Sleep More, Live More Blog

Ahhh, summer nights. When the sky stays golden past 8pm, the evenings feel endless, and for a few months, life finally seems to slow down enough to enjoy it. More time outside. More time with people you love. More time for everything you've been meaning to do all year. But the very things that make summer feel so good — longer days, warmer nights, vacation — send signals to your brain that keep it wide awake. And you often don’t notice the impact until you're lying awake after 11pm, wondering why such a great day has you feeling so wired. So, let’s dive into why summer disrupts sleep more than you'd expect, the true cost of poor sleep, and 6 tips to protect your rest to safeguard your summer fun. Summer takes a toll on your sleep — Here’s how. Longer days delay your body's bedtime signal Melatonin (the hormone that tells your body it's time to wind down) is triggered by darkness. So when the sun is still up at 8:30pm, your brain doesn't get the usual signal. Add in the spring-forward time change, and your internal clock can stay an hour out of sync. The result: you don't start feeling sleepy until later, even if you're still trying to sleep at your usual time. Heat keeps your body from winding down Ever wondered “why am I so hot at night,” or “why do I get so hot when I sleep?” — you’re not alone. When temperatures rise, it becomes much harder for your core body temperature to drop the 2-3° F it needs to in order to shift into ‘sleep mode.’ Even if you eventually doze off, that lingering heat can mean lighter, more interrupted sleep and wake-ups until temperatures cool. Summer schedules throw off your routine For most of the year, life runs on a rhythm: work, school pickups, dinner, bedtime, repeat. Come summer, that rhythm disappears. Kids are home, camp schedules shift week to week, your own time off means later mornings and looser evenings. Without your usual routine, your internal clock can drift, making both falling asleep and waking up feel harder. Summer fun has a next-day cost A late concert or a long night with friends is part of what summer’s all about. But with enough of those nights, your body starts treating midnight as the new bedtime. This is the ‘summer bedtime creep’: each late night nudges your internal clock a little later, until falling asleep at your old bedtime feels impossible. Travel and jet lag throws off your internal clock If travel’s left you with trouble sleeping, jet lag could be the culprit. When you cross two or three time zones, it can take several days for your body to align your internal clock. That's why the first few nights of a vacation (and the first few nights back home) can be plagued with restless nights, fragmented sleep, and wake-ups that leave you exhausted. The cost of poor sleep on your summer It’s not in your head. Even one night of poor sleep can leave you with a shorter attention span, a worse mood, and a strong next-day craving for sugar and caffeine — your body's way of trying to compensate for the energy it didn't get overnight. String together weeks of poor sleep and the cost builds. Chronic poor sleep has been linked with higher blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, more sick days, memory issues, and a higher risk of anxiety and depression. And before you write it off as "just a summer thing,” the shift back to your usual schedule can take longer than many expect. After weeks of late bedtimes and loose routines, your internal clock doesn't snap back the moment September hits. 6 tips to safeguard your sleep this summer #1 Use AC to compensate for hot summer nights Experts suggest the best room temperature for sleeping is around 65-68°F. This gives your body the best shot at dropping its core body temperature by the 2-3° F it needs to achieve high quality rest. Bonus tip: If you're still feeling overheated, try aiming a fan at your bed — it can help move air across your skin to release heat faster. #2 Stay cool with breathable sheets Cooling sheets (or a pillow with cooling gel) help pull heat away from your body right when you need that temperature drop to kick in. Even a few degrees cooler at the surface can make falling asleep easier on a warm night. Bonus tip: If the heat’s really getting you, try cooling your socks in the refrigerator for about an hour before bed to cool you down in bed. #3 Start winding down before sunset In summer, sunset won't do the work for you. Dim your lights 2-3 hours before bed to mimic the natural light drop your brain is used to. This helps prompt natural melatonin production so it’s lined up for bedtime. #4 Get morning sunlight to reset your clock Getting natural light within an hour of waking can make you feel more energized and helps anchor your circadian rhythm, making it easier for your body to wind down for bed when you’d like. #5 Start shifting your bedtime back 2-3 days before you travel Wish you could skip the effects of jet lag? Adjust your bedtime by 30 minutes a night for 2-3 nights before a trip that crosses time zones — it gives your body a head start in adjusting to the new time zone instead of it hitting all at once. #6 Time your in-flight sleep to your destination Aligning your sleep to your destination’s timing before you land can help you acclimate faster. Before take-off, change your phone's clock to the local time at your destination. If it will be night when you land, try to sleep on the flight. If you're landing in the daytime, stay awake if you can. Protect your sleep, all summer long 15 min for bed. Deeper, more restorative sleep. Whether it's a hot night, a late one, or three time zones away from home, Somnee makes it so good sleep travels with you. Travel Mode adjusts your sessions to a new time zone, and Nap Sessions help you reset mid-flight or after a late night — so jet lag and bedtime creep don't follow you into the next day. The result: more energy, more focus, and more presence for life’s best moments. Try 45 days risk-free →

Sleep More, Live More Blog

Discover tips for better sleep, the latest in sleep science, and insights from experts including Dr. Matt Walker and Dr. Robert Knight.

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