Scientists Exploring How To Beat Heat For Better Sleep

The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. NDTV reported.

Scientists are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications.

Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to foster adaptation and safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world," Minor and other authors of the paper said.

Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality.

Adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cite University.

"We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration. And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour," such as activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said.

But humans could "tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought", he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Challenging "the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20C", he said that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees.

"If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise," he said.

Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28C "becomes much more complicated".

An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery.

In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road.

long run, it can create a harmful sleep "debt", impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac said.

A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health.

To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to "eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies".

Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower -- but not an icy one -- reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature.

Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, said Sauvet.

Napping during the hottest hours of the day have also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit.

Short naps -- "30 to 40 minutes, and before 2:00 pm" -- are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher.