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Struggling to sleep in the heatwave? This is a super-simple way to cool down fast

Sleeping in summertime can be a struggle, especially when you're hit with a heatwave. There are plenty of techniques for how to sleep in when it's hot, but many of them require some pre-planning and preparation. What if you've woken up feeling sweaty and uncomfortable, and need to cool yourself down in double-quick time? We have a tip for you.

Here it is: head to the bathroom and run the underside of your wrists under cold water for a few seconds.

The veins here are close to the surface – many people will be able to see them through their skin – so running cold water on the skin here is a quick way to lower the temperature of the blood passing through, which in turn helps the body feel cooler.

It will in fact work for a number of different spots on the body where the veins are near the surface. For example, the neck, temples or the crook of your arm. But wrists are probably the most convenient and easily accessible in the middle of the night, assuming you don't want to get water everywhere.

Once you've done that, put yourself back to bed in a semi-fetal side-sleeper position, which is the best position to sleep in when it's hot.

If you're a bit more prepared, here are some pre-emptive tricks to help your bedroom feel cooler when bedtime rolls around…

Usually, you'd open your curtains during the day to let the light in. When it's hot weather, keeping them closed will block the sun out and should keep your room cooler. This is especially effective if you have blackout blinds.

Fill your hot-water bottle and pop it in the freezer for an hour or two before bed. This will provide an instant cooling hit, although you might want to wrap it in a towel to stop the condensation from making your bed damp.

If you live in an area where it's often hot at night, consider investing in one of the best cooling mattresses. These are designed specifically to regulate temperature. Most work passively, by using materials that move body heat away from the sleeper and release it elsewhere, or covers designed to remain cool to the touch. However, if you really want to go for it, there are also a handful of products that offer active cooling. A popular example is the Eight Sleep mattress cover, which has channels of water running through it, that can be cooled or heated to each sleeper's exact preferences.

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Sleep expert and and Certified Sleep Science Coach Ruth is your go-to person for all things snooze-related on Tom's Guide, from advice on what mattress will suit you best, to tips on how to improve your sleep habits. She has tested more mattresses than her small flat can handle and will talk at length about them to anyone who shows even a passing interest, and has had to implement a one-in-one-out pillow policy for fear of getting smothered by them in the night. As well as following all the industry trends and advancements in the mattress and bedding world, she regularly speaks to other sleep experts to delve into the science behind a great night's sleep, and offer you advice to help you get there. Prior to joining the Tom's Guide team, she was T3's Wellness Editor.

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