Sleeping in Hot Weather

A reader writes:

Dear Sleeper,

I've just moved to Hong Kong and it is dreadfully humid and hot. Fortunately, it's still only March, so I'm not exhausted from the awful sleep. But is there something I can do to prepare my bed for the warm and humid climate?

Needing better sleep,
Paris

Dear Paris,

What's worse than a long, torpid night staring at the ceiling in deep summer in Hong Kong — or St. Louis, or Buffalo? ...except maybe the morning after. I feel your pain.

You didn't say whether your place has air conditioning, so I'll assume it doesn't, but first I'll say I'm a believer in AC, at least at night, in otherwise airless apartments or bedrooms not shaded by trees during the day, which keeps the heat down at bedtime. But if a window unit isn't an option, there are still plenty of things you can do to get a good sleep.

A fan is paramount, even if you do have AC, since cooler air sinks to the floor. If you can possibly have this Vornado shipped, do. It is handsome, but more important, it circulates the air far better than does a box fan. Put it on or close to the floor, across the room, and aim it high on the wall to the side of your bed. You won't believe the difference. As a bonus, the white noise from this fan is heavenly. (I have two.) Lower the shades during the day to keep the beating sun out.

Next, declutter your bedroom. Do you have a desk in there? Scattered papers? Dry-cleaning hangers on the doorknob, waiting to be recycled? Remove them. Then make sure the room is always clean and dusted. Just having this one room in your place (not to imply that the others aren't) neat and serene will lower the... what is the opposite of wind chill?

In a minute I will get to the bed itself, I promise.

What color are the walls in your room? A neutral or soft cool color will help a great deal. For steamy climates I love Farrow & Ball's Borrowed Light. F&B paints are made up of hundreds of pigments, so even the paler shades are complex, psychically deep. It might sound crazy, but in prepping a room for summer, every aspect of it is crucial, especially if you're at all prone to insomnia. What's on your bedside table? You don't want your mind to be toiling away when you're trying to quiet your body, although I find A Streetcar Named Desire strangely comforting on hot nights. The sultry spirit.

Your bedtime ritual should change for summer. Before going to sleep, wash your feet in cool water. Cucumber soap is soothing, but any will do, as long as it isn't heavily perfumed. Run your wrists under cool water, too. Wear woven cotton pajamas, not jersey (it clings), in white or a light color. Likewise, for your bed, choose a papery percale. Dwell bedding, made of Egyptian cotton, has a great feel for summer; it stands away from your skin. Plain white or off-white or a subtle pattern is best. Change the linens as often as possible, every couple of days if you can.

You may have already discovered that sleeping in the nude is less comfortable than wearing a light pajama.

There are some good, very lightweight blankets out there, or you could opt just for an exceedingly clean top sheet.

Eat lightly, but make sure to have some warm food at supper. It sounds paradoxical, but eating all cold foot in hot weather raises the body's temperature. And avoid alcohol in the hours before turning in.

One more tactic to try in the bedroom, from a friend who lives in Bangladesh: put a curtain rod in the doorway and hang a clean wet (not dripping) sheet from it. Aim the fan so that it bounces off the sheet.

Cool thoughts,
Sleeper

Comments

[Paris]

Thank you very much! I do have an AC, but you can only imagine the electricity bill! Thanks for the thorough planning!! I'll definitely try it!!!

[Paris]

I must add. My room in Hong Kong is MUCH smaller than my old apartment in NYC. It's crazy how little space you get with the bucks you pay. Anyhow, the room is painted cream white, and has one closet, and my single bed. No other furniture can fit in. I have tons of clothes though -- so I've been desperately trying to pack everything that's winter under my bed. I really appreciate the suggestions that you've made. It's wonderful, thank you, sleeper!