Good sleep for healthy ageing

26 Feb 2025

Good sleep is essential for healthy ageing, but Australia’s sweltering summer nights can make it difficult to rest. Live Up’s latest article below, ‘How to sleep cool in summer,’ is part of their Heat Health Series with Griffith University‘s Ethos Project.

Can’t sleep in summer? Don’t let the heat disrupt your sleep. Try these tips to stay cool and comfortable all night long.

Why does heat make it difficult to sleep?

Melatonin is a hormone produced in your brain to promote sleepiness. It’s naturally produced when your core body temperature (CBT) lowers. A hot room keeps your CBT elevated, making it harder to feel sleepy.

What’s the best sleeping temperature?

Ideal bedroom temperature for sleeping is below 20ºC. Some degrees higher than this can be fine, but you might forgo your banket.

Temperatures above 26ºC, however, can cause:

Disrupted sleep cycles
Waking up multiple times in the night
Fewer total hours of rest

What happens if you don’t get good sleep?

Sleep deprivation negatively affects your mind and body:

It’s harder to learn, focus, and think clearly. It’s linked to worse mood, depression, and reduced thinking skills (such as memory).
It weakens your immune system, disrupts your metabolism, and increases inflammation. It also raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

A bad night of sleep often leads to a bad day awake. However, while setting your air-conditioning (AC) to the lowest setting might help you sleep better, it can drive up your energy bill. Fortunately, there are cheaper and more energy-efficient tricks for staying cool.

What can you do when it’s too hot to sleep?

Use fans and AC together for efficiency

Set your AC as high as you comfortably can, perhaps around 25ºC, and pair it with a fan for improved airflow. Many AC units have a ‘sleep mode’ to conserve energy.
Note: If you prefer not to use AC at night, you can switch it to ‘fan-only’ mode.
You can also create a cross-breeze with multiple fans. Position one to draw in cooler air and another to push warm air out of your room. It’s a breeze!
Note: Avoid pointing a fan at your face while you sleep, as this could irritate your airways.

Use natural cooling methods

Take a cool shower or bath before bed to lower your body temperature.
It’s also helpful to stay hydrated during the day. This means you won’t wake up thirsty, and it allows you to sweat at night to keep cool. Just avoid drinking lots of water right before bed, since a full bladder could wake you up in the night.

Choose bedding that helps you shed heat

Use light cotton sheets.
Wear breathable pyjamas that don’t cover too much skin.
Remove heat-trapping mattress toppers.
Consider using a gel cooling pad or putting cold packs under your sheets.
Consider a mattress and pillows made from breathable material such as bamboo fabric.

Avoid heat-generating activities before bed

Strenuous evening exercise raises body temperature and delays sleep readiness.
Alcohol and cigarettes can raise body temperature and disrupt sleep cycles.
Heavy, fatty, or spicy meals can make you feel too hot and uncomfortable for sleep. It’s best to avoid them in the 2-3 hours leading up to bedtime.

Full article: www.liveup.org.au/articles/how-to-sleep-cool-in-summer

See more information on healthy ageing in the heat.