British Gas has urged people to do one thing in order to keep their bedroom cool during the day and avoid that horrible feeling of being too hot at night. The reminder comes as the hot weather is still soaring across the UK, and many of us are finding it hard to sleep at night. One minute you’re feeling stuffy, the next cool, then you’re hot again – and it’s a never ending cycle.
But a certain door trick could be the hack you need. British Gas suggest: “If you’re using a fan, closing off unused rooms during the day will keep the house cool in summer by focusing your cooling efforts where you’ll feel them the most. Similarly, opening your doors in the evening will get the air flowing and stop your home feeling stuffy.”
They even suggest changing your bedding to match the weather outside. They explained: “Traditional, heavy mattresses are very effective at absorbing heat from your body and the surroundings. Perfect in winter, less so in summertime! So try adding a bamboo mattress topper when temperatures soar, as it won’t soak up the heat like your mattress will.”
In addition to this, you should also try keeping yourself cool. The energy and home service provider suggests wearing loose, lightweight clothing from natural fabrics such as cotton or linen. For quick relief from the heat, you should try using an ice pack, a chilled hot water bottle or even a cold cloth on your wrists and feet.
However if the air indoors feels heavy or muggy, a dehumidifier can help by removing excess moisture, making it easier for your skin to breathe. They also suggest to keep your house cool, you could also eat outside – and even cook outside. They explained: “Using the oven or hob can create extra warmth so instead of unnecessarily heating up your kitchen, take advantage of warm summer evenings in the garden instead. Fire up the BBQ or throw together a healthy summer salad.”
Finally, they stated that you can avoid feeling stuffy and reduce the sun ray’s heat and glare by up to 99% by using reflective window film. Failing that, try hanging a damp sheet in front of an open window as this helps cool incoming air naturally and is an effective way to lower the temperature indoors without using a fan.
While fans aren’t the most costly appliances to run, they can still add to your energy bills. To make the most of the energy you do use, try placing a bowl of ice in front of the fan. Believe it or not, this creates a cooling mist and helps chill the airflow. Last of all, in the evenings, you can also aim a box fan out of an open window to push warm air outside, rather than simply circulating it around the room.
