Revealed: the temperature that means you may not be sleeping well as UK gripped by heatwave

18 July 2024, 10:23

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

As the UK is braced for another mini-heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 30C tomorrow, you might be dreading going to sleep tonight.

That is because most people tend to have a worse night's sleep when it's not only warm outside but inside your home too.

According to European indoor climate management experts tado°, the average temperature outside during the day does not need to be very high at all to disrupt your sleep.

Analysis of data from more than 120,000 homes in the UK shows the average daytime temperature outside during warm spells can be as low as 23°C for your sleep to be disrupted.

It is going to reach as high as 23C in the south east today, before rising to 29C or 30C tomorrow.

tado° CPO and Co-founder Christian Deilmann said: “We all love the warm temperatures, within reason, during the day but it is surprising how an average temperature of just over 23°C can heat up your home to a point where you may face an uncomfortable night that stops you sleeping.

“Because of the way our homes are built so that the temperature does not peak or trough like it does outside, we even saw some nights in excess of 24°C when the daytime outdoor temperature was only about 22°C.”

Read More: Exact date sunny weather to return to UK as mini heatwave hits and temperatures top 30C again

Read More: Met Office forecasts wet and colder weather for July as summery spell not expected to last

He continued: “We all spend a lot of attention on the heating systems of our homes and trying to reduce our energy consumption for it but less on how to keep cool. Air conditioning is the obvious option and tado°s Smart AC Control is the ideal solution for then reducing its energy consumption and household bills.

“There are of course lots of ways to keep cool during the night but our data reveals the surprisingly low average temperature people should be aware of so they can at least prepare those options to try to get a good night’s sleep.”

It comes after a wet start to July, with 97% of England's average rain for the month already falling by this week.

Some places have had it particularly bad. London has had 154% of its July average already, with Dorset up to 120%.

How to sleep better during a heatwave

1. Top and bottom: put your pillowcase or your socks in the fridge to cool them down for bedtime
2. Have a cool – not cold – shower to lower your body temperature
3. Air conditioning: we focus on the heating system of our homes, so why not cooling as well
4. If you don’t have air conditioning, use a fan and put a tray with ice cubes in front to cool the air being circulated
5. Stay hydrated. Water during the day for a heatwave is a must but it will also help you fall asleep – but avoid drinking a large amount of water before going to bed otherwise it might just be the heat that wakes you up
6. Cool down the home during the hottest part of the day by drawing the shades, curtains and blinds as temperatures begin to rise
7. Use lighter weight bedding or simply the sheets
8. Fill your hot water bottle with ice-cold water