Summer means more time for fun in the sun, but longer days and warmer temperatures aren't exactly the best combination for *** good night's sleep. Sleep follows the core body temperature cycle. So as your core body temperature begins to rise, you get more and more awake, and then once it begins to fall, you start to get sleepy. Dr. Michael Bruce is *** clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert. He says body temperature. peaks right around bedtime, then starts dropping. That drop signals our brains to release melatonin, making us sleepy. You got to have the temperature drop, which means you got to have *** cool environment. Dr. Bruce says the optimal room temperature for sleep is between 65 and 75 degrees. Short of cranking the AC. There are other things you can do to keep cool, like running *** fan. Air purifiers also help to. Create *** more comfortable environment for sleep along with using the right bedding. Anything that where the package says breathable and says 100% cotton, you're probably in good shape. Same with your PJs for lightweight breathable materials. There's also all kinds of new innovations when it comes to cooling mattresses and toppers. Now they've got these things where they will take *** small tube and it will run through the entire material. Whether it's an overlay or *** topper, and then, and then there's *** little compressor down by the bottom of the bed so it'll run either hot water through for, let's say, wintertime or cool water through for, say, summertime. These can be very effective. But before you go spending any money, try this easy hack using two frozen water bottles. Then get *** long tube sock, you know, like an athletic sock, and drop one in each one, and then take both of them and put them. On the outside of your hips while you sleep at night. It's like *** little mini air conditioner system that you can have for yourself. It doesn't cost you *** dime, and you'll start to understand how your body reacts to the cooler rather than the warmer environment. And finally, keep your bedroom curtains and blinds closed during the day in order to keep cool air in and hot air out. Reporting in Washington, I'm Amy Lou.
How to beat the heat for better sleep
Try these practical tips to cool down your bedroom and improve sleep during hot summer months.
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Updated: 2:04 PM CDT Jun 3, 2025
Hot summer nights can make it tough to get a good night’s sleep, but there are simple ways to cool down your bedroom for better rest.Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert, explains that sleep follows your core body temperature cycle. As your body temperature peaks at bedtime and then drops, it signals your brain to release melatonin, helping you fall asleep. "Melatonin is kind of that key that starts the engine for sleep," explains Breus. "You got to have the temperature drop, which mean you got to have a cool environment." The ideal room temperature for sleep is between 65 and 75 degrees, or 20 degrees off the daily high. To keep your bedroom cool, keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to block out heat. An air purifier can also help create a more comfortable environment for sleep. "Think about it — it's the one room you spend more time in than any other room in your house," says Breus. "Having fresh, clean, filtered air, I think can also be very valuable." For bedding, look for breathable materials, like 100% cotton. For those looking for advanced solutions, consider investing in a cooling mattress or topper. However, Dr. Breus suggests trying a budget-friendly hack first: Freeze two water bottles, place them in tube socks, and rest them on the outside of your hips while sleeping. "It's like a little mini air conditioner system that you can have for yourself," says Breus.
Hot summer nights can make it tough to get a good night’s sleep, but there are simple ways to cool down your bedroom for better rest.
Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert, explains that sleep follows your core body temperature cycle. As your body temperature peaks at bedtime and then drops, it signals your brain to release melatonin, helping you fall asleep.
"Melatonin is kind of that key that starts the engine for sleep," explains Breus. "You got to have the temperature drop, which mean you got to have a cool environment."
The ideal room temperature for sleep is between 65 and 75 degrees, or 20 degrees off the daily high. To keep your bedroom cool, keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to block out heat. An air purifier can also help create a more comfortable environment for sleep. "Think about it — it's the one room you spend more time in than any other room in your house," says Breus. "Having fresh, clean, filtered air, I think can also be very valuable."
For bedding, look for breathable materials, like 100% cotton. For those looking for advanced solutions, consider investing in a cooling mattress or topper. However, Dr. Breus suggests trying a budget-friendly hack first: Freeze two water bottles, place them in tube socks, and rest them on the outside of your hips while sleeping. "It's like a little mini air conditioner system that you can have for yourself," says Breus.
