Common appliance could cool your bedroom if you don’t have a fan

As Britain experiences its third heatwave of 2026 to date, countless individuals are struggling to achieve proper sleep.

Hot conditions can make it considerably harder to nod off – and to stay asleep – as your body relies on a drop in core temperature to initiate and maintain sleep.

Dave Gibson, founder of The Sleep Site, states: “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.”

Numerous people resort to fans to remain cool during the night, but a frequently overlooked household appliance might also offer significant benefits.

Gibson informed 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.”

Dehumidifiers have become a common fixture in British households, with demand soaring throughout the cost of living crisis and rising energy bills. These appliances are particularly useful for drying laundry, offering a far more cost-effective alternative to a tumble dryer.

Gibson went on to clarify that fans do not actually lower the temperature of a room in any way. Nevertheless, they can still be highly useful when utilised 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 get the most out of a fan, it should be positioned to “push hot air out through the window rather than just stirring it around”. He also suggests placing a tray of ice or a damp sheet in front of it to cool the air being circulated even further.