Sleep soundly when the temperatures soar

The participants in a recent online Dreaming on the Page workshop were complaining that they hadn’t been having many dreams lately. That surprised me, buecause this was a group of dedicated dreamers. The culprit, I’m sure, was the hot sticky weather that had settled over New York, where most of the participants lived.

In July and August, when the sun takes its time setting, and when the mercury climbs, sleep can be elusive. And without sleep, we are left bereft of dreams–not to mention the energy we need to do all the things we enjoy doing on sweet summer days.

The ideal temperature for your bedroom is 60-67 degrees. But in warm weather, this can be difficult to attain. Here are some thoughts on getting nourishing sleep on hot summer nights.

• Create a Sleep Cave. As part of our natural rhythms, the body cools off as it prepares to enter the sleep cycle. So, keep your bedroom cool, and to cool off before bed help to support a good night’s sleep. Think of your bedroom as a sleep cave and make the room as cool and dark as possible.
• Enter Deep Shade. In addition to keeping your curtains or shades closed at night to keep the bedroom dark, close them on sunny days, too. That way, the bedroom won’t heat up while the sun is shining, and will be easier to cool off when it sets at night.
• Block the Light. To create complete darkness, remove, or at least cover, any electronic equipment in your bedroom that has glowing LED displays or lights. Wearing a sleep mask helps block out any remaining light.
• Freeze! To cool off at bedtime, try putting your pillowcase in the freezer for a few minutes, apply a cold pack to your forehead before bed, or take a cooling shower at night.

What measures are you taking to keep cool at night? Let us know … and if you’re dreaming of igloos and snowy mountainsides, let us know that, too!

May you sleep, dream, and be well,

Tzivia Gover is a Certified Dreamwork Professional and author of The Mindful Way to a Good Night’s Sleep (Storey Publishing). Learn more at www.annecampbelldesign.com/thirdhousemoon