Do you ever feel like your body is suddenly on fire when you lay down in bed? It’s a strange and uncomfortable sensation that can truly ruin your sleep, especially in the hot summer months. In this article, we will be exploring the reasons why you get hot when you lay down and what you can do to cool down.
1. The Heat Is On: Uncovering the Causes of Nighttime Warmth
When the temperatures start to soar during the night, it can be nothing short of uncomfortable. Uncovering the culprits of nighttime warmth can be tricky and we need to explore all of the causes which may be contributing.
- Cooling degredation: One of the major causes of nighttime warmth is the degradation of the cooling system. An older or over-used aircon unit may not be able to keep up with the rising ambient air temperature, which is why having your system serviced regularly is essential.
- Solar energy: We can’t forget that the sun is still heating up the Earth even at night, as its rays can be proud of up to 95% of the sun’s energy. Solar radiation can work its way into a well-insulated home and heat our interior up to uncomfortable levels.
- Hot Temperature predictions: Those predictions we see on the forecast about hot days are also applicable at night. A hot day can continue to get warmer overnight, and if dissipates slowly and far less effectively than during the day.
But fear not! There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your house doesn’t heat up disproportionately during the night, such as by shutting the curtains, closing off internal doors, and scheduling the air-conditioner to kick in around an hour before bedtime.
These might seem like small measures, but they can really make all the difference in the world when it comes to combating nighttime warmth. So now that you know the causes, put these solutions into place and feel the difference in no time!
2. Night Light: Investigating the Role that Room Temperature Plays
It seems like almost every child has a nightlight in their bedroom these days. But did you know that nighttime temperature also plays a role in providing a good night’s sleep? In this section, we’ll explore how room temperature might affect your slumber.
Factors to Consider:
- Your body temperature
- The temperature in the room
- The type of nightlight used
Your body temperature is the first factor to consider when investigating the effects of a nightlight. During sleep, your body naturally begins to cool off as your metabolism slows, and if the room is too warm, this process is interrupted, leading to difficulty sleeping. On the other hand, if the room is too cold, your body needs to expend energy to heat the room, leading to disruption of the sleep cycle. It’s important to strike a balance when it comes to nightlight and room temperature.
The type of nightlight you use in your bedroom can also affect the overall temperature in the room. Some nightlights, such as LED bulbs, generate very little heat, leaving the room cooler. Other nightlights, such as incandescent bulbs, generate more heat and can make the room warmer. It’s important to choose a nightlight that is energy efficient and won’t generate too much heat.
Finally, the room temperature itself will also affect your sleep. Generally speaking, the optimal temperature for a good night’s sleep is between 16-18 degrees Celsius. If the room is too hot, it can make it difficult to fall asleep. On the other hand, if the room is too cold, it can lead to shivering and restless sleep.
3. Body Heat: Looking at Factors That Can Make Us Feel Hot
Most of us experience feeling hot at some point or another. But what are the actual factors that are causing us to become hot? It’s important to understand the various elements that affect our body’s temperature so we can better manage the sensation of heat.
Climate is one key factor that affects our body heat. The temperature and humidity outside largely determine the hotness we experience. Warmer climates naturally magnify the sensation of heat that our bodies feel due to hotter air that surrounds us and reduces the amount of perspiration that can evaporate from our skin.
Clothing is another major factor when it comes to how hot we feel. Clothing made from thicker, heavier fabrics like denim and corduroy will usually retain the heat our body produces, making us feel hotter. Fabrics such as cotton and linen are more breathable and typically have better air circulation. This allows the body’s perspiration to evaporate more easily and help manage body heat.
- Physical activity – The physical activity we participate in can affect how hot we feel. Exercise produces heat which can build up as our bodies work harder.
- Stress levels – Stress can have an impact on our overall body heat, causing us to feel hotter. This is because our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode when stressed, raising our temperature slightly.
- Room temperature – Overly warm or crowded rooms can make us feel even hotter from the combination of our body heat and the existing temperature in the room.
Understanding what can cause us to feel hot is important for minimizing discomfort and learning how to make adjustments to better manage body heat levels. Researching how our bodies operate under different scenarios can ultimately help us remain cooler and more comfortable in warm environments.
4. Feeling Flushed: Examining Rising Blood Pressure as a Cause of Heat
High blood pressure is a widely known risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. But did you know that it can also cause you to feel flushed? It’s true; there are several ways that elevated blood pressure can contribute to feelings of warmth and even severe heat. And it’s not just external either; these sensations can range from uncomfortable tingling to downright sweltering.
To determine why this happens, a look into what blood pressure is and how it functions can be beneficial. Basically, it is the force of the blood as it flows through the walls of your body’s arteries and veins, with the two numbers labeled systolic and diastolic indicating its’ strength. The high number is the pressure in your arteries and the lower number is in your veins.
The general medical consensus is that an increase in pressure can restrict blood vessels, leading to a decrease in blood flow. This is known as vasoconstriction, and can cause heat to build up and spread throughout the body. This is the same process at work when people have hot flashes. While this type of sensation is usually short-lived, it is important to get to the bottom of it if it continues occurring.
There are some potential causes of these symptoms related to high blood pressure, which include:
- Medication side-effects – Many of the medications used to treat blood pressure can cause heat-like sensations as a side-effect.
- Cardiovascular problems – Conditions such as high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease can cause tightness in the arteries, reducing blood flow.
- Lifestyle factors – Any of the following can increase blood pressure:stress, lack of exercise, smoking, excessive alcohol use, and a poor diet.
Although feeling flushed can be an uncomfortable experience, getting to the root of the issue and understanding the link between high blood pressure and heat is critical in preventing more serious health issues down the line.
5. Sweat Surprise: Exploring Unusual Reasons Why We Feel Hot
Although we all expect to feel warm and sweaty after a workout, there are some not-so-obvious reasons why we may be feeling the heat. Feverish endeavours like sauna-ing, steam-room-ing, and hot yoga can leave us feeling heated, but there are other, more surprising, activities that can cause us to break a sweat.
- Capsaicin: It may surprise you to learn that something without heat can still leave you feeling hot. Certain types of peppers, like jalapenos, contain something called capsaicin. Capsaicin has been known to cause fiery sensations on our skin and is even reported to cause sweating in some cases.
- Hot beverages: Some drinks, such as tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, can arouse a sense of heat even when they are not hot to the touch. This is because they can increase your heart rate and make your body temperature rise. Therefore, if you’re looking for a cooling beverage, it might be wise to pick something colder rather than having your “hot cup of Joe.”
- Spicy food: Similarly to capsaicin, certain types of spicy food are known to cause a warming sensation in certain areas of our body. It is thought that this sensation is caused by our bodies releasing sweat to try to counteract the warmth.
- Excessive clothing: Wearing too much clothing can be uncomfortable in the summer and can lead to sweating. Even if the temperature doesn’t rise, too much clothing can also be a cause of sweating too.
It’s easy to forget that sweating can happen for a variety of reasons, not just from activities that are usually associated with feeling hot. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of what we are consuming and wearing, and how it can contribute to an unexpected feverish experience. From chilis to cosy clothing, your body and brain can play some surprising tricks on you when it comes to feeling the heat.
6. Slumber Solutions: Finding Ways to Cool Down at Night
Summer’s heat can be hard to escape, but it’s even worse at night when trying to get some rest. Here are some top tips for getting some quality shut eye, while keeping cool.
Get rid of extra layers. That thick comforter may look appealing, but kicking it off your bed altogether can have a drastic improvement for your sleep. Choose lightweight covers instead – something that still keeps you warm, but won’t add extra layers for your sweating body!
Cover your windows. Curtains are the perfect way to keep your room dark and cool – choose light colored curtains to deflect the heat, and blackout curtains for extended twilight.
Cool down. If you’ve got air conditioning, great! But if that’s not a possibility, try cooling down with some simple solutions, like a:
- Spray bottle filled with cold water, to mist yourself with whenever you get too hot
- Rag soaked in cold water, to lay over your neck and head
- Fan, to blow air into the room while you sleep
7. It’s a Wrap: Summarizing the Causes of Nighttime Heat
We all crave a good night’s rest, engulfed in blissfully cool sheets and more often than not, that is possible, due to the natural drop in temperature that happens when the night rolls in. But why then do some sweltering nights leave us sweating and struggling to sleep? Here are the seven primary causes of nighttime heat.
- Partial Blinds – When something blocks full light exposure, the inside of the home retains and radiates heat.
- Humidity – Natural evaporation of water on our skin requires mugginess to be below 35%. If the humidity is above this, we start to feel it in the air as heat.
- Tile Floors – Ceramic tile, marble, and other hard surface flooring absorb and store heat.
- Outdated Insulation – We rely on insulation to keep the heat out, but if it’s not up to date, it won’t do us any favors.
- Attic Vents – Vents like roof ridges, ridge vents, and gables that are too open or are blocked, can create air build-up in the attic, sending excess heat downwards into your home.
- Uncovered Windows – When the sun is beating directly through uncovered windows, the glass creates and radiates heat.
- Clutter – Items blocking heat vents or offering extra sources of heat, such as computers and lamps, create a warm sanctuary.
From the partial blinds in the living room to the clutter around the bedroom, understanding the causes of a stuffy room can help you plan and fix the temperature of your home. To avoid midnight snacks, implementing actionable cooling steps, such as ceiling fans and investments on insulation, could make a world of difference!
It’s easy to take the comfort of a good night’s sleep for granted until the heat builds and sleep is all but unattainable. Thankfully, there are ways to help counter these seven causes of nighttime heat, so you can get the peaceful sleep you deserve.
Don’t let your body temperature keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. Knowing the reason why you get hot while lying down can ensure that you find a comfortable temperature to rest in. With some simple changes in lifestyle and environment, you can be well on your way to peaceful slumber.