How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night

http://www.wikihow.com/Sleep-Comfortably-on-a-Hot-Night

by 321abc • 17 years ago

50 33 17 years ago

ojbyrne• 17 years ago

Air conditioning is a wonderful thing. And, often, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than the things described here.

dmoho• 17 years ago

Here are most of the suggestions from the link: - Have fan with a pan of ice in front if it pointed towards you - Keep a damp hand towel on your forehead - Put an ice pack under your neck - make a rice sock, put it in the freezer and then inside of your pillow - sleep nude - sleep in a 'spread eagle' position - take a cool shower, wet your face, run your wrists under the cold tap

Please correct me if I'm mistaken - How does an air conditioner use less energy than a fan turned on for the same amount of time? I did a quick search and most of the hits say that air conditioners use more power. (Here is one of the links that came up: http://www.todaysgreenconstruction.com/2008/07/battle-green-...).

calambrac3• 17 years ago

You had to expend the energy to freeze the water. You probably did that with a freezer, which runs using a compressor just like an air conditioner, except that it has to get a lot colder.

I think you're still right that it comes out cheaper, though, because you'd be spending most of the freezer's energy output anyways.

phreanix• 17 years ago

Let me get this straight, you're asking how an air conditioner uses less power than a regular fan?

While I can't cite any wattage/amps/etc. figures, an air conditioner runs several things besides a fan motor, most notably its compressor. The more advanced ones also have other electrically driven parts, like a thermostat.

As for real world stats, when I lived in the Philippines, I can say for a fact that running a fan vs an airconditioner makes at least a 60-70% difference in my electric bills.

mannicken• 17 years ago

When it was 40C+ here in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, I simply went outside and slept there in a nice cool 30C+ weather.

If you have computers and electricity, by 10-11pm it will be significantly cooler outside so if you have a deck or roof or backyard, try sleeping there.

brianto20102• 17 years ago

Better idea...

http://lifehacker.com/5335024/how-to-build-a-diy-dorm+legal-...

windsurfer• 17 years ago

I highly, highly doubt that would actually work. You would be much better off taking advantage of evaporating water somehow, such as putting a light damp cloth in front of a fan or something else.

The problems with that design are highlighted in the comments, but it mostly comes from really not having enough surface area.

brianto20102• 17 years ago

Care to explain? I am not good at science/physics.

jrockway• 17 years ago

I think most of these suggestions just give you something to do while you make yourself sleepy.

edw519• 17 years ago

Many of these ideas are variations of an evaporative or swamp cooler. They work great west of the Rockies because of the lower humidity. They don't work very well at all east of the Rockies. Try a fan with some ice in August in Miami. You won't be hot. You'll be hot and wet. Better to just turn on your ac.

hooande• 17 years ago

Any YC founders who spent the summer in Boston know that this information is very valuable. Bookmark this one in case YC moves back out there and you have to borrow an air conditioner from Jessica.

bootload2• 17 years ago

"... How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night ..."

hotest it got here in Melb last year was 46C and multiple days above 43C with extreme fire weather ~ http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/sets/72157614397725714... Couple of measures you take:

- open windows

- multiple 4Ltr freezer blocks work well

- stay at the pool till late

- sleep on concrete or tiles

- use fans

- wet towels & buckets of water for feet are pretty good

That and eat lots of icy poles (don't laugh) and drink water.

nomoresecrets• 17 years ago

I think anyone who reads HN who needs to be told to open windows in order to keep cool should maybe hand in their hacker badge.

bootload2• 17 years ago

"... I think anyone who reads HN who needs to be told to open windows in order to keep cool should maybe hand in their hacker badge. ..."

It really depends. On the really hot days having a window open increases the interior temperature if the previous days have been cooler. On successively hot days leaving the window open decreases the interior temp but only if there is a wind.

I don't know what latitude where you come from since you don't have any identifying information but being smart has nothing to do with understanding how to keep cool. It comes from local knowledge. If you come from the continental Europe or the UK I'd guarantee you'd miss half these hacks due to the heat.

cromulent• 17 years ago

When I lived in Melbourne and the house was over 30C, I would take a soaking wet towel and use it as a blanket on my bare skin.

It sounds bad and the first minute is a bit creepy (until it warms up to your body temperature) but I would fall into a deep sleep in 10 minutes. It worked for me.

arithmetic• 17 years ago

Think of the winter that will be here very soon, and the time when you'll have to turn on the heater constantly. A few days of sun (especially in a city like Seattle where sighting the sun is a rare occurrence), is not that hard to deal with. Open out the windows, switch on the fan if you have one, take a cold shower and you'll fall asleep.

mleonhard• 17 years ago

Get a waterbed. Sleep on it with only a sheet between your body and the cold waterbed bladder. Keep the waterbed covered with a blanket during the day.

mhb• 17 years ago

If only Starbucks were open all night...

mr_luc• 17 years ago

No clothes + fan. No matter how hot, you'll start needing a sheet to keep the surface of your skin warm. It works for me in an AC-less shack on the equator!

How to Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night

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