5 Ways to Beat the Heat for the First Mini Heatwave of 2025

With the clocks moved forward to prepare for another summer, Brits will be able to enjoy warm, brighter evenings earlier than expected, thanks to the first mini heatwave of the year¹. Weather forecasts are predicting highs of 20°C this week, with sunshine and light winds. 

While the hot weather is ideal weather for sun seekers, getting a good night’s sleep during a heatwave can prove to be the stuff of nightmares. 

1. Draw blinds when your windows get the most sunlight

Helen O’Connor, Product Manager at 247 Blinds, believes we should be closing our blinds when our homes get the most sunlight, and shares a guideline which can help you effectively regulate the temperature of your home: 

“With the sun setting later in the evenings and rising earlier in the morning during the summer months, keeping light out of your bedroom is essential to achieve better sleep quality.”

“During heatwaves, make sure you keep the blinds closed from 10 am until 3 pm in south-facing rooms. East-facing rooms would benefit from having the blinds closed earlier on in this timeframe as they get the morning sun and west-facing rooms may get warmer during the late afternoon.”

“This is where thermal blackout blinds can come in. These blinds are specifically designed with special coatings, linings and fabrics to keep rooms cool in summer and warm in winter, whilst also blocking out unwanted light to help you get a better night’s rest.”

2. Install smart window dressings

For a long-term, energy saving solution, Helen suggests: “Thermal curtains are a great all-year-round investment, as they keep in the warmth in the winter, but block out light and heat in the summer. During a hot spell, your first reaction might be to open your windows to get fresh air flowing, but this can often lead to heat seeping into your home. Thermal curtains do a great job of reducing the amount of heat that gets in as well as any cool air escaping, making it easier to maintain a comfortable inside temperature.”

Dr Hana Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep reveals how temperature impacts sleep, explaining: “One of the main factors that can affect sleep is room temperature – whether you’re too hot or too cold. 

“Even being slightly outside of the key temperature range of 15-23°C can make us more likely to wake up during the night and therefore reduce the amount of REM and slow-wave sleep we have, leaving us feeling fatigued.

“As the weather continues to get warmer it’s natural for us to feel more agitated, especially when it comes to trying to relax and eventually fall asleep.”

Since less than 5% of UK homes have air conditioning2, experts reveal 5 simple ways to help keep your bedroom cool during the warmer months and get a better night’s sleep. 

3. Put a cold hot water bottle in your bed an hour before sleep

Dr Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep comments: “Rather than freezing a hot water bottle with cold water, as this could damage the hot water bottle material, fill it with very cold water and leave this in the bed for an hour before you go to sleep.

“Before drifting off be sure to remove the cold hot water bottle from the bed as contact with skin is likely to cause discomfort and at very low temperatures, possible skin damage.”

4. Avoid ‘sweat-producing’ food

Dr Patel says: “Avoid particularly spicy, oily and fried foods as these can make you sweat more and interfere with your digestion.

“You should also keep lighter pre-bedtime snacks in mind as heavy meals can cause symptoms of insomnia and therefore impact the quality and length of sleep you can achieve.”

5. Avoid very fatty foods

Kerry Beeson, a Nutritional Therapist (BSc) at meal prep service Prep Kitchen shares: “Foods that take longer to digest, like very fatty foods, may raise your body temperature and make you feel warmer. Instead, opt for foods which are easy-to-digest like chicken, eggs, salmon or plant-based foods, bananas, rice, lettuce, and lightly steamed vegetables.”