Can’t sleep in the heat? A hot bath could be the solution
Chris Evans says having cold showers has 'changed his life'
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Brits dream of hot weather, summer clothes and sunbathing in the garden, but when the time comes a heatwave really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Extreme heat can make it very difficult to get comfortable, fall asleep and stay asleep all night long, but there are lots of hacks to help in this situation. Express.co.uk chatted to bathroom expert, Dominic Lees-Bell from Drench.co.uk to find out why he thinks a hot bath will help you cool down before bed.
The experts at Drench reckon a hot bath or shower is the key to dropping your body temperature before bed.
Dominic from Drench said: “We recommend taking a hot shower to cool down during this UK heatwave.
“Many are looking at buying expensive fans or freezing hot water bottles, but one of the simplest ways to cool down is to actually take a hot bath.”
It sounds illogical to submerge yourself in hot water when it’s baking hot outside, but science backs up the theory.
A report in the Sleep Medical Reviews journal revealed that both sleep and body core temperature is regulated by the brain’s circadian clock which drives the 24-hour patterns of sleep and wakefulness.
Our body temperature is lowest while we are sleeping, and the drop in body temperature after a bath helps to prepare us for sleep.
If you’re sweaty by the time you want to go to bed, you probably think it’s wise to hop in a cold shower, but don’t!
Dominic said: “Taking a cold shower or bath can actually be counterproductive as when our body is submerged in extremely cold conditions it tries to regulate our core temperature.
“This means you could actually feel hotter than you did before you tried to cool down.”
Instead, take a hot bath or have a hot shower to do the reverse.
Dominic explained: “By taking a hot bath we are able to drop our body temperature as it stimulates our bodies thermoregulatory system.
“This increases the circulation of blood throughout our body and results in the removal of body heat and therefore a decreased body temperature.”
Other sources defend the claim that washing yourself in hot water is better than bathing in cold water – even in a heatwave.
Dominic said: “Previous research from the National Sleep Foundation also suggests that this method works in heatwaves.
“Its online guide suggests that some people ‘do better taking hot showers and hot baths when the room temperature is very high’.”
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