Keeping Your Baby Cool In Hot Weather

Summer is a lovely time of year. There’s more daylight, more chances to get outside, and plenty of family time. But when it comes to sleep, warm weather can make things much harder, especially for babies and young children.

Just like adults, babies don’t sleep as well when they’re hot. A warm room or an overheated body can make it harder for them to settle and stay asleep. So on those hot sticky nights, keeping your baby cool can make a real difference to how everyone sleeps.

Here are some simple, practical ways to help.

Aim for a Comfortable Room Temperature

For most babies, a comfortable sleep temperature is around 18 to 20 degrees. In cooler months, that’s often easy to achieve. In summer, especially when the heat lingers into the evening, it can feel almost impossible.

Opening a window doesn’t always help if the air outside is still warm, and it can invite insects in too. So it’s worth using a few extra tricks to bring the temperature down and make the room more comfortable for sleep.

Use Frozen Water Bottles with a Fan

If you need to cool the room quickly, this is a simple and surprisingly effective option. Freeze a large bottle of water and place it in front of a fan so the air blows across it. As the ice melts, the air coming from the fan will be cooler.

Put the bottle on a towel or tray to catch any condensation. Larger bottles stay frozen longer, but smaller ones can still help for a shorter period. If you can, pop a couple of bottles in the freezer during the day so they’re ready for naps and bedtime.

Try a Cooling Bath Before Bed

Bath time can be a great way to bring your baby’s body temperature down before sleep. Start with their usual warm bath, then gradually add a little cooler water towards the end. The aim isn’t to make them cold, just to help lower their body temperature slightly so they don’t go to bed already overheated.

Keep the Sun Out During the Day

Preventing heat from building up in the room during the day can make a big difference in the evening.

You can use sunshades on windows to reflect heat away, not just in the car but in your baby’s room too. They’re inexpensive and surprisingly effective, especially on large or north-facing windows.

Closing blinds or curtains during the hottest part of the day can also help, just make sure there’s still some ventilation and fresh air coming into the room.

Let Hot Air Escape

Warm air rises, so if you have a way to let it escape, use it. In homes with a loft or roof space, opening the loft hatch during the day can help hot air move up and out. Just remember to close it again in the evening to keep insects out.

Dress Your Baby for the Heat

No matter what you do with the room temperature, overdressing your baby can undo all your hard work.

Choose sleepwear and bedding made from natural fibres like cotton or muslin. These breathe much better than synthetic fabrics such as polyester or polar fleece, which tend to trap heat and make babies sweat. Synthetic fabrics also make it harder for babies to regulate their own body temperature.

On very hot nights, your baby may be most comfortable sleeping in just a nappy, with a very lightweight muslin sleep sack if they need something for comfort in the early hours of the morning.

A Gentle Reminder

Hot summer nights can disrupt sleep for anyone, and babies are no exception. A few small changes to the room, their routine, and what they’re wearing can make a big difference to how settled they are overnight.

And remember, it isn’t always just the heat. If your baby’s sleep feels off in other ways too, or things aren’t improving even when you’ve cooled things down, you’re always welcome to get in touch. Sometimes there’s more going on, and it can really help to look at the bigger picture.