Ahh, summer time. This means beach days, cook outs, kayaking, and all sorts of other outdoor activities that you could possibly think of. Unfortunately, summertime also means dealing with those hot and sleepless nights that we all dread.
And the unfortunate truth is, turning on air conditioners is not an environmentally responsible or budget conscious way to survive hot summer nights.
Most people would go straight to breaking out the bulky window A/C unit, or flipping on the central air in their homes, but not everybody has that luxury. Or maybe you are looking for a more creative or cost effective way to keep cool. If this is you, you must check out these 15 hacks to keep cool during those hot summer nights!
1. Use cotton sheets.
Cotton is light weight, and it breathes a lot better than silk or polyester sheets. By making the switch during the hot months, you will notice a difference immediately!
2. Make the most of your fans.
If your fans aren’t doing anything but moving the hot air in your room, try pointing a box fan outward in a window frame. This will suck out all of the hot air, making it nice and cool for you.
If you have a ceiling fan, set it to turn counter clock-wise. This will have the same effect. It will move the hot air up and out, creating a comfortable air temperature around you.
3. Wear loose cotton clothing.
Like the sheets, wearing loose cotton clothing to bed can help you keep cool while you sleep. And you can even take it a step further by wearing such comfortable fabrics around the house daily.
4. Put ice in front of a fan.
Try putting a pan of ice in front of a fan to keep cool. This will blow the cold coming from the ice, keeping your own body temperature under control.
When the ice starts to melt, it will then start to blow a cool mist in the air, making it even cooler for you.
5. Create a cross breeze.
You can do this by placing a fan across the room from a window. With both the air from outside, and the fan, you can make a nice breeze travel through your room.
6. Sleep alone.
If you are a cuddler, you might have to try sleeping separate if you want to stay cool. This way you aren’t adding any extra body heat to your sleep area. Which, let’s face it, you can’t afford.
7. Try a new bed.
No, not a new mattress and frame, but you could try setting up a hammock, or a simple cot to sleep in at night instead. Since all of the sides are suspended on either of these, you are letting more air circulate around you, as opposed to a thick stuffy bed.
8. Stay hydrated.
Try drinking around eight ounces of water before you fall asleep. This way, you are nice and hydrated, and you won’t wake up thirsty from tossing and turning at night.
9. Take a cool shower before bed.
Taking a cool shower before you go to bed can help you lower your body temperature. This way you can go to bed feeling cool, and in turn, you can fall asleep more comfortably.
10. Get low.
As we all know, heat rises. If you live in a house with more than one level, you should try sleeping in the lowest level of the house to stay cool. I
f you live in a single level house, you can try to put your bed on a shorter frame, or even put the mattress on the floor to help get under the heat.
11. Keep the lights out.
Light bulbs give off more heat than we realize. If you keep the lights off as much as possible throughout the day, you can significantly reduce the temperature in your house.
12. Hang a wet sheet by a window.
If you hang a wet sheet by a window, a breeze that hits it will help cool your house down more quickly. No, it isn’t a free air conditioner, but it will work wonders so that you don’t have to rely on one.
13. Avoid the stove.
Why would you use the stove anyways, when its grilling season? The stove puts off an insane amount of heat, so by not using it you can reduce the heat in your home a whole lot.
14. Get cold feet.
Try keeping a cool bucket of water by your bed, and whenever you got too hot, stick your feet in it to feel instant relief!
15. Unplug your gadgets.
Electricity creates a lot of heat. Try unplugging small appliances and other little gadgets at night to reduce the heat being created at night.
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