Warming Your Body For Good Sleep

If your feet or hands are cold before bedtime, try running them under warm water until they are comfortable. Rather than pumping more blood to keep your limbs warm, your body will be able to relax and sleep. If your whole body is cold, a smart option would be to take a quick shower or a bath. It may take more time than usual to get ready for bed. However, if you can maintain deep sleep for a substantial period of time, you will actually need less sleep overall, allowing you to reinvest your time elsewhere.

Historically, it is likely that our ancestors slept closer together in the same bed, or all slept in the same bed. Many cultures would include their animals into their sleeping environment, or have them in a lower part of their house to benefit from their natural body heat. 

If you do not have a pet or partner who can keep you warm, a hot water bottle is an excellent alternative. Start heating the water as you get ready for bed (brushing your teeth, etc.). Make it part of your bedtime routine. Your body will quickly associate a bubbling kettle with time for sleep. Ensure that the water is not so hot that you are unable to hold the bottle against your skin. If you do, try mixing it with about 20% cold water from the tap.

Even better is to put the hot water bottle in bed a few minutes before you climb in. If you meditate or read or do something of that nature each night to help you sleep, get the hot water bottle ready beforehand. This way, when you crawl into bed, it’ll be toasty warm. Place your hot water bottle at your feet for the best results. The body prefers to have a cool core, but warm hands and feet. If your hands become cold easily, place them underneath your sleep-top, in direct contact with your stomach.

Cooling Your Body For Good Sleep

Hot showers or baths may not be the best option for those experiencing menopause or hot flashes. In this case, you should ensure that your bath water is warm, but not hot. Alternatively, if you feel overheated after a summer day, you may benefit from a cool shower before you turn in for the night. By doing so, you will be able to lower your body’s temperature, which will enable your body to sleep deeper since it will not have to work as hard to reach its ideal temperature.

Summers can be unbearably hot and humid, and those who live in particularly hot climates often experience sleepless nights as a result. It would be easy to resolve this problem with an air conditioner. However, some individuals oppose this solution due to the large electromagnetic field they generate. As with anything, you will have to weigh the pros and cons. The good news is that there are several practical options for those who wish to cool off without the use of air conditioners.

For people who live in a climate that gets cool at night, opening the windows is an easy option. You can easily let the wind pass through your house by opening all the windows wide. The use of fans may help circulate the air throughout the home, which produces some EMF, but far less than air conditioning units. In addition, you could also use fans to blow over pans of ice in order to create your own low-cost low-EMF air conditioner.

Sleeping outside is another option. Initially it may seem strange to set up a hammock, tent, or bench on your porch or backyard, but over time you may learn to love it. You’ll have the benefit of enjoying natural cool breezes that otherwise may not reach inside your home. 

Those who prefer to sleep indoors may benefit from sleeping with an ice pack. To stay cool, place the pack on your temples, wrists, and ankles, then leave it at your side for the remainder of the night. You can also strip down to your underwear or birthday suit and just use a light sheet to keep any drafts away.

To stay cool, place the pack on your temples, wrists, and ankles, then leave it at your side for the remainder of the night. You can also strip down to your underwear or birthday suit, using just a light sheet to keep any drafts away.