After a hot day, many rush to take a cold shower, hoping to cool off quickly and fall asleep easier. However, as Unilad reports, sleep specialists advise against this idea: the effect may be the opposite. ### Why a Cold Shower Disrupts Sleep According to Dr. Ally Geir, a consultant in sleep medicine and respiratory medicine at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital, body temperature plays a key role in the process of falling asleep. The expert notes that a shower before bed is indeed beneficial, but the water should be warm, not icy. "A warm shower about an hour before sleep helps the body cool down more effectively. It dilates the blood vessels in the skin, so after stepping out of the shower, the body releases heat more quickly," Geir explained. This is why a warm shower provides a longer-lasting cooling effect than a cold one. ### How Heat Affects Sleep Quality According to the specialist, overheating during sleep can significantly impair its quality. High temperatures at night can: * make it difficult to fall asleep; * shorten sleep duration; * reduce the deep sleep phase, which is necessary for full recovery of the body. As a result, a person wakes up feeling less rested, even if they slept long enough. ### An Unusual Way to Cool Down The expert also shared a simple life hack that can help make a hot night more bearable. Before bed, she recommends wearing slightly damp socks, having placed them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. By cooling the feet, the body regulates its temperature more effectively, helping to feel cooler faster. ### What to Remember If it’s hard to fall asleep at night due to the heat, don’t rush to take an icy shower. Specialists believe that it is much more effective to take a warm shower about an hour before sleep: it helps the body naturally lower its temperature and improves the quality of nighttime rest.