Sleeping in the cold may seem like a cumbersome issue for most people on winter nights. When one is trying to sleep, their body tends to settle into colder temperatures than warmer ones. The decrease in the core body temperature due to a cold sleeping environment decreases the body’s tendency to hit the heat and tends to fall asleep quickly. However, the sleeping area can be too cold due to the cold nights of winter, and it gets challenging to find the right balance between being too hot and being too cold. Some tweaks to the bedroom and the adjacent area should be enough to keep one warm enough to fall asleep, despite the frigid weather outside.
Best Ways to Sleep With a Cold Temperature on a Cold Night:
1. Exercising Lightly Before Going to Sleep
This helps raise the body temperature before deciding to go to sleep. A few warmup exercises help make the body warmer and get the blood circulation going. This would, in turn, make the body tired and help in a sound sleep.
2. Drinking Water or Tea
Warm drinks are a good source of heat for the body and keep the body warm for a long time. Any warm drink that does not contain caffeine is a good source of warmth, and this could be some good chamomile tea that helps in inducing sleep or simply hot water. Another option is to go for a mug of warm lemon and honey.
3. Taking a Warm Bath or a Steamy Shower
Showers have always been known as a good idea before going to bed because they take the filth away and relax the body to a great extent. Hence, soaking in a hot bath is the best idea to warm the body on a cold winter night.
4. Layering Some Warm Nightwear
Layering the clothes creates air pockets which act as an insulator to trap body temperatures during sleep. This could include wearing anything from thin pullovers to long-sleeved pajama sets to a warm throw-away blanket or a shawl. Instead of wearing one thick sweater, layers also allow one to take clothes off or wear them on as the temperature varies.
5. Keeping Comforters and Blankets Nearby
Creating a cozy and warm atmosphere around the bed by layering blankets and comforters near the feet is imperative on cold winter nights. If it gets colder at night, one could easily get up and add additional layers. It would also be wise to invest in an electric blanket or heated mattress pads. If one invests in an electric blanket, it must be made sure that the blanket is unplugged before going to bed or may cause a severe accident.
6. Adjust the Temperature of the Thermostat
If the apartment or house has a temperature control system, make sure that the thermostat is set at the right temperature. The most recommended room temperature during winters is approximately 65 degrees F or 18 degrees C.
7. Using a Heating Pad or a Heated Water Bottle
Both of these would most likely be available in the drugstore. Most hot water bottles are made of a liquid that can be heated in the microwave, and one could also use a more traditional hot water bottle that uses boiling water. The process is to simply boil the water on a stove and pour it into the bottle to keep it warm.
8. Wear Woolen Socks
Wool is something that has an excellent heat retention capacity. Often, the feet are the first part of the body that begins to feel cold, and due to poor circulation, it can be difficult to warm the feet with a blanket alone. Therefore it is advisable to wear socks and sleep to keep one’s body warmer.
9. Block the Draft in the Room
A draft is an opening between a door, a windowpane, and possibly a door slate that pumps cold air into the room. If the cold air in the room makes one stay awake, they should check for the rafts in the doors and windows or corners of the room. Blocking these drafts with a rolled-up blanket or a long pillow helps, and this helps prevent cold air from circulating within the room and making it even colder.
10. Layer Sheets
Layering a blanket on top of a sheet helps create an air gap, which again acts as a heat insulator and prevents the body heat from radiating out. This will, in turn, keep the body warmer and comfortable enough to have a long, undisturbed sleep.
Conclusion:
These minor adjustments to the pre-sleep routine can help one go to sleep warmer on a cold wintry night. If one sleeps comfortably despite the dropping temperatures outside, one will be able to wake up refreshed after a long undisturbed sleep.
