Even during a typical summer, many people experience restless nights as high temperatures prevent them from getting a good night’s sleep. This year, huge swathes of America, including Buckeye, have been affected by relentless heatwaves, forcing millions to endure sleepless nights.
Although air conditioning is a mainstay in southwestern households, many people have had to cut back on their AC use due to the high energy costs associated with it. Take Tortosa resident Brianne Dixon, who despite going solar received a $700 electric bill on July 21. She doesn’t even have a pool.
That means for people like Dixon, it’s less cooled air blasting and more balmy bedtimes.
But the worst is yet to come in metro Phoenix, according to local sleep researchers.
Friday will be, statistically, your worst night’s sleep
Scottsdale-based Amerisleep recently carried out a study by analyzing 30 years of weather data from Weatherspark to identify each state’s hottest and most humid nights of the summer to gain an average date — the night when Americans can expect to have the worst sleep.
According to its findings, the (statistically) worst night for sleep in Arizona is set for Friday, Aug. 2. Arizonans can rest assured the worst nights of sleep will soon be behind them, paving the way for more restful slumber in the future.
For the rest of America, aside from climate change-caused heatwaves, the statistically hottest and most humid night of the year will occur in the remaining days of July and early August. Hawaiians will experience the longest wait for their worst night’s sleep, which falls on Aug. 31 — Arizona is the third latest.
Is heat the biggest predictor of a bad night’s sleep?
“No, not if you have the right product,” said Bruce Kiraly, owner of Copa Mattress.
“The correct product is a bed that cools you, and that’s what we sell this time of year,” Kiraly said.
How does a bed cool a person whose skin temperature is nearly 100 degrees? With a copper-infused gel hidden inside some mattresses, Kiraly explained.
“It’s gel that sucks the heat out of the human body,” he said. “When you go through the sleep cycle, your body temperature increases 1 or 2 degrees. Copper is a heat conduit that cools people.”
Most “cooling” beds bring temps down one-half or one degree, but Kiraly said he scoured the market and found beds that cool 5 to 7 degrees. Traditional memory foam, on the other hand, can have inverse effects.
“You’re buying foam that cooks you,” Kiraly said. “Foam is an insulator. Cheap memory foams retain heat rather than dissipate it. ”
How to stay cool this Friday night?
While most would consider a “cool Friday night” to be a bar crawl, concert or house party, many in Buckeye just want some peaceful sleep that doesn’t end in a puddle of your own sweat.
Kiraly offers this advice:
“Crank the air down to what you can afford. Make sure you have fans in the room and sleep with a minimal amount of bedding. That’s it. Sleep cool.”
Amerisleep also included some tips for better sleep during heatwaves:
- Optimize your bedroom environment. Use fans, blackout curtains, and light bedding to keep your sleeping area cool throughout the day.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
- Adjust sleepwear. Wear lightweight, breathable fabrics to bed.
- Cool down before bed. Take a cool shower or use a damp washcloth on your neck and wrists to lower your body temperature.
- Use a fan. Fans circulate air and create a cooling effect, even if the temperature in the room is warm.
- Limit AC use smartly. If energy costs are a concern, set your AC to a higher temperature or use it for shorter periods to cool the room before bedtime.
