'I can't sleep in a heatwave without my hot water bottle'

In the , Julia discovered unexpected comfort in her - something she never imagined she’d rely on outside of , when it was her go to for staying extra toasty on the cold nights.

It’s hard to wrap your head around. You’re tossing and turning because the room’s too hot, struggling to sleep even in light weight pyjamas - and to top it off, there’s your partner beside you. It’s a struggle, to say the least.

And when you’re overheating, there’s not too much you can do. When you’re cold you can put layers on, but when your hot? You strip down to your underwear, the fan’s on full blast, windows wide open - still nothing. Of course, there are some cooling trends you can cry, but let's be honest - they rarely work the way we want them to.

So Julia decided to do the unthinkable, she gave her hot water bottle a go - but its not what you think.

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Sleep experts from recommend pouring icy cold water into your bottle during the summer months, which they say can help lower body temperature and cool down your sheets.

According to the high temperatures can make it more difficult both to drift off and to stay asleep. This is because your body temperature will naturally decrease at bedtime, helping you relax, and cool temperatures make this easier.

Very hot temperatures may mean your body finds it harder to cool down. This in turn can affect the crucial sleep stage associated with high brain activity and restorative physiological processes such as cell repair and immune system recovery.

Essentially, if your REM sleep is affected by the heat, you're unlikely to be at your best when you get up the following morning. I know I'm certainly not.

With this in mind, I decided to try the icy hot water bottle trick for myself. I placed a jug of cold water in the fridge for a couple of hours before bedtime in this sticky heat, then, just as I was getting drowsy, I tipped the chilled water into the neck of the bottle, making sure not to fill it too much.

I slipped the bottle underneath my covers while I began tidying up and following my usual nighttime routine, after making sure that it was tightly fastened.

When I got into bed, my sheets were already lovely and cool and I positioned myself in the cold patch where the bottle had been placed. Sheer bliss.

I tried this hack for a couple of balmy nights and found it worked pleasingly well, relaxing me and soothing my stresses like a hot water bottle in reverse.

The only thing I would advise would be to wrap up your bottle in a towel or fluffy covering before hopping into bed - the icy plastic can give you a bit of a shock if you nudge against it accidentally.

All in all, I slept well both nights, waking up feeling fairly awake, refreshed, and ready to start the day. In fact, it worked so well that I was tempted to take things up a notch and pop it in the freezer.

After a little research, however, I learned full freezing could be dangerous - damaging the material and potentially resulting in leaks. It's best to stick to the icy water and believe me, it works well enough if done correctly.

I didn't realise the true power of this hack however until one particularly stifling evening, when the whole flat felt sticky with heat and the absolute last thing I wanted to do was get into bed.

I even considered lying on the laminate floor instead, but as anyone with hairy, shedding pets will know, this usually isn't the best of ideas.

A summer thunderstorm was brewing, and I too felt as though my skin might break out in forks of lightning. I was so distracted that I ended up forgetting about the hot water bottle on the side, or the jug of icy water waiting in the fridge.

It wasn't until I found myself staring at the ceiling bleary-eyed at 1 am that I remembered. After a quick dash to the kitchen, I sorted out a fresh icy hot bottle and placed it between my sheets.

The sheets cooled down surprisingly quickly and, filled with sudden relief, I let go of all my tension and slipped off into a deep, calming sleep.

I've been so impressed by the icy water bottle hack that I've been using my bottle for other purposes too. It works a real treat when you're struggling to type away in the heat, for example, and I've even brought it to a little picnic in the park.

My icy hot - or should that be cold? - hot water bottle has proven to be a useful tool this summer, and I'd liken it to a refreshing ice pop for your whole body. A must-have.

Sleep expert Penny Albright, who runs the told the "Many people find it difficult to sleep during hot as they become uncomfortable if they are hot and sticky.

"Our body temperatures need to cool down to drift off to sleep. When our bodies are unable to dissipate heat as easily, we cannot initiate the process of sleep as easily.

"As hot water bottles are designed to retain heat and keep liquids hot, they have an insulation layer that prevents rapid temperature changes from occurring. Therefore, it may not be as effective for cooling your surroundings as you'd hope.

She cautioned: "Certain hot water bottles may be used with cold water as well as hot, but this is something you'd have to check with the manufacturer.

"Also, it's important to check the bottles for any damage or leakage points to avoid water dripping into your bed during the night. further contributing to your discomfort.

"Hot water bottles or similar products tend to localise their cooling effects to a specific area rather than cooling down your bed and surroundings. Creating a breeze, using light breathable bedding, and turning on a fan/air conditioner will be much more effective to keep you cool at night."

A version of this article was originally published in June 2023.