Do You Sleep Badly in the Summer? These Tips Can Help!

Spending time in the summer sun boosts your mood and improves your health. However, the warmer weather might come at the cost of high-quality sleep. This is especially true if you already have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Do you tend to sleep badly during the summer? If so, there’s a reason why. Read on as a sleep apnea dentist explains this connection and how you can enjoy a good night’s sleep this summer.

Why Summer Can Lead to Bad Sleep

The temperature of your body (and your bedroom) plays a key role in the quality of your sleep. Feeling too hot prevents your body from relaxing enough to reach the deeper stages of sleep. As a result, you don’t feel well-rested the next day.

Seasonal allergies may also be to blame. Pollen that arises from grass and leaves during the spring and summer can cause sneezing, coughing, congestion, and other symptoms that make it difficult to sleep.

Additionally, later sunsets in the warmer months can be problematic for sleep. Sunlight delays your body’s natural release of melatonin, a chemical that induces sleepiness.

How You Can Get Better Sleep This Summer

Just because summer can hinder your quality of sleep doesn’t mean it has to. These tips can help you achieve the restful shuteye you need:

• Keep your bedroom cool – Sleep experts often recommend setting your bedroom thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees in the summer. Switching to a lighter blanket rather than a comforter can also help you stay cool.
• Treat your allergies – To minimize the risk of allergies impacting your sleep, avoid opening the bedroom windows, which could let pollen in. If you’ve been outside, change out of your clothes soon after you come home to prevent offending particles from lingering. Wash your linens at least once a week.
• Close the blinds – Light and darkness affect your body’s natural sleep cycles. Try closing the blinds if you’re having trouble falling asleep early enough during the summer. Blackout curtains can be a worthwhile investment if this happens often. Then, open the blinds when you first wake up to keep your body’s natural clock stays in check.

If you still find yourself struggling to sleep well after following these tips, talk to a sleep apnea dentist. Sleep apnea can make it hard to sleep without specific treatment, and it can lead to serious health problems down the road.

Summer is a great time of year to enjoy the great outdoors with friends and family. Don’t let a lack of sleep prevent you from making the most of this weather. Changing a few simple things might be all that you need to enjoy quality, restful sleep this summer.

About the Author

Dr. Robert Dernick is an experienced sleep apnea dentist in The Woodlands, TX. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston in 1979 and opened his own practice the following year. After practicing general dentistry for several years, he began studying sleep dentistry and has never looked back. He offers multiple non-invasive treatments for sleep apnea, including oral appliance therapy. To learn more about getting better sleep this summer, you can contact Dr. Dernick by calling (281)-363-2770.