Beach trips, festivals, picnics with friends – summer is a time to truly embrace the great outdoors. But if your bedroom is hotter than the Sahara or even mildly above the ideal room temperature, your sleep may be disrupted. Here renowned bed linen expert and co-founder of Tradelinens, Robert Lancaster Gaye, shares his tips on how to get the perfect night’s sleep however hot it gets outdoors.
Swap your duvet
The higher the tog rating, the warmer the duvet. Most luxury hotels use a natural filled 10.5 tog duvet to get the right weight, look and feel for their hotel, but for hot summer nights, a good quality 4.5 tog down or luxury microfibre quilt is ideal. Get rid of blankets on the bed and store them in breathable cotton storage bags or rolled up in cotton sheets. Sweaty plastic or non-breathable bags can cause mildew to form.
Use cotton sheets
Cotton may have a natural beauty and luxe factor 5* hotels love but it’s also one of the most breathable fabrics, cleverly wicking moisture away from the skin. Helping to keep the body cool on warm days yet warm on cool days, some sleeping beauties prefer the feel of cotton percale in summer as it’s cool and crisp on the skin.
Wash your linen
Dust mites favour warmer temperatures, so wash your linen more frequently than you might at cooler times of the year. Wash all bedding not encased in barrier covers weekly at a dust mite squashing 60 degrees Celsius, and air dry when possible to reduce static cling. Although energy-saving, washing at a lower temperature won’t kill off dust mites and germs and could leave you sneezing all night long.
Buy a thermometer
An ambient room temperature is important for switching on the body’s sleep mechanism and soothing you into a slumber-like state. Aim for a temperature around 18-21 degrees Celsius and use a thermometer or app that monitors your room’s heat. If your room’s a tad toasty and it’s safe to open a window, let the cool summer night air gently circulate your body.
Robert Lancaster Gaye is the co-founder of Tradelinens which supplies independent and group luxury lifestyle hotels and interior designers with the highest quality bed, bath and table linens.
