Expert Tips for Staying Cool on Summer Nights

Last week we highlighted how we can style ourselves to keep cool. This week we're focusing on how to keep our home comfortable and most of all protect our sleep. It can be hard to get a good night's sleep when your environment is too warm. So Inspired by Dawn has researched the best ways to stay cool all evening so you can be your best self all summer long. Below is what we learned...

Homemade A/C - This was news to us at Inspired by Dawn but apparently you can fake the effects of air conditioning with a fan and bowl full of ice! We're going to have try this one out for ourselves. We're intrigued! Read more here for a how to. Apparently a wet towel hung in front of a window can have a similar effect. Who knew?

Take a Hot Shower - Seems counterintuitive but your body will cool itself better after taking a hot shower than after a cool one. A cool shower shocks your system and causes you body to work to bring your temp back up.

Grill Out or Take Out - One more reason not to heat up the kitchen. Try to plan meals that can be prepared on the grill or right out of the fridge (e.g. salads, wraps). If all else fails, order take out and keep your home cool.

Fans are Your Friend - Make sure you set ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise in the summer so the pull hot air up and away from you. Put the stove exhaust fan and any bathrooms fans to work as well. They too draw warm air up and out of the house.

Embrace Shade - Close blinds in the morning to keep the house from heating up, and consider planting trees to help keep things cool in the future.

Change Your Lightbulbs - We all know we should switch away from incandescent bulbs for energy efficiency but who knew that making that swap could also help keep your home cooler? Earth and comfort-friendly!

Finally, we stumbled upon this great info graphic that summarizes many of these ideas, plus a few more.

Wishing you comfortable sleep all summer long!