World Sleep Day: The hot issue keeping Australians up at night

Three-quarters of Aussies report they suffer from one big issue which is a leading cause of insomnia. See how to overcome it and tips for better sleep.

Overheating at night is a leading cause of insomnia in Australia.

As the globe celebrates World Sleep Day today, research shows 77 per cent of Australians have reported losing sleep while feeling hot under the covers, 91 per cent are ditching sheets in order to try to save their shut-eye and 21 per cent are sleeping nude to avoid stuffy lie downs.

With Australia now moving from La Nina weather patterns to El Nino conditions later this year, which are drier with warmer temperatures and more weather extremes in the eastern states, more than 60 per cent of us are concerned about our sleep health amid potential heatwaves.

A new survey of 1017 Australians from Koala bedding company found 75 per cent of respondents suffer physical fatigue due to poor sleep.

There are a range of reasons why Aussies overheat in bed at night.

Melbourne specialist sleep physician, Dr David Cunnington, says that when it comes to the heat some suffer more than others.

“People have different internal temperatures, with some more sensitive to changes in temperature than others,” he says. “This is especially true for women who are pregnant or experiencing menopause, as their bodies are usually already operating at a higher temperature. Also, certain health conditions, such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, and heart disease can affect a person’s ability to regulate their body temperature and make them more sensitive to hot weather, while some medications such as antihistamines and blood pressure drugs can also cause this effect.”

Sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo agrees, adding that your personality plays a role in how you respond to heat.

“People with a tendency to become anxious, and those above average weight, may sleep worse when it’s hot,” she explains. “As both of these factors drive core body temperature up, they would more easily overheat than others.”

Sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo.

While airconditioning and ceiling fans are the top solutions for regulating heat, Arezzolo recommends investing in “sleep tech” to help keep you cool.

“Buy quality, breathable bedding,” she says. “Natural fibres are important like cotton, linen and bamboo are best, ideally with a thread count of two hundred to four hundred.”

Your mattress is also relevant, with the best ones promoting ventilation and airflow.

FEELING THE HEAT

Erica Bull, a marketing manager who’s expecting her first child, says it was a shock to discover that being pregnant can make you feel the heat and impact your sleep.

“I’d always been a fantastic sleeper,” says the 31-year-old from Sydney. “Recently, though, feeling overheated has affected my sleep.

It got so bad it was affecting me at

work and during the day I wasn’t feeling myself.”

Bull doesn’t have airconditioning at home, and at one stage she considered moving house or spending hot nights with family or friends or in temporary accommodation to sleep better.

Erica Bull, who’s expecting her first child, says it was a shock to discover that being pregnant can make you feel the heat and impact your sleep.

Some of her cooling strategies include closing blinds during the day, and opening the front door in the morning and the back door in the evenings to generate airflow if there’s a slight breeze.

“I’ve also recently switched to a new mattress, not just to help with back pain, but the cooling technology has also helped with overheating,” says Bull. “Also, before bed, I always have a cold glass of water and turn on the fan, if just for 30 minutes. This usually helps with a better night’s sleep.”

TIPS FOR KEEPING COOL

​Arezzolo says some simple changes can help you remain cool at night. They include:

1. Place a wet towel on your neck.

2. Chill your pillowcase in the freezer before going to bed.

3. Take a hot water bottle, fill it and put it in the freezer to use between the sheets or under your pillow.

4. Sleep naked but wear socks as it promotes heat loss.

5. Wear cooling pyjamas.

Forty-one per cent of Australian women rated their sleep quality as bad or very bad in a recent survey.

NIGHT MOVES

In the month before the 2023 Annual Snoring & Sleep Report was conducted, Australian adults woke in the middle of the night 10 times on average. Data shows:

● 80 per cent woke prior to their scheduled or intended wake time and couldn’t get back to sleep 7.2 times on average a month

● 75 per cent were unable to fall asleep within 30 minutes 7.4 times on average a month

● 41 per cent of Australian women rate their sleep quality as bad or very bad compared to 29 per cent of men.

Typical reasons for waking in the middle of the night include:

● Getting up to use the bathroom

(53 per cent).

● Having mental/emotional distress (36 per cent).

Source: 2023 Annual Snoring & Sleep Report commissioned by mutesnoring.com

Originally published as World Sleep Day: The hot issue keeping Australians up at night