Beat the heat: easy ways to stay cooler at night and sleep better

Prolonged hot spells can make it difficult to sleep, which can leave you feeling drained and irritable. 

In the long term, it's worth considering smart buys that can help regulate the temperature in your home better, such as choosing breathable bedding, mattresses and pillows, or investing in air con or an electric fan.

But if you need solutions right now, or are on a budget, there are some simple tricks worth trying.

We've rounded up tips on what's worked for our experts, as well as the products that can offer reliefboth short and longer term.

Live well, eat better and stay healthy – sign up to our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest expert reviews and insights delivered straight to your inbox

How to stay cool in the heat: what’s worked for Which? experts

We asked our research team for their top tips on what's worked for them. 

From the perfect level of bedding to getting creative with everyday household items, they share their tried and tested ways to keep your cool after dark.

Ditch the duvet (but not the cover)

'I have to credit a friend for this one, but if it's too hot for a summer duvet - and you don't like sleeping under just a sheet - try using an empty duvet cover instead. This gives you more weight than sleeping with only a sheet, but is much cooler than having the duvet as well.

'I find a plain bed sheet too light as coverage and end up struggling to sleep, so this has really made a difference for me.'

Jessica Carson, Food and Health Editor

Several other Which? staff mentioned this one, so it's worth a try if you have similar issues with finding the right cover-up for warmer nights.

Alternatively, you can use a light blanket on top of a sheet for a similar effect. That way, you can grab the blanket if you get cooler in the night, but shrug it off when it's too hot.

Freeze your hot water bottle

'I favour filling a hot water bottle with water and popping it in the freezer. It stays cool for ages and helps me drift off.

Tom Morgan, Senior Content Writer

Another tip mentioned by several Which? staff. Variations include cool packs - either of the picnic / coolbox or muscle ache variety. Fans of this method recommend wrapping the packs in a tea towel or pillowcase to protect you and make it more comfortable.

Gel cool packs, used for injuries / muscle issues, have the benefit of being a little softer and more flexible than rigid cool packs, but either does the job. Some can also be used hot, so they're handy for the winter too.

If you don't have any of these to hand, you can use frozen bottles of water in a pinch, it's just slightly less comfortable to clutch at night!

You can buy Hot and Cold flexible Kool Paks at Amazon (£2.88 for 1, or 3 for £8) and Asda (£4.73 for one, with holder included).

Make use of water sprays, damp towels and targeted cooling

Our research team suggested various tips for speedy cooling when you're feeling frazzled: 

• Cool your feet – Daniel Davies, Content Editor, says: 'The temperature of your feet has a significant impact on your whole body. With this in mind, I keep a bucket of cold water in the bathroom during hot spells – that way, I can quickly dip my feet if I wake up in the middle of the night. 
• Use a damp towel – Dino Buratti, Researcher/Writer says: 'When it’s really hot, I wet a towel with cool water and wrap it around myself in bed. It instantly helps to bring my body temperature down.' While Victoria Purcell, Content Editor, adds: 'A damp towel at the end of the bed is surprisingly effective. I either use a flannel or a long gym towel.'
• Have a shower before bed – Adele Dyer, Principal Researcher, says: 'A shower before bed with coolish water, followed by a light towel dry, cools me down and relaxes me.'
• Try a water spray – Hannah Fox, Principal Researcher/writer, says: 'I spritz my legs with a water spray and then have a fan blowing over them to help cool me down.'

Invest in a rechargeable bedside fan 

Natalie Turner, Content Producer, says: 'If you’re looking for an affordable way to keep cool, I recommend a rechargeable desk fan. I have one on my bedside table and it definitely makes a difference. Plus, it has a timer function so it isn’t running all night long.'

Other Which? researchers backed this up, flagging the benefits of these fans being compact enough to fit on a bedside table, and not too expensive.

Compact desk fans we've spotted still in stock include:

• John Lewis Foldable Desk fan, £12 at John Lewis, which comes in a selection of colours
• Dunelm Mini Multiway Turbo fan, £15 (was £30) at Dunelm
• Bush Handheld and Foldable Desk Fan, £12, at Argos

Block out street noise and banish bugs

You might have thrown your windows open to let cooler air in at night, but that can bring unwanted noise and winged visitors.

Senior Editor Daniella Delaney Mendes swears by a good pair of earplugs for the first problem:

'My Loop earplugs proved very handy a couple of weeks ago when my neighbours were having a party but I needed to keep the windows open as it was so hot. They kept all the noise of party hits and singing along out of earshot.' 

While Content Editor Daniel Davies suggests fitting a sliding fly screen to your bedroom window to keep out the bugs and let in the fresh air.

Check out our earplug reviews for our top recommendations, and for fly screens, there are a number of specialist options around from blind and curtain retailers, and you'll also find a selection on online retailers such as Amazon. 

Basic magnetic options start from around £20, while more sturdy options are around £50+.

Insect repellent reviews - keep biting bugs away with our top-rated mosquito repellents

What to eat and drink to stay cool and hydrated

Staying well hydrated helps your body regulate its temperature, making it easier to stay comfortable at night. 

Try to avoid drinking large amounts right before bed though to reduce the chances of waking up in the middle of the night. Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep cycle.

Tucking into a heavy meal in the evening means your body has to work harder to digest it, which can make it trickier to fall asleep. Instead, experiment with lighter foods such as salads, fresh fruit and lean protein to see if you notice an impact on your sleeping patterns. 

Our expert says

'We need around 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day, but it's worth remembering that the water in the food we eat also counts.

'Try sticking to unsweetened drinks and be cautious with flavoured waters, as they can contain added sugar. Instead, add a slice of lemon, orange or cucumber to your water if you want a hint of flavour.'

Shefalee Loth, Which? nutritionist

For more details on staying hydrated, see our guide covering how much water you need in a day.

Keeping your home cool

For more considered purchases to stay cool in the long term, options include air conditioners, heavy duty fans, and assessing whether your window coverings and bedding are working hard enough to help regulate your (and your homes) temperature.

Improve your sleeping environment

Keeping your bedroom cool is key to getting a good night’s sleep. During a heatwave, keep your curtains and blinds closed in the daytime to block out direct sunlight.

In the evening, put fans to use if you have them and use them strategically – you can create a cross-breeze through open windows or instead angle them so the airflow is directed towards you. For an extra cooling boost, place a bowl of ice water in front of the fan so the air passes over it before it reaches you.

If you're willing to spend on extra comfort, a portable air conditioner can bring the temperature in your bedroom down by several degrees. The best we've tested will cool any room quickly and evenly, without causing a racket. Some can cost upwards of £700, but we've found a Great Value unit that's less than £300.

See our picks of the best portable air conditioners and best fans for cooling.

Bedding and Sleepwear

Opting for lightweight, breathable bedding during a heatwave will help the air circulate and allow heat to escape. Think about your sleepwear too. Light, loose-fitting clothes made from natural fabrics are best as they allow your skin to breathe.

Your mattress can make all the difference to how hot you feel in bed too, which is why we measure mattress insulation as part of our in-depth testing. This looks at how much heat the layers of a mattress trap around you and how much is allowed to pass through. Both factors affect how warm or cool you feel while you sleep.

The breathability of your mattress also plays a big part in keeping you comfortable. A great mattress will let moisture pass through so the surface does not become damp, which should help stop you from feeling sweaty.

When browsing our expert mattress reviews, you can use our filter to only reveal models we've rated as 'Very cold' or 'Cold'. At the time of writing, we've labelled 110 mattresses as 'Cold' and another 40 as 'Very cold'.

Below is a list of several Which? Best Buy mattresses rated as very cold in our tests:

Only logged-in Which? members can see which cool mattresses we recommend. Sign up to Which? today or login in to reveal the results.

To see which mattresses have aced our tests, check our guide to the best mattresses, or skip straight to our round-up of 5 cooling mattresses for hot sleepers.

Pillows

Your choice of pillow can make a noticeable difference to how cool you feel at night. For example, feather pillows are generally cooler than both down and microfibre.

Breathable pillow covers can also help air circulate during hotter temperatures and stop heat from building up around your head and neck. 

When we test pillows, we rate each one for how cool it feels, so you can compare and find the best option for you.  See our full guide to the best pillows.