I've finally found how to keep my hot, west-facing bedroom cool at night without wasting energy – here are the 7 things I do to not dread bedtime

I'd like to begin by saying that I love the heat and, for me, the long hot summers we've enjoyed these past couple of years are most welcome. That said, it has definitely highlighted to me and, I am sure lots of others, that many homes in the UK, my own included, are really badly suited to high temperatures.

It is in my bedroom that these extreme temperatures can start to cause problems, due, in part, to it being west-facing, meaning it is absorbing heat well into the evening. As a result of overheating, we can all end up using more energy trying to make it cooler. After a hot day, walking in there really can take my breath away – or should I say it used to. Now, however, thanks to introducing some passive and active ways to keep a bedroom cool, this is a space that I don't dread retiring to at night.

If you regularly find that you are just too hot to sleep in your bedroom, I'd like to share with you the best tips and tricks I've found to cool it down – so you wake up refreshed and ready to enjoy these balmy summer days.

1. I've started closing the windows at certain points in the day

I am slightly ashamed to say that, up until the beginning of this particular prolonged period of hot weather, I was guilty of flinging open all the windows in the house as soon as I woke up – believing, wrongly, that this was the best way to keep a room cool.

Since then, I have got much smarter when it comes to my summer window opening routine – this is such an easy method but one you really need to get on board with, as Chloe Dacosta, design manager at Blinds2Go explains. 'When you open your windows during a heatwave, you're actually letting warm air into homes that are naturally designed to retain heat. Once that heat gets inside, it's much harder to remove, meaning your home can quickly become warmer than the temperature outside.

'To keep your bedroom cool, it's best to keep windows, blinds and curtains closed during the hottest part of the day – typically between 11am and 3pm – particularly in south- or west-facing rooms that get the most direct sunlight.'

Additionally, thanks to the advice of Andrew Pemberton, Chartered Building Engineer and senior manager of surveying at The Professional Snagging Company, I have also just invested in a couple of thermometers. 'A simple indoor and outdoor thermometer takes the guesswork out of opening windows, letting you see when it’s genuinely cooler outside – don't just rely on your phone's weather app.'

Chloe Dacosta

Chloe Dacosta has worked at Blinds2Go for over six years. Now in the role of Design Manager, Chloe plays a pivotal role in bringing creativity to life through innovative digital styling and trend-focused design. As well as keeping up to date on current trends and collaborating with artists, Chloe helps to create visually stunning imagery and CGI for Blinds2Go’s website.

Andrew Pemberton

Andrew is a Senior Manager of Surveying at The Professional Snagging Company. He has over 25 years of experience in the residential property sector and an extensive background in residential property surveys and defect diagnosis, with a strong technical knowledge of building construction and new-build properties.

2. I hung thermal curtains and got on board with blind choreography

Thermal curtains and blinds are one of the best investments I've made for my home. In the winter they help keep the draughts at bay and, in the summer, the thermal curtains keep the heat out and make a huge difference when it comes to keeping my bedroom cool, particularly when using the cavemen method.

Ana Zuravliova, trends specialist at Blinds Direct, explains that the timing of when you close curtains and blinds matters hugely. 'People often think thermal blinds are only useful during winter, but they can also help stop rooms heating up. The timing of when you close them is the important part though – once a room already feels hot, it’s much harder to cool it back down naturally. This is where ‘blind choreography’ really comes in. East-facing rooms often need shading much earlier in the day, while south- and west- facing rooms usually become much hotter later in the afternoon.'

Chloe Dacosta, also advised me that 'window stacking' (combining my curtains with a blackout blind) could improve things even further. 'Layering blinds with curtains adds extra depth and shading to a room. This combination also works particularly well for street-facing windows, helping to reduce light entering the room.

'I always recommend blackout blinds with side tracks for the ultimate in shading,' continues Chloe. 'The opaque fabric blocks light from coming through the blind itself, while the side tracks stop light creeping in around the edges.'

Ana Zuravliova

Ana Zuravliova is the Trend Specialist at Blinds Direct, where she shares her expertise on interior design and emerging home décor trends. Ana regularly provides expert commentary for leading UK home and lifestyle publications. Her passion lies in helping customers navigate the latest design trends while finding practical solutions for their homes. 

3. Made time to research the best fans to keep cool

I know that most fans don't actually cool the air, but I find them a really effective way to make a room feel cooler and the compact model I have on my bedside table makes a world of difference to my sleep quality in a heatwave.

Michael Zohouri, founder of Pyramid Eco, agrees that investing in the best fans you can lay your hands on is a great way to improve the comfort levels in a hot bedroom. 'I'd always recommend using a fan before reaching for portable air conditioning if the room isn't excessively hot. They're much cheaper to run and can make a surprisingly big difference to how comfortable you feel.'

The way in which you use your fan will also go a long way towards helping lower the internal temperature of your bedroom, as Andrew Pemberton explains. 'Put a fan by the open window after sunset to draw cooler air into the bedroom, but keep the door open so warmer air has somewhere to escape. Additionally, if you are home during the day, place the fan low down and point it upwards to move the cooler air that sits near the floor.'

Michael Zohouri

Michael Zohouri is the founder of Pyramid Eco, bringing over a decade of experience to the company. His expertise spans energy-efficient retrofitting projects, including insulation, solar and heat pump installations.

4. Try my best at cross ventilation

Creating some cross ventilation within your home is such an effective way of helping it feel cooler and often works particularly well when trying to cool down a living room. In my bedroom this can be tricky, however, as there is only one window.

'If you can open windows on opposite sides of the house once the outdoor temperature drops, you'll move far more warm air out than opening one bedroom window on its own,' explains Michael Zohouri.

What I find works, in the absence of two windows, is to open up the windows early and late in the day, keep the bedroom door wide open and then to open up all the other windows on the first floor – this seems to create a good cool breeze to swirl throughout the entire space.

'The big thing is to plan ahead,' advises Michael. 'Don't wait until bedtime to start cooling the room. Stop the heat getting in during the day by shutting windows and closing blinds during a heatwave rather than trying to get rid of it all at 10 o'clock at night.'

5. Fitted solar control window film

This one has really made such a difference and couldn't have been simpler. I bought Climate 35 - Solar Control Film from The Window Film Company and installed it in just under an hour, despite my window being a fiddly multi-paned casement design.

This easy job reduced the late afternoon temperature in my bedroom by 4°C, which might not sound like a lot but actually made it feel so much more comfortable.

One small thing to note is that, from the outside, the windows now have a slightly gold, mirrored look, but I'll take that for a better nights sleep.

6. Pull out the portable air conditioner on really hot days

I've been lucky enough to test a few of the best portable air conditioners just lately and I can vouch for them being a brilliant way to cool down a bedroom fast. That said, there are three reasons why I tend not to use this method on a regular basis.

Firstly, they can be rather noisy to run. I actually don't mind the loud humming, but my husband does – definitely something to note when choosing a portable air conditioner. Secondly, they require an exhaust hose to be run to outside, through the window. As our bedroom is at the front of the house this does look a little unsightly, plus as we have side-hinged casement windows as opposed to sliding sashes, sealing the window up is a little more fiddly. Thirdly, they use quite a bit of energy, so I tend to save mine for those really hot nights.

'If you're struggling to sleep because your bedroom is consistently too hot during the warmer months then a portable air conditioning unit is absolutely worth it,' says Michael Zohouri. 'The key thing to keep in mind is the exhaust hose. That hot air has to go somewhere so make sure the hose is properly sealed through a window kit. If the window is left wide open around the hose, you're letting hot air straight back into the room.'

Shop in-stock portable air conditioners

7. Make sure nothing is obstructing air flow

I've found that creating a cooling breeze within the room is far easier following a good bedroom declutter and after rethinking my furniture layout.

It might sound strange, but Melissa Denham, interior designer from Hammonds Fitted Furniture, backs me up on this point. 'Good airflow is essential to keep any room comfortable during a heatwave, and how your furniture is laid out plays an important role in this.

'Wardrobes and chest of drawers should be positioned so they aren’t blocking windows, doorways or natural airflow routes and instead can enhance natural cross-breeze ventilation,' continues Melissa. 'Bringing larger pieces of furniture slightly away from your walls, where possible, can help to cool a room as well. Air can circulate more freely rather than becoming trapped in stagnant pockets. Five to ten centimetres is enough to help airflow or for bulkier pieces, ten to 15 centimetres.'

Melissa Denham

With over two decades of experience designing and delivering interior projects, Melissa creates stunning interiors for residential projects as well as events, workspaces and showroom staging. 

FAQs

What type of bedroom blinds are best for keeping out the heat?

The window treatment ideas you choose to shade your bedroom windows will play a huge part in how cool it feels – so choose with care.

'The best blinds for your bedroom depends on your style and shading needs,' says Chloe Dacosta. 'Roman blinds are a great choice for adding cosiness to a scheme, and come in a wide range of patterns with a choice of light-filtering, thermal or blackout linings for customisable light control. For a more contemporary look, wooden blinds work well at redirecting light depending on their rotation, though they won't offer the same level of blackout as fabric options.

'Thermal blinds are specifically designed to tackle temperature extremes,' adds Chloe. 'They create a thermal barrier at the window, helping to keep heat out in the summer and retain warmth in the winter.'

Finally, for an additional level of protection, Chloe suggests shading your home externally with awnings. 'Unlike internal blinds or curtains, awnings stop the sun's rays before they reach your windows, preventing heat from building up inside in the first place.'

When looking at ways to keep your bedroom cool, it also makes sense to research the mistakes that could be making your home hotter – even making simple switches such as remembering not to leave appliances on standby can make a big difference to comfort levels.