When the house is still 30 degrees at midnight, sleep goes out the window. If you don't have air con (or don't want the power bill), these simple tricks make hot Australian nights a lot more bearable.
1. Keep the heat out during the day
Close curtains and blinds on sun-facing windows in the morning, before the house heats up. Keep windows shut while it's hotter outside than inside. Heat you keep out in the day is heat you don't have to fight at night.
2. Open up once it cools down
As soon as it's cooler outside than inside (often after the sea breeze or late evening), open windows on opposite sides of the house to get a cross-breeze. In Perth, the afternoon Fremantle Doctor can do a lot of the work for you.
3. Put a fan to work
Point a fan so the air moves across your body, not just the room. A fan by an open window can push hot air out or pull cooler air in. A small mist fan on the bedside table adds a fine, cooling mist, and its soft night light is handy for kids' rooms.
4. Swap your bedding
Use light cotton or linen sheets and ditch the doona. Pyjamas in loose cotton (or nothing at all) let sweat evaporate. Some people swear by putting their pillowcase in the freezer for 10 minutes before bed.
5. Cool your body, not just the room
- Take a lukewarm shower before bed. Ice-cold water can make your body work to warm back up.
- Cool your pulse points: a damp face washer or cooling towel on your neck, wrists or feet.
- Keep a neck cooler ring in the fridge for when you wake up hot.
6. Sleep low
Heat rises. If you have a two-storey house, sleep downstairs on the hottest nights. Even a mattress on the floor can feel cooler than a raised bed.
7. Drink water, go easy on alcohol
Have a glass of water before bed and keep one beside you. Alcohol and big, heavy dinners both make it harder to sleep in the heat.
Don't forget the pets
Dogs and cats feel hot nights too. Give them a cool spot to sleep, like tiles or a breathable pet cooling mat, plus fresh water. Read our guide to keeping your dog cool in summer.
During heatwaves, check on older neighbours and family, and seek medical help if someone shows signs of heat illness.