One of the worst aspects of summer heat is when there is no respite during the night. This is also when high temperatures can become dangerous to the young and elderly – as they battle to sleep and then succumb to exhaustion.

Here are some cool eco-friendly tips in a story by Julie Ellis:

We all know sleeping in an air-conditioned home on a sweltering night can feel heavenly. We also know that pleasure comes at a steep cost to the planet.

It takes a considerable amount of energy to run an air conditioner. Unfortunately, for the most part, this means burning a lot of fossil fuels, which directly contributes to global warming. And this is only one of the negative effects.

The multitudes of air conditioning units that run in urban areas actually contribute to heat zones in the sky that can disturb naturally-occurring weather patterns.

Well, here’s some good news: There are serviceable alternatives to staying cool at night that don’t involve turning on the AC.

Keep the house as cool as possible during the day

One of the best ways to avoid a sweltering night is to take steps to keep the temperature from rising throughout the day.

After all, it is quite rare for the temperature to rise in the evenings, so if the house begins as cool as possible, it will stay cool.

Avoid extra heat in the kitchen by roasting your meet and vegetables outside.

Here are a few tips for preventing midday heat spikes:

Keep windows that receive direct sunlight covered up.
Turn off lights in rooms that are not in use.
Avoid heating up the house by using the oven. Go for meals that can be cooked on the stove top or in a slow cooker. Better yet, enjoy a cold soup, sandwich or salad.
Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes, and avoid doing them during peak heat hours. (Get up early and get these heat-producing activities done.)

Invest in sheets that will keep you cool

The sheets you sleep on and under make a big difference in how hot or cool you feel at night.

Light-coloured sheets made of natural fibres provide for more air circulation. Percale, linen and cotton blends, such as jersey, are much better than sheets comprised solely of man-made materials.

Put your sheets in the freezer for a few minutes before bed, in a plastic bag. Image: Greatist

Enjoy the relative coolness of the great outdoors

If you’ve ever wondered how people survived the dog days of summer in houses without air conditioning, here’s your answer: In many cases, they didn’t; they slept outside.

If you have access to a safe area, pads, sleeping bags and bug netting, camping out can be a cooler alternative to staying indoors.

Pick a big tree and put up hammocks for a cooler night’s rest. Image: Be Happy Pass

Sleep together, but also apart

Sharing a bed and covers with another person is a sure-fire way to spend a night feeling uncomfortably hot.

Take a shower in tepid water

A shower in cool, but not frigid, water will slightly decrease your body temperature. If you do this right before bedtime, the cool feeling may last long enough for you to drift off to sleep.

Combine this with one or more of these other recommendations, and you may just get to sleep before you realize how hot it is.

Great yourself a nice cool garden nook and install an outside bath or shower. Image: Rebloggy

Sleep on the ground floor

We all know from science class that hot air rises. This explains why, in the hottest days of summer, the most miserable floor in your house is the attic.

It also explains why people with finished basements tend to spend their time there in the summer months.

Unfortunately, many houses are designed so the bedrooms are on the upper floors.

If sleeping in a basement is an option, give that a try. If not, try putting your mattress on the floor away from the largest concentration of hot air.

Self-cooling pillows could take the concept of keeping a cool head to a whole new level. Image: GearXS

Take advantage of advanced pillow technology

Scientists and manufacturers have invested a lot of money in developing cooling gel pillows.

Since your head and face are especially sensitive to hot temperatures, using one of these pillows can help you sleep through the night without constantly waking up and flipping your pillow.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Your body needs liquid to regulate its internal temperature, along with performing many other life-preserving functions.

So, drink water, tea and juice throughout the day, and encourage your family members to do the same.

After all, you will need to replace what you sweat out in the heat.