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Free Malaysia Today
17-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Researchers explore how to beat heat for better sleep
As neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Experts are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. 'Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep and, therefore, to health, performance and wellbeing,' says a review of scientific literature published last year in the journal Sleep Medicine. Meanwhile, a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth highlighted that humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, linking the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50-58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. 'Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world,' Minor and colleagues said. As neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. But adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to researcher Fabien Sauvet from Paris Cite University. 'We sweat more and faster, and require additional hydration. So, during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour' with regard to activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. Still, humans can 'tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought', he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28°C. An excessive lack of sleep can disrupt the body's recovery, leading to drowsiness, fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. (Envato Elements pic) Challenging 'the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20°C', he added that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. 'If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise,' he noted. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28°C 'becomes much more complicated'. An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this could lead to drowsiness, fatigue, and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep 'debt', impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac outlined. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to 'eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies'. Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower (but not an icy one), reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, Sauvet said. Napping during the hottest hours of the day have also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps – '30 to 40 minutes, and before 2pm' – are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Scientists exploring how to beat heat for better sleep
Cool showers and less coffee or alcohol: sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Scientists are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. "Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep, and therefore health, performance, and wellbeing," according to a 2024 review of scientific literature published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, according to a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, which linked the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. "Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to foster adaptation and safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world," Minor and other authors of the paper said. Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. Adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cite University. "We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration. And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour," such as activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. But humans could "tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought", he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Challenging "the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20C", he said that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. "If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise," he said. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28C "becomes much more complicated". An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep "debt", impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to "eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies". Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower – but not an icy one – reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, said Sauvet. Napping during the hottest hours of the day have also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps – "30 to 40 minutes, and before 2:00 pm" – are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher. — AFP
Malay Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Hot nights stealing your sleep? Here's what scientists say could help
PARIS, May 15 — Cool showers and less coffee or alcohol: sleep quality is being harmed by hotter temperatures caused by climate change, and scientists say we need to learn how to adapt. The human brain is very sensitive to heat, with higher temperatures raising the body's central thermostat and activating stress systems. Scientists are increasingly exploring mechanisms that can help the body adapt to rising temperatures affecting our sleep and leading to health complications. 'Rising temperatures induced by climate change and urbanisation pose a planetary threat to human sleep, and therefore health, performance, and wellbeing,' according to a 2024 review of scientific literature published in the journal Sleep Medicine. Humans lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, according to a 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, which linked the data to rising temperatures. The intensification of global warming could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099, according to research led by Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. 'Interventional studies and field experiments are now urgently needed to foster adaptation and safeguard the essential restorative role of sleep in a hotter world,' Minor and other authors of the paper said. Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain are highly interconnected, and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving sleep quality. Adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cité University. 'We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration. And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour,' such as activities, schedules and clothing, Sauvet said. But humans could 'tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought', he added, pointing to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28°Celsius. Challenging 'the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18°–20°C', he said that sleeping in light clothing such as a t-shirt and shorts, and with a simple sheet as well as good ventilation, could help dealing with a few more degrees. 'If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise,' he said. Fight 'sleep enemies' Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, said anything beyond 28°C 'becomes much more complicated'. An excessive lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep 'debt', impacting our metabolism and increasing the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can also reduce stress resistance and have a negative impact on mental health. To sleep better in a hotter environment, Rancillac stressed that there is a need to 'eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies'. Before bedtime, it is recommended to take a cool shower — but not an icy one — reduce stimulants like coffee, and limit alcohol, which facilitates falling asleep but slightly raises the internal body temperature. Avoid hot tubs after a workout, opting instead for outdoor temperatures or a cold bath, said Sauvet. Napping during the hottest hours of the day has also been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit. Short naps — '30 to 40 minutes, and before 2pm' — are ideal, so as not to interfere with a good night's sleep, according to the researcher. — AFP
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
The 6 ways to sleep better during hot weather – as scientists highlight ‘snooze enemies' to avoid
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAVING trouble sleeping during this unseasonably warm May? Scientists have shared six things you can do to help you drift off easier - and revealed the "sleep enemies" cutting into your snooze time as temperatures climb. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Does sleep feel impossible in hot weather? Ditching the AC might help Credit: Getty A 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, found that people lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, linking the data to rising temperatures. Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, warned that temperatures rising across the globe could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099. This was based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. "In hot sleeping environments, heat production can exceed heat loss beyond tolerable levels, increasing core body temperature and disturbing the natural sleep-wake cycle with increased wakefulness," a 2024 review published to the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews explained. "The largest investigation of the effect of ambient temperature on sleep thus far found that increased nighttime ambient temperature shortens sleep duration, primarily through delayed sleep onset, with stronger negative effects during summer months," researchers added. Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology warned that chronic lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road, she told AFP. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep "debt". Not only can this impact our metabolism, it can increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Dr Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can reduce our durability in the face of stress and may have a negative impact on mental health. The popular sleep position doctor warns should be avoided and could be the cause of your back and neck pain To sleep better in warmer environments, Dr Rancillac said we need to "eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies". 1. Take a cool shower If you're sweating bullets before climbing into bed, a cold shower might seem like just the ticket to cool off. But scientists warned you shouldn't be turning the tap all the way to freezing. Dr Rancillac recommended taking a cool shower to help drift off more easily. 2 Taking a nap during the warmest hours of the day can help you catch up on lost sleep Credit: Getty 2. Switch off the AC Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain connected and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving the quality of your snooze, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cite University. He said adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body. "We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration," he explained. "And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour," such as activities, schedules and clothing, the researcher said. When trying to lower your body temperature before sleep, your first instinct might be to turn on your aircon or a fan. How to stay safe in hot weather The UK Health Security Agency advised you follow these tips to reduce your risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke: Keep out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm If you are going to do a physical activity like exercising or walking the dog, plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler such as the morning or evening Keep your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun If you go outside, cover up with light clothing, a hat and sunglasses and slather on sun cream Drink plenty of fluids but limit booze Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them Check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk of becoming unwell, and if you are at higher risk, ask them to do the same for you Source: UKHSA But, according to Dr Sauvet, people can "tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought". He pointed to to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28 degrees Celsius. He challenged "the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20C". Instead, the scientist advised opting for light PJs instead - think a t-shirt and shorts. Cover yourself with a sheet as well as a duvet and make sure your room is well ventilated. "If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise," Dr Sauvet said. 3. Limit coffee You should also pay attention to what you're drinking. Coffee might not be your best friend, even if it does perk you up after a sleepless night. Your favourite brew is a stimulant, so you might want to reduce your consumption if you're having trouble sleeping. 4. Avoid booze While a grabbing a pint after work is a good way to enjoy the balmy evenings, it could also be messing with your snooze. It's a good idea to limit alcohol, as well as coffee. A drink might help you fall asleep, but it can slightly raise your body temperature - so you might be tossing and turning during the night. 5. No hot tubs If you want to wind down after a workout, don't jump in a hot tub, Dr Sauvet said. Instead, opt for a stroll outdoors or take a cool bath, he advised. 6. Nap away If you just haven't been able to sleep through the night, grabbing a cat nap can help combat the effects of sleeplessness. Napping during the hottest hours of the day has been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit, according to Dr Sauvet. But make sure they're no longer than "30 to 40 minutes, and before 2:00 pm" so they don't interfere with your sleep at night.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The 6 ways to sleep better during hot weather – as scientists highlight ‘snooze enemies' to avoid
HAVING trouble sleeping during this unseasonably warm May? Scientists have shared six things you can do to help you drift off easier - and revealed the " sleep enemies" cutting into your snooze time as temperatures climb. 2 A 2022 study published in the journal One Earth, found that people lost an average of 44 hours of sleep a year during the first two decades of the 21st century compared to earlier periods, linking the data to rising temperatures. Kelton Minor, from the University of Copenhagen, warned that temperatures rising across the globe could lead to an annual loss of 50 to 58 hours of sleep per person by 2099. This was based on data gathered from more than 47,000 individuals in 68 countries. "In hot sleeping environments, heat production can exceed heat loss beyond tolerable levels, increasing core body temperature and disturbing the natural sleep-wake cycle with increased wakefulness," a 2024 review published to the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews explained. "The largest investigation of the effect of ambient temperature on sleep thus far found that increased nighttime ambient temperature shortens sleep duration, primarily through delayed sleep onset, with stronger negative effects during summer months," researchers added. Armelle Rancillac, a neuroscientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology warned that chronic lack of sleep is known to disrupt the body's recovery. In the short term, this can lead to drowsiness, fatigue and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace or on the road, she told AFP. In the long run, it can create a harmful sleep "debt". Not only can this impact our metabolism, it can increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Dr Rancillac said. A sleep deficit can reduce our durability in the face of stress and may have a negative impact on mental health. The popular sleep position doctor warns should be avoided and could be the cause of your back and neck pain To sleep better in warmer environments, Dr Rancillac said we need to "eliminate or at least pay attention to sleep enemies". 1. Take a cool shower If you're sweating bullets before climbing into bed, a cold shower might seem like just the ticket to cool off. But scientists warned you shouldn't be turning the tap all the way to freezing. Dr Rancillac recommended taking a cool shower to help drift off more easily. 2 2. Switch off the AC Neurons regulating temperature and sleep in the brain connected and lowering the body's internal thermostat is key to improving the quality of your snooze, according to Fabien Sauvet, a researcher at Paris Cite University. He said adapting to heat comes at a cost to the body. "We sweat more and faster, for example, but it requires additional hydration," he explained. "And it has limits, so during heatwaves, the most important thing is to adapt our behaviour," such as activities, schedules and clothing, the researcher said. When trying to lower your body temperature before sleep, your first instinct might be to turn on your aircon or a fan. But, according to Dr Sauvet, people can "tolerate higher temperatures than commonly thought". He pointed to to several studies showing that good sleep quality can be achieved with a room temperature of up to 28 degrees Celsius. He challenged "the false belief that the bedroom must be at 18-20C". Instead, the scientist advised opting for light PJs instead - think a t-shirt and shorts. Cover yourself with a sheet as well as a duvet and make sure your room is well ventilated. "If we always sleep with air conditioning, we will never acclimatise," Dr Sauvet said. 3. Limit coffee You should also pay attention to what you're drinking. Coffee might not be your best friend, even if it does perk you up after a sleepless night. Your favourite brew is a stimulant, so you might want to reduce your consumption if you're having trouble sleeping. 4. Avoid booze While a grabbing a pint after work is a good way to enjoy the balmy evenings, it could also be messing with your snooze. It's a good idea to limit alcohol, as well as coffee. A drink might help you fall asleep, but it can slightly raise your body temperature - so you might be tossing and turning during the night. 5. No hot tubs If you want to wind down after a workout, don't jump in a hot tub, Dr Sauvet said. Instead, opt for a stroll outdoors or take a cool bath, he advised. 6. Nap away If you just haven't been able to sleep through the night, grabbing a cat nap can help combat the effects of sleeplessness. Napping during the hottest hours of the day has been proven to mitigate the impacts of a sleep deficit, according to Dr Sauvet. But make sure they're no longer than "30 to 40 minutes, and before 2:00 pm" so they don't interfere with your sleep at night.
