Doctor Avi Kumar, an expert at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in India, explains that the body needs a slight natural temperature drop before and during the night to initiate sleep. Exposure to high temperatures during the day, coupled with stuffy nights, overloads the body's self-cooling mechanism, resulting in fragmented sleep.

Research published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine indicates that environmental temperature plays a crucial role in sleep. High temperatures increase alertness and reduce deep sleep duration due to disrupted thermoregulation. Another heatwave simulation study found that elevated nighttime temperatures significantly diminish sleep quality.

Doctor Kumar noted that patients often report symptoms such as waking up in the middle of the night, sweating, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, and reduced work performance.

The effects of heat impact individuals with underlying medical conditions. Overuse of air conditioning dries out indoor air, leading to dry throat, nasal congestion, and exacerbating symptoms of asthma, respiratory allergies, or chronic cardiovascular diseases.

Many people set the air conditioner temperature very low after coming in from the sun. This sudden temperature change disrupts sleep. Excessively lowering room temperature can cause upper respiratory tract spasms and disturb the sleep cycle. People should maintain a moderately cool room temperature.

For individuals with underlying medical conditions, prolonged insomnia increases stress, causes blood pressure fluctuations, and reduces work capacity.

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To protect sleep, experts recommend the following:

Hydration: Drink water regularly throughout the day. Avoid coffee, strong tea, and alcoholic beverages late in the day. Do not eat dinner too late or too heavily.

Optimize the bedroom: Maintain room temperature between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius. Use cotton bedding. To counter dry air from air conditioning, consider using a bowl of water or a humidifier.

Air circulation: Improve indoor ventilation systems instead of relying solely on air conditioning for cooling.

Habits: Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule and limit phone and tablet use before bed.

If insomnia persists, accompanied by loud snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, or difficulty breathing during sleep, individuals should seek medical attention. Hot weather can easily exacerbate underlying respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, especially in the elderly.

Nhat Minh (According to NDTV)