After Dr Sumit Samant’s recent interview on TVNZ Breakfast, where he discussed why hot, humid nights can trigger restless sleep and anxiety-filled dreams, many New Zealanders told us they had noticed the same thing. More tossing and turning, more vivid dreams, and far less restorative rest.
At Auckland Sleep, we make sleep a priority, and warm summer nights are one of the most common environmental disruptors we see. When your bedroom overheats, it becomes much harder for your body to achieve the deep, uninterrupted rest needed for physical recovery and emotional regulation.
So, what is actually going on, and how can you improve your sleep when the heat is working against you?
Why Heat Disrupts Sleep
Your body relies on a natural drop in core temperature to fall asleep. When the air around you is warm, this cooling process becomes much harder, leading to:
• lighter sleep
• more awakenings
• reduced REM sleep
• more intense or emotionally charged dreams
“Hot weather makes it harder to enter deep, restorative sleep. When you wake frequently throughout the night, your dreams become more vivid or more distressing simply because you’re closer to the surface of sleep,” says Sumit Samant, ENT Surgeon and Founder of Auckland Sleep.
Why Anxiety Dreams Become More Common
When your sleep is fragmented, your brain spends more time in shallow REM sleep, where vivid dreaming occurs. You may notice:
• rushing or chaotic dreams
• emotionally heavy or anxious dream themes
• dreams about stressors or everyday worries
• waking with a racing heart
“Your dreams reflect your emotional state, and overheated, light sleep makes those emotions more pronounced,” explains Sumit Samant. “People often think something is wrong psychologically, when really the cause is biological.”
How To Sleep Better on Hot Nights
Here are evidence-informed strategies Auckland Sleep recommends for managing hot, restless summer sleep:
1. Cool your pulse points
A cold flannel or cool pack held against your wrists or neck helps the body cool down quickly by lowering blood temperature.
2. Keep your room shaded during the day
It seems counterintuitive, but closing curtains during daylight hours prevents the room from heating up.
3. Cool your hands and feet
Your extremities are key regulators of heat. Soaking feet briefly in cool water before bed can reduce whole-body temperature.
4. Try a cool shower before sleep
A short, lukewarm or cool shower can help stabilise your core temperature and signal the body that it is time to rest.
5. Choose breathable bedding
Natural fibres such as cotton, wool and linen allow airflow and moisture regulation, which helps your skin cool naturally.
6. Avoid late-evening exercise
Exercising too close to bedtime keeps your core temperature elevated, making sleep onset more difficult.
7. Limit alcohol
Alcohol can worsen dehydration and disrupt the sleep cycle, especially when temperatures are high.
8. Stick to your usual sleep and wake times
Hot weather often encourages late nights, but keeping your circadian rhythm consistent supports deeper sleep.
9. Consider sleeping solo on very hot nights
Sharing a bed increases body heat and can trigger wakefulness. If separate beds aren’t an option, try individual duvets so each person can regulate their temperature more easily.
10. Clear your nose before bed
A blocked nose increases breathing effort and body heat. A quick saline rinse or allergy support can improve airflow, keep you cooler, and reduce night-time disruptions.
When to Seek Support
If hot weather is amplifying existing sleep struggles, or if vivid or anxious dreams continue long after temperatures drop, there may be an underlying sleep issue at play.
“If you have ongoing daytime fatigue, loud snoring, frequent night-time waking, anxiety around sleep, or trouble getting to sleep, we strongly recommend a clinical review,” says Sumit Samant. “Environmental factors like heat can reveal issues that have been building quietly for a long time.”
At Auckland Sleep, we offer accessible wellbeing for everyone, combining clinical expertise with a warm, human approach. We are the authority in sleep health, helping New Zealanders understand the root cause of their tiredness and access the right support, at the right time.
