiness. Recommended for people who sweat a lot or tend to feel hot.
Duvet
A duvet with less filling and a thinner construction than those used in winter is recommended. For summer and the rainy season, choosing a duvet with high moisture absorption and release will allow you to sleep comfortably and dryly.
Mattress
Since you sweat during sleep, moisture accumulates in the mattress. If left as is, the humidity will become too high, leading to restless sleep, so use a mattress with high breathability and moisture-wicking properties.
Furthermore, choosing sheets made of highly moisture-wicking fabric can lead to even more comfortable sleep. Recently, cooling-touch mattress pads have also been released, which provide a cooling sensation with every turn.
Key points for choosing a summer duvet
Here are three points to check when choosing a summer duvet.
1: Breathability and moisture absorption
You sweat a lot during sleep. Therefore, check if the duvet has high breathability and moisture absorption. Generally, materials like cotton, linen, and silk are considered suitable for summer.
2: Ease of care
Summer duvets have a large surface area that comes into direct contact with your skin, making them prone to sweat and sebum buildup, so frequent washing is necessary. If used in a soiled condition, it can lead to dust mites, mold, and unpleasant odors, so check if it can be easily washed at home.
3: Comfort
Cotton, silk, and linen are materials that can be used comfortably even in sticky summer weather. Cotton and silk, in particular, are recommended for their pleasant feel on the skin. Also, if you are concerned about stuffiness, try a cooling-touch duvet.
Care instructions
Summer bedding, which is prone to sweat and sebum, should be regularly cared for to ensure comfortable use.
Airing out moisture after waking up (prone to mold from night sweats)
Leaving night sweats unattended can cause mold to grow, so make airing out moisture in the morning a habit.
After waking up, instead of leaving the duvet on the mattress, lift the duvet and spread it out so that the top of the mattress and the underside of the duvet are exposed to the air. Spreading it out for about 30 minutes will lower the humidity in the bedding and prevent mold and odors.
If bedding is washable, wash it with water
Summer duvets absorb a lot of sweat, so it's recommended to wash them once a week. For duvets that cannot be washed whole, use a duvet cover and wash the cover frequently. For materials that snag easily, like towel blankets, using a large laundry net is recommended for peace of mind.
Regular use of a futon dryer
For non-washable materials, use a futon dryer to remove moisture. Regular drying can prevent dust mites, mold, and odors. If you don't have a futon dryer, drying it on a sunny day is also recommended. After drying, vacuum the surface of the futon to remove any dust mites that may have come to the surface.
Recommended duvets for summer
Here are some bedding options to help you comfortably navigate the sweltering summer.
Embrace comfortable summer bedding to conquer restless nights!
A string of restless nights can lead to summer fatigue and poor health. Skillfully incorporate an optimal sleep environment and summer bedding to comfortably spend tropical nights.
