Your Science-Backed Guide to Sleeping Better During a Heatwave

Warm nights don’t have to mean sleepless nights.

Your body naturally needs to cool down before it can fall asleep. During a heatwave, that process becomes much harder, leaving many of us tossing, turning and waking throughout the night.

The good news? A few simple changes to your evening routine can make a remarkable difference.

Here are our favourite expert-backed strategies for sleeping well even on the hottest nights.

1. Don't take an ice-cold shower 

It sounds refreshing, but an ice-cold shower before bed can actually make it harder to cool down.

When your body is suddenly exposed to very cold water, your blood vessels constrict to protect your core temperature. This reduces the amount of heat your body can release afterwards.

Instead, take a lukewarm shower or bath 60–90 minutes before bed.  Our Into the Deep bath oil is packed with calming essential oils including lavender and Geranium and can be used in the bath or shower.  Alternatively, our The Z’s anchoring bath soak is blended with potent broad-spectrum CBD and calming lavender, juniper and blue spirulina.

This encourages blood flow to the skin, allowing excess body heat to escape naturally once you get out.

Dreem Ritual

After your shower, massage a few drops of Among the Stars Body Oil into your shoulders, arms and décolletage. The lightweight botanical oils absorb beautifully after warm skin, while the calming aroma becomes another cue to your brain that it’s time to unwind.

2. Cool Your Body - Not Your Whole House

You don’t need an ice-cold bedroom. Your body loses heat most effectively through your hands, feet and face.

Try:

• Place a cool flannel on your forehead or neck.

• Run cool (not freezing) water over your wrists.

• Keep your feet outside the duvet if needed.

• Freeze a hot water bottle or fill one with cold water and place it near your feet.

Small cooling strategies often work better than trying to dramatically lower the room temperature.

3. Let Your Bedroom Stay Dark 

Keep curtains, blinds and windows closed during the hottest part of the day.

As temperatures begin to fall in the evening, open windows to create airflow.

If possible, position a fan near an open window to help move cooler air through the room.

Dreem Ritual

Keep your bedside beautifully uncluttered with just the essentials - a glass of water, a book and your Night Drops ready for your evening wind-down.

4. Wear The Right Fabrics

Natural breathable fibres help your body regulate temperature far better than synthetic materials.

Choose:

✓ Cotton

✓ Linen

✓ Bamboo

The same applies to your bedding.

Lightweight, breathable sheets often feel much cooler than heavyweight duvets.

5. Hydrate Little and Often 

Being even mildly dehydrated can make sleep feel more restless.

Drink consistently throughout the day rather than trying to catch up just before bed.

Avoid drinking large amounts immediately before sleep to reduce unnecessary night-time bathroom trips.

Try to reduce caffeine in the afternoon too, as it can become more dehydrating during periods of extreme heat.

6. Eat Lighter in The Evening

Large, heavy meals increase metabolic activity, creating more body heat.

On particularly warm evenings choose lighter dinners with plenty of vegetables, fruit and lean protein.

Your body has less work to do while you’re trying to fall asleep.

7. Avoid Too Much Alcohol 

A cold glass of wine may feel appealing during a heatwave, but alcohol can:

• Increase body temperature

• Disrupt deep sleep

• Worsen dehydration

• Increase night-time waking

If you do drink, alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

8. Stick To Your Wind-Down Routine 

One of the biggest mistakes people make during a heatwave is abandoning their evening routine altogether.

Your brain thrives on consistency.

Whether it’s reading, stretching, breathing exercises or your favourite evening ritual, keeping familiar cues helps your nervous system recognise that sleep is approaching - even if it’s warmer than usual.

Dreem Ritual

A warm shower, soft lighting, a few drops of Night Drops, followed by a chapter of your book creates a sequence your brain begins to associate with sleep night after night.

9. Create A Calm Nervous System 

Heat is stressful for the body.

Adding mental stress on top can make falling asleep even harder.

Before bed, spend just five minutes slowing everything down.

Try:

• Slow breathing – we offer 4 x free breathwork videos by leading breathwork coach Rob Rea with every purchase.

• Gentle stretching

• Journalling

• Meditation

• Reading instead of scrolling

Helping your nervous system relax is just as important as cooling your body.

Dreem Ritual

If your body feels restless after a hot day, massage Dreem Melt® Magnesium Butter into your calves, feet and shoulders. The rich magnesium butter paired with calming lavender transforms an everyday routine into a soothing bedtime ritual.

10. If You Wake During The Night... 

Don’t panic.

Heat naturally causes lighter sleep and more frequent waking.

Rather than checking the clock:

✓ Take a few slow breaths.

✓ Sip a little water if you’re thirsty.

✓ Cool your wrists or feet if needed.

✓ Keep lights dim.

If your mind is racing, resist the urge to reach for your phone. Give yourself a few quiet minutes and allow your nervous system to settle naturally.

YOUR DREEM HEATWAVE RITUAL

✔ Keep your bedroom cool and dark.

✔ Take a lukewarm shower before bed – use our Into the Deep bath/shower oil.

✔ Apply Among the Stars Body Oil after showering.

✔ Wear breathable natural fabrics.

✔ Stay hydrated throughout the day.

✔ Avoid heavy evening meals and excess alcohol.

✔ Massage Dreem Melt® Magnesium Butter into tired legs and feet.

✔ Take your Night Drops 30 minutes before bed as part of a consistent evening ritual.

✔ Give your nervous system permission to switch off.

Sleep Deeply. Live Beautifully.

For those nights when your mind feels just as busy as the weather is warm, many of our community reach for Night Drops as part of their evening ritual.

Formulated with broad-spectrum CBD and our proprietary Super Terpene Blend™, Night Drops are designed to support your body’s natural wind-down by helping calm the nervous system before bed. Consistency is key - the same bedtime, the same ritual and the same calming cues each evening help teach your brain that it’s time to sleep.

Because better sleep starts long before your head hits the pillow.