Your fresh tips for beating the heat

This heat's a good excuse for frozen treats. Photo / iStock

As the weekend's heatwave continues and experts predict hot muggy weather until Thursday, readers weigh in on their favourite ways to keep cool and get some sleep in the heat.

From spraying yourself with a spray bottle of cold water then sitting in front of a fan to lying on a pet's cooling mat, and avoiding alcohol because it will warm your body, readers sent in some unique ideas.

And over on Facebook, followers suggested freezing hot water bottles and shared reminders to look after hot pets too.

Favourites from our Facebook

•"Ice water in a hottie bottle under the feet works a treat :) Or put it in the freezer with water in for 1 hour, don't forget that its in there tho!!!"

•"Wet a sarong, wring it out so just damp, place on your naked body with a fan going - the sarong dries as the night gets cooler :)"

•"I live in the tropics and have a ceiling fan, have a cool shower and wear a damp t-shirt to bed"

•"Don't forget your animals! Four legged ones!"

Expert advice

Dr. Alex Bartle of the Sleep Well Clinic said the optimal temperature for sleep is between 16 to 18C but getting your bedroom under 20C will suffice.

He said a cooler bedroom can be achieved by keeping the room dark during the day. Having the curtains closed and the door shut will prevent sunlight getting in and heating the room.

While air-con is ideal, a cheap fan will do the trick. Fans not only circulate and cool air, they also provide white-noise which is proven to help people sleep.

White-noise is a sound which remains constant without frequency fluctuation. The 'background noise', which can be the sound of the ocean, washing machine, or in this case, fan provides a barrier to other sounds which are more variable like a dog barking.

Humans are conditioned to be responsive to sound during sleep as a survival mechanism, but white-noise will mask other variable noises allowing us to sleep peacefully.

Dr. Bartle said even a $20 fan will do the trick.