The doctor explained the effect of heat on sleep quality

For the normal alternation of sleep phases, the body needs a stable body temperature, which naturally decreases when falling asleep. Maxim Novikov, a somnologist at Meditsina JSC (Academician Roitberg Clinic), told Izvestia on July 31 why sleep quality worsens in hot weather and how to solve this problem.

"When the temperature in the bedroom exceeds +24... +26 degrees, the body's cooling process is disrupted. This leads to difficulty falling asleep, shorter periods of deep sleep, which are responsible for body recovery, and shorter periods of REM sleep, which is important for memory and emotional balance. As a result, even after eight hours of sleep, a person may feel overwhelmed," he noted.

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Novikov explained which physiological processes are disrupted by heat: the sympathetic nervous system is activated, the level of stress hormones increases, thermoregulation worsens, melatonin production decreases and the body becomes dehydrated. For a short time, this is manifested by poor health, and with regular lack of sleep, it can lead to chronic fatigue, decreased immunity, cardiovascular problems and metabolic disorders.

To improve the quality of sleep in hot weather, the doctor recommended keeping the temperature in the bedroom at +18...+22 degrees, ventilating the room in the morning and evening, taking a warm shower before going to bed, using bedding and clothes made of natural breathable fabrics, drinking enough water during the day and avoiding heavy meals before going to bed.

"Sleep is not just a rest, but an important process of body recovery. Even small changes in sleep conditions can significantly improve well—being," Novikov emphasized.

The doctor recommends not to ignore sleep problems in the heat, but to take measures to create comfortable conditions.

On July 23, Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, a neurologist and expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia that disturbing dreams with an active plot may be one of the early non-specific signs of Parkinson's disease. According to her, a behavior disorder in the REM sleep phase, when a person physically acts out dreams, can occur years before the appearance of a characteristic tremor.

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