The one thing we can be sure of with the UK weather is that it is very changeable…especially in summer! This can make adapting to a sudden surge in temperature very difficult for everyone, and for children, in particular. In addition, helping children to get the sleep they need in a heatwave can be even more difficult.
In the blog post, Dr Lindsay Browning offers a range of tips on how to keep your child comfortable at night in a heatwave, how to help them feel sleepy and how to keep their bedroom cooler too.
What temperature should a child’s bedroom be at night?
Whilst the sunshine and heat during the daytime is often welcome, especially during the summer holidays, the impact of the temperature of our bedrooms when night-time comes can lead to a very bad night’s sleep.
In an ideal world, a nursery or child’s bedroom should be kept at between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
In a heatwave, without an air conditioning unit, it can be very difficult to reduce the room temperature enough for it to be comfortable to sleep in.
However, there are some things you can try to help your child sleep, even in a warm room and during hotter evenings.
Tips to help your child sleep in a heatwave
The bedroom
1. Keep windows shut.
During the daytime keep windows shut so that the very hot outside air does not come into the house. The temptation is to open the windows, but during a heatwave the air outside is likely to be much warmer than the air inside.
2. Keep curtains shut, especially in sun facing rooms.
When direct sunlight gets into a bedroom it will heat up the room. Therefore, as well as the windows, keep curtains shut to minimise the bedroom heating up.
3. Use a fan.
A fan can help move air around the room to help keep the child cool. A frozen water bottle could also be placed in front of the fan to help blow even cooler air around. Don’t point the fan directly at the child’s face, and make sure that the fan and electric cable are out of reach of the child. Some people worry about the noise of the fan keeping the child awake, but don’t worry. It is likely the child will get used to the noise of the fan quickly.
The bed
4. Waterproof mattress covers should be removed.
The waterproof sheets that can be placed on beds to help prevent bedwetting accidents getting into the mattress, often encourage sweating. So, for extremely hot weather look into other options for bedwetting – such as nighttime pull-up nappies, using a towel on top of the mattress or use a disposable absorbent mat.
5. Fill a hot water bottle with crushed ice and cold water.
This can be really helpful to place in the bed to help keep the temperature down. Make sure that the hot water bottle has a cover so that the ice cold bottle does not come into direct contact with the child, or remove before they actually get in.
Your child
6. Give children a cool bath before bed.
Usually a warm bath is a good plan before bed to help promote sleep, but during hot weather a cooler bath will help to reduce their body temperature before bed.
7. Wear less clothes at night.
Get the child to sleep in as few clothes as possible, to help them to feel cool. A baby can sleep in a nappy alone.
8. Use a cool wet flannel on the forehead.
If your child or baby is very upset by the heat, try placing a cool wet flannel on their forehead for a short while. This is especially helpful if the child or baby is very agitated, as they are likely to make themselves even hotter when they are distressed.
9. Keep the child hydrated.
During hot weather, it is easy to get dehydrated. Let the child have a glass or bottle of cold water to drink during the night. This will help them to both cool down and also keep them hydrated. Bottle-fed babies can be given cool boiled water.
10. Reassure your child.
Sometimes, a little reassurance is all that is needed. Reassure your child that the weather is unseasonably hot and that it is perfectly normal for them to feel hot in bed, but that you want to help them feel better by suggesting some of the tips above. Encourage them to relax and try to stick to your normal routines (with these small adaptations) as much as possible.
Getting to sleep in a heatwave
I hope these tips help and give you something to try if your child is struggling to sleep in a heatwave.
I also understand that it is not just children that struggle. Sleep is so important, so if there is an extended warm period it is important to look after ourselves too.
Take a look at my blog full of tips for adults too: