10 ways to keep yourself cool at night when you don't have air con.

Image: iStock.

Summer has gone rogue, and it’s really bloody hot.

Dealing with the heat in your house without air conditioner is bearable. Dealing with it when you’re trying to sleep? Unbearable.

But never fear because we’re here to help. Presenting 10 tricks that will help you drift off no matter how sweltering your room is.

You can thank us later.

1. Use this nifty fan trick.

If the fan alone won’t suffice – this is a wonderful hack you can use that will make it feel like you’re in the sweet, sweet air conditioned aisles of the freezer section at the supermarket.

Fill a bowl with ice and water, position it in front of your fan and drift off into a magical, chilled sleep.

It’s amazing.

2. Choose your pillow wisely.

Your head is one of the hottest parts of your body, so keeping it cool is key to getting a good night’s sleep. You could invest in a buckwheat pillow, as they provide good air circulation (compared to standard pillows which surround your head and trap in all the hot air. Ugh.)

(WATCH: Mamamia Confessions: What Mums get up to when their children are asleep.)

Alternatively you can buy a chill pad for your pillow, there are a couple of brands out there, but Cooliow or Chillow are both great. They provide natural cooling, and are thermo-regulated, meaning that they absorb your body heat and then disperse it into the atmosphere.

3. Wrap yourself in a damp towel.

Grab a face washer or towel, soak it and then put it in spin cycle in your washing machine, or make sure it’s wrung out enough that it won’t drip.

Open a window or place a fan near your bed, and cover yourself with the towel or sheet. Best. Trick. Ever.

4. Poke your feet out of the sheets.

Sarah Biggs from the Sleep Health Foundation, explained to The Glow that our hands and feet play a key role in facilitating sleep, as they permit the heated blood from the central body to cool down through the skin's surface.

“Your hands and feet are where you lose heat the most in your body, so by sticking your foot out of the sheets, it is a very quick way of reducing your core body temperature, and then help you to sleep,” Biggs says.

So there you have it.

5. And while you're at it, swap your sheets too.

If you have breathable fabrics on your bed, you're much more likely to feel cool while drifting off. Cotton and linen are both great choices, flannel and fleece, not so much. Too. Easy. (Post continues after gallery.)

6. Get naked...

There are many surprising health benefits to sleeping naked. But one the main advantages is that it regulates your temperature, so you won't over heat.

According to naturopath and author Natasha Turner, being too warm at night disrupts the natural release of melatonin and growth hormones, and one of the easiest ways to stay cool is to sleep sans clothing.

7. Prevent heat from getting in in the first place...

By ventilating your house correctly you can cool down your room before jumping into bed. Close the blinds and windows in the morning before it heats up and when it's cooler at night, open them back up to allow the air in.

8.  Check your curtains.

If you have dark curtains, change them to a lighter colour, as they will absorb less heat, and will leave your room feeling cooler in the summer months.

9. Sleep downstairs.

Heat rises, so if your bedroom is on a higher floor, sleep downstairs as it is the coolest place in the house.

10. Change your light globes. 

Yep, really. Some light globes emit more heat than others, so make sure you're using the correct ones to keep you cool in the heat.

Switch your incandescent lights to LED ones to ensure that your room is staying as cool as it possibly can.

One study by US site Energy Circle found that a type of incandescent bulb ran at 163 degrees Celsius, compared to an average LED light, which ran at 41 degrees Celsius.

You can cool down your room quite a bit with such a simple swap.

What is your trick to falling asleep on a hot night?