Here's my interpretation and take on the "Put your pillow in the fridge to sleep sound" article published in the Times of India, July 16, 6:22 PM IST.
As a child, I've always loved a cool pillow during summers. And, I remember how I would turn it upside-down after a little while when the side would get warm. It just felt so comfortable to let your face (on the pillow) and palms (under the pillow) lose heat to the pillow.
Mom would always stress on using a cotton stuffed pillow and a cotton pillow cover while dad would always wear 100% cotton fabrics even during the day. They would always say that it will keep you comfortable.
Today, I read that Dr. Chris Idzikowski from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre says that the body releases heat through hands, face, and feet around the time of sleep and continues to cool till around 4 AM. Well, I believe he means that it continues to cool for a good 4-6 hours after you sleep. With different individuals working in different time-zones even in the same physical location, it shouldn't really matter when you sleep as long you sleep at pretty much the same time every time. Though, I also feel from my own personal experience that we tend to release more heat if we haven't slept for a long time!
He further suggests that the choice of bed linen is important as well and one should prefer natural fibers which reminds me of what mom-dad always suggest for the mattress, linen, pillow, and the pillow cover. They would always stress that a coir or a cotton mattress would keep you cooler than a foam or a synthetic one. Dr. Idzikowski suggests using a mattress protector (think of it like a thin carpet) made from cotton.
He further suggested using loose-fitting nightclothes (in cotton or silk - something to keep in mind when out shopping for nightwear) than sleeping in skimpy wear as they are more effective and absorb moisture from the skin. Spreading out the hands and legs further helps to cool than sleeping curled up.
Lastly, he says that if you are suffering from insomnia, you should run your wrists and hands under cold tap water for a few minutes, then dry and go straight to bed. While this is the first time I am hearing specifically about cooling the hands and the wrist, thousands of people actually take a bath before they go to sleep. And, most of them in warm areas actually take it in cold water which further reiterates what Dr. Idzikowski is talking about. So, next time you are finding it hard to sleep, you know what to try.
Wondering why am I interested in Sleep? Well, a good night sleep can lead to wonders on the follow day. Period. :)
In case you have any comments, please post them below and I will try to respond. Thanks for reading.
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