With the kids off school, the stresses of working from home, and the worry of the ongoing pandemic, it is no surprise that millions of people are struggling with their sleep patterns at the moment. Add to the mix some of our hottest days on record, and another heatwave on the way as we head into summer, a full-night’s good sleep may seem like a distant dream.
Hot weather can make the days draining and the nights dire, so the vicious cycle of tiredness is hard to break. Here, Simon Bandy of Veganicity has compiled a list of top tips to aid sleep through the sticky nights:
Fan-tastic – A fan may seem like a great idea, but some simply push the hot air around the room rather than having the desired cooling effect . Try placing a large container of ice in front of it to cool the circulating air down.
Hot and cold – Fill your hot water bottle with cold water and freeze. Pop the frozen ‘cold water bottle’ into bed an hour before you go to sleep for some nice icy patches.
Get shady – Wet a large sheet and hang it in front of an open window. As the wind blows through the window, the dampness from the sheet will help bring the room temperature down.
Compress – Create a cold compress and apply it to main pressure points like the backs of knees, inner elbows, and neck. Wringing out a flannel in very cold water and applying it to your forehead and temples works a treat too.
Go through the roof – We all know that hot air rises, so open your loft hatch and let the warm air escape through the roof.
Food for Zzzz – Try 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan (HTP). It’s a natural precursor to serotonin – the neurotransmitter that helps maintain a healthy, calm mood and good sleep pattern, as well as control food cravings especially brought on by anxiety. Veganicity’s 5-HTP Complex (30 vtabs / £12.95) vegan friendly supplement is high strength and combines 100mg of 5-HTP with B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, all known to help induce a calming effect and maintain healthy sleep patterns.
Products are available from www.veganicity.com, www.amazon.co.uk and all good independent health shops nationwide.
