Sleep expert reveals how to stay warm at night without putting the heating on, & it will cost you as little as 2P
WITH temperatures dropping across the UK, many of us will be tempted to reach for the thermostat.
But with heating bills at an all time high, few of us will be able to afford to heat our homes throughout the night making bedtimes especially chilly.
However, James Higgins, Sleep expert and CEO of Ethical Bedding, has revealed seven ways you can instantly warm up at night without increasing your energy bills.
Use a mattress topper
Mattress toppers might be one of the best investments you can make for your sleep, and its warming properties are just an extra perk.
Mattress toppers can have various different fillings, and your filling can determine the level of heat it preserves.
Over the winter period, a memory foam or microfibre mattress topper are great for preserving the heat whilst also providing an extra layer of comfort.
During the summer months it’s best to opt for more breathable fabrics such as down, where the airflow is better distributed.
Sleep with a flat sheet
Flat sheets have been around for a long time, and have always served the purpose of protecting the duvet and its covers from becoming easily soiled,
Many people use flat sheets over the summer period when it’s too hot to use a duvet, although they are very useful over the colder months.
Adding a flat sheet to your bedding combo means you have an extra layer of material to trap in the body heat and keep the toes warm over the night.
Cotton is the best material for flat sheets. It’s soft to the touch, durable and preserves heat well.
Hook up weighted curtains
Weighted curtains are another great investment which will serve you well year after year and make a real difference to your room.
Velvet curtains are great material due to their thickness, but you can invest in other special types of weighted curtains too.
Another perk is their natural levels of sound insulation, which also makes them brilliant for light sleepers who are easily disturbed by noise, helping you have a peaceful night’s rest.
Opt for flannel bedsheets
Flannel is one of the thickness bedding materials you can use, and brushed flannel is particularly soft for those who can be a little more picky with their bedding choices.
Although, pet owners should avoid letting their furry friends on the bed while using flannel sheets as they are the worst materials for pet hairs to stick to.
Use candles and flower pots to heat a small room more effectively
You can use tea lights and terracotta flower pots to effectively heat a small room. If you place four tea lights into a small metal tray and place two flower pots on top.
The inner pot traps most of the heat from the candles and the outer pot then focuses all that heat upwards into the air. Although, with its own safety concerns, it’s best to stay in the same room as the candles whilst they are lit to ensure everything is working properly, and it must be kept away from children and pets and anything flammable.
Invest in cashmere bed socks
Cashmere maintains three times more heat than your standard woolens and fabrics, making it one of the softest and best products to put on your feet to keep them warm.
These fantastic properties can unfortunately make it a more expensive product, however, there are plenty of cashmere-blend bed socks which are mixed with cotton that will still keep your toes toasty through the night.
Hot drinks before bed
Warm fluid in the stomach helps increase your overall body temperature temporarily, so it’s a good idea to make yourself a de-caffinated, sugar-free hot drink in preparation of getting into bed.
A hot cuppa can also help relax the mind and body, camomile or lavender are great natural ingredients for this.
And with a tea bag coming in at roughly 2p, it’s a far cheaper solution.