Household device that isn’t a fan may keep bedrooms cool

As the UK endures its third heatwave of 2026 so far, countless people are finding it difficult to achieve a decent night’s rest.

Warm weather can make it more challenging to drift off – and remain – asleep, because your body depends on a reduction in core temperature to trigger and sustain sleep.

Dave Gibson, founder of The Sleep Site, explains: “Our core body temperature naturally begins to fall by around 0.5–1C as we fall asleep and through the first part of the night, but hot and humid conditions can prevent this cooling process from happening properly, leaving us tossing and turning throughout the night.”

Many of us turn to fans to stay cool overnight, but an often-forgotten household device may prove equally beneficial. Gibson told Marks Electrical: “In a humid bedroom, the air is already saturated, so the sweat can’t evaporate from your skin.

“A dehumidifier literally removes that excess moisture in the air so your body’s natural cooling can work effectively in the hot humid nights. I would set the relative humidity at 40-60%.

“Here I would avoid going dryer as it can make it uncomfortable to breathe by drying out your nose and throat which also increases snoring. It’s worth getting this right in both directions.

“Equally if you leave a room with excess humidity, it can encourage dust mites, and even mould in some cases.

“One bonus of dehumidifiers is the gentle hum they produce which can double up as white noise and therefore masks sound from outside (and inside) the bedroom.”

A growing number of British households now own a dehumidifier, with the devices surging in popularity amid the cost of living crisis and spiralling energy bills.

Dehumidifiers can be used to dry clothes, and are considerably more economical in doing so compared with running a tumble dryer.

Gibson also clarified that fans do not actually reduce the temperature of a room whatsoever. Nevertheless, they can still prove useful when operated correctly.

“The primary aim of any fan is to move air so that you get a flow passing over your skin. This then speeds up the evaporation of sweat.”

To maximise the benefit of a fan, it should be positioned to “push hot air out through the window rather than just stirring it around”. He further recommends placing a tray of ice or a damp sheet in front of it to additionally cool the circulating air.