The Midwest and Northeast have just entered a heat wave that will last the rest of the week, and this Ohioan is in the middle of it. While I won’t ever complain too much about the heat, (it could always be -20 degrees), there is one downside, and that is sleeping during the day.
I have enough trouble sleeping on a normal day. Over the years, I have adopted little tips and tricks that help, such as blackout curtains, a sleep mask, and the occasional melatonin gummy. However, this week I am making some much-needed adjustments to ensure I get as much sleep as possible.
Sleep Attire
Unfortunately, I am a hot sleeper, so I usually only wear an oversized t-shirt to bed to avoid waking up in a puddle of sweat. This week, a T-shirt won’t cut it because the material is too heavy. Thin materials and minimal articles of clothing are the way to go during a heat wave. And since I don’t like sleeping in the nude (no judgment for those of you who do), I am going with a thin spaghetti strap tank top. Also, I always have my hair in a bun because I don’t like it touching my face or my neck while I sleep, and that is not going to change this week.
Bedding
My bed only has a fitted sheet and a comforter on it. No flat sheet! However, even with the air conditioning on, the comforter is too heavy and a regular blanket is out of the question. If I was a normal person, I would simply ditch the comforter and use the flat sheet. But I am not normal, so I use a cooling blanket.
Side note. This cooling blanket is the best thing I have ever bought! At first, my husband and a few family members poked fun at me for buying a blanket that kept me cold. Now, my husband uses it almost as much as I do, so who's laughing now?
Room temperature
As expected, the air conditioning will be running nonstop this whole week. While the thermostat is set to keep the house comfortable at 74 degrees, I need extra help in my bedroom. I own a small table fan that will get a workout this week. I put it on a table tray at the end of my bed, set it to medium speed, and turn it so the air is blowing directly at my head. As a bonus, the fan also makes sure my cooling blanket stays extra cool!
I know those don’t seem like big changes, but trust me, it makes a world of difference. I applied all these adjustments yesterday and I slept great, only waking up once when Chips needed to go outside. I even had to turn my fan to the lowest setting because it was working too well.
My fellow night shift workers know how important it is to get enough sleep and do whatever is necessary to get it. When additional forces are working against us, we have to adapt so that we don’t lose any more sleep. These techniques are what works for me, but they might not be for you. And that’s ok! Go and find what best suits you and get some good sleep. Stay safe out there my friends.
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