UK heatwave: Dr Amir gives advice on staying cool at night
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Coming to the rescue is Doctor Amir, who shared his top hacks to sleep at night during the heatwave – and there’s not a fan in sight. “The first [hack] is my absolute favourite, because it’s relatively simple to do and cheap,” Dr Amir said live on ITV’s TV programme, Lorraine. Holding up a sock he “wore to work” on Monday, July 18, Doctor Amir continued: “I have filled it with rice. What you can do with that is put [the sock filled with rice] in the freezer throughout the day.”
Doctor Amir explained: “It will be a nice ice pack in the evening. So, when you’re going to bed, you can put it around your neck.
“Or you can put it around your wrist – somewhere where your pulses are really.
“Because that will cool your pulses and stimulate heat loss from your circulation.”
Another interesting hack to help you sleep at night is to fill a ziplock bag with washing-up liquid.
Again this can be used as an ice pack, albeit a squishy one, once it’s been put in the freezer for a few hours.
Doctor Amir added that once the home-made ice pack has defrosted, you can then reuse the washing-up liquid for its original purpose.
If you have some money to spend, however, Doctor Amir recommends purchasing an ice roller that you can roll over the face for a “nice and cooling” sensation.
Doctor Amir also suggests using a “makeshift prop”, such as a house plant spray, to spritz water over yourself to help cool you down.
Yet, one of his “favourite” hacks is to use peppermint spray on a pillow.
He explained: “Methanol can trick the brain into thinking it needs to cool down.”
Surprisingly, he said that putting bedsheets or pyjamas in the freezer to keep cool at night is a “misconception”.
Doctor Amir said the “problem” is that when wet sheets or pyjamas dry out and loose moisture, they can heat up and raise body temperature.
In addition, while taking a cool shower can be refreshing in the moment, it doesn’t help you to cool down in the long term.
Instead, Doctor Amir recommends taking a warm shower instead so that the body can then cool down.
Other useful tips
Taking advice from the Department of Health, the Government of Western Australia, the recommendations include a foot soak and bedsheets.
For example, soak your feet in cold water for 10 minutes before going to bed.
“Heat is lost more quickly through your extremities (feet and head). Wetting your hair is another alternative,” it noted.
As for bedsheets, it’s best to “opt for lightweight, cotton blankets” – and to use fans in adequately ventilated area.
Moreover, keep your home as cool as possible by drawing the shades, curtains, and blinds during the hottest part of the day.
“Heat is lost more quickly through your extremities (feet and head). Wetting your hair is another alternative,” it noted.
As for bedsheets, it’s best to “opt for lightweight, cotton blankets” – and to use fans in adequately ventilated area.
Moreover, keep your home as cool as possible by drawing the shades, curtains, and blinds during the hottest part of the day.
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