Extreme Heat Means Nights Are Getting Warmer And It Bad For Your Sleep

Nights aren’t just getting warmer, though — they’re heating up faster than days in many parts of the world, according to 2020 research published by the University of Exeter. The researchers found that this so-called warming asymmetry is mostly caused by changing and increasing levels of cloud cover, which retains heat at night Our body temperature naturally falls at night, which promotes good, quality sleep,” Dr. Beth Malow, director of the Vanderbilt Sleep Division at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. “When it is too hot, especially at night, our body temperature doesn’t have the chance to fall — also called thermoregulation — which interferes with sleep Lack of sleep can also impact your mood, weight control, immunity and the functioning of your heart, lungs and brain, Malow points out. Ultimately, when you don’t get enough sleep, “you cannot reset your physical and mental health in the same way that you normally do Struggling with sleep due to heat here and there is unlikely to have a major impact on your health, Winter says, but it can add up over time. “Imagine only receiving 90% of the calories and nutrients you require,” he says. “This is not an immediate death sentence, but, over a long period of time, these deficiencies will take a toll Invest in a window AC. If you don’t have central air-conditioning and are struggling to stay cool at night, consider purchasing a window AC for your bedroom. This should at least help to keep the area where you sleep cool. Sleep in cooler parts of your home. If your home is multilevel or you have a basement, Malow recommends sleeping on lower floors. “Heat rises,” she points out. Try to physically cool off. “You can put a damp washcloth on your forehead to lower body temperature before you go to sleep,” Malow says. Wear less to bed. Malow suggests sleeping with less clothing on and using a thinner sheet to stay cool overnight.

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