Eight Tips for Keeping Your Bedroom Cool in the Summer

By Brian Acton

When outdoor temperatures start to heat up, it can be difficult to keep your bedroom cool enough to get a good night’s sleep. This is especially true if you want to keep your air-conditioning costs down or you don’t have central AC at all. But a good night’s sleep is essential for a number of physical and psychological benefits, so you have a strong interest in keeping your bedroom comfortable, even if you can’t or won’t rely on air conditioning to get it done. Here are eight tips for keeping your bedroom cool in the hot summer months without cranking the AC.

1. Place Fans Strategically Strategically placed fans can help dramatically cool a room. If you leave your windows open, window fans can lower the temperature in the room. Multiple fans placed correctly can increase the cooling effect. One method even involves placing a bowl of ice behind a fan, further cooling the air. Placing fans strategically in your bedroom can help keep you comfortable. The best fan placement will depend on your bedroom’s layout, whether you run the AC or leave the windows open, and other factors.

2. Run Your Ceiling Fan the Right Way If you have a ceiling fan, you’re already enjoying the airflow benefits. But you might want to make sure your fan is spinning the right way. Many ceiling fans can be set to run clockwise or counterclockwise. In the hotter months, running ceiling fans counterclockwise can create a wind-chill effect in your bedroom.

3. Get a Portable Evaporative Cooler Evaporative coolers are portable, don’t take up too much space, and can be used anywhere. They draw in the surrounding hot air, cool it down, and then circulate it back into your room. It’s important to note that evaporative coolers work best in hot, dry climates. Because they work by passing dry air through water, they aren’t as effective in humid, damp climates.

4. Switch to Cooler Sheets If you’re still using flannel, satin, or polyester bedding, it’s time to switch to cooler sheets and pillowcases. Lightweight cotton and linen sheets tend to be the best bet, as they are breathable and aren’t heavy.

5. Get a Cooler Pillow If you’re using a memory foam pillow, you may want to consider getting a cooler alternative. That’s because memory foam tends to retain heat. If you find yourself sweating into your memory foam pillow, a fiber alternative may be a better option for summer.

6. Use Shades and Curtains The sun shining through your windows drives up the temperature of your home during the day. Keep your shades and curtains closed to maintain cooler temperatures, especially in your bedroom.

7. Create Cross-Breezes Closed doors and windows block airflow. Where you can, leave doors to rooms open to let air circulate throughout your home. If you don’t run air conditioning, try to create drafts that run between open windows from room to room, keeping your bedroom cooler.

8. Move to Lower Ground Heat rises to the highest areas of the home. If you have multiple levels in your home and you sleep upstairs, you may be sleeping in the hottest region of the house. If you have a spare bedroom downstairs and you’re really desperate for a cooler night’s sleep, you may want relocate for the summer.

Sources: https://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/ceiling_fans/installation_usage_tips http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/heating-and-cooling/swamp-cooler.htm