My 10 top tips for sleeping well in a heatwave - Katie Fischer Sleep Consultancy

My 10 Top Tips for restful sleep in a heatwave

When direct sunlight shines into the bedroom, keep blinds or curtains drawn. Open them again when the sun moves around the other side of your home.

Plan plenty of opportunity to play in water to keep your child cool, such as going swimming, using a paddling pool or playing around a sprinkler. Find shady spots outside and don’t forget a hat to avoid heat stroke.

Park your car in the shade where possible and take shoes, socks and layers off for longer car journeys. Babies, especially, get very distressed when they overheat in a car seat.

Run a tepid bath at bedtime, rather than a cold or warm one. If it's too cold for your child's extremities, their body will try to counteract this by drawing body warmth to their core. This is the opposite effect you want before bedtime!

Keep your child well-hydrated during the day. If age-appropriate, make healthy home-made fruit

ice lollies. Alternatively, you can make then using expressed breast milk or formula.

If your child's room is very hot - particularly if it's on a higher level where hot air is rising - they may need a fan to sleep comfortably. Position it near their bed but not directly blowing towards their face.

You can also try hanging a damp towel soaked in icy water or place a bowl of icy water near the fan too,

so that the cool water evaporates.

Increase airflow through the bedroom before night time with the windows open and the door ajar.

Feel the skin on your child’s chest or the back of their neck rather than hands or feet as a good indicator of core body temperature.

If you have a spare room on a lower level that's cooler, consider moving your child or swapping bedrooms

temporarily if you're struggling to manage the heat and humidity.