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I tried the viral ‘cool spoon’ trick to sleep better during a heatwave — here’s what happened
I’ll admit it— when the temperature is set to soar over 32° degrees, I’m willing to try any hack if it means I can sleep cool and comfortable throughout the night, especially since I live in a building with no air conditioning.
So when I heard that the ‘cool spoon’ trick is going viral as a quick fix for hot restless nights, I wanted to try it for myself.
The biggest highlight? It’s an extremely low-effort hack which admittedly was the main reason why it attracted me. I mean, what’s the harm in trying?
If you’re curious about the result, read on to find out if it helped, what worked (and what didn’t) plus other smarter ways to help you sleep cooler when your bedroom feels like an oven.
What is the cool spoon trick?
The idea is simple. Chill a metal spoon in your refrigerator and press it down onto your pulse points, like your neck and wrists, before bed to cool yourself down.
The trick basically works based on the thermal conductivity of metal. This means your body heat flows easily into the spoon when in contact with your skin, cooling down that particular area of your body.
According to experts, it’s beneficial to press a cool spoon against your wrists, neck, temples, inside of your knees or the bend of the elbow before bed.
It is also recommended to keep one next to you so that you can repeat the process if you wake in the middle of the night overheating.
My experience using a cool spoon for better sleep
I kept a clean and dry spoon in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. I was feeling pretty warm already and couldn’t resist the temptation to try it. It felt nice and cool against my neck, elbow bends and wrists.
However, it felt like the coolness wouldn’t last very long so I put it back, this time in the freezer, for about five minutes more, as I made the bed and got ready for sleep.
I then brought it to my room and used it while in bed, pressing it down against my neck and other pulse points. It was extremely refreshing and I definitely felt less sweaty and warm.
Did I sleep through the night? Yes. Is it solely because of the cool spoon? Probably not.
To be honest, I felt the coolness didn’t have a long-lasting effect at all. If it were not for my breathable cotton top sheet (which I use as a blanket in summer), I would have probably woken up due to overheating.
But I do think it did a good job of lowering my overall body temperature before bed, which probably helped me fall asleep quickly. It just didn’t prevent it from increasing again.
My verdict of the cool spoon trick
I wouldn’t recommend it as a fool-proof sleep hack to help you sleep faster and cooler on a hot humid night. But it could well be one of the many things you can incorporate into your nighttime routine instead.
This is because your body heat instantly transfers into the spoon, reducing the coolness of the metal to room temperature, or even warmer — which frankly defeats the purpose.
You have to keep repeating the process several times to achieve results, but that is not viable if your aim is an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
I would say have one in your fridge this summer for when you need a quick soothing coolness after being out in the sun for too long or when the heat gets to you in middle of the night.
3 top tips to add to your sleep routine in summer
As mentioned, a ‘cool spoon’ alone won’t do the job. If you’re a very hot sleeper who struggles with overheating and nightsweats, the ideal solution is to invest in one of the best cooling mattresses, designed with special elements to help you rest easier. But here are 3 tips which have worked well for me to sleep cool this summer…
1. A warm shower in the evening
That might sound wrong, but research says otherwise. A warm (not hot) shower one to two hours before bed, can promote a temperature drop in your body when you leave the bathroom. This aids the release of melatonin— the sleepy hormone.
Studiesshow that it can shorten sleep latency (time taken to fall asleep) and improve overall sleep quality, helping you get the most out of your eight hours.
As the first step of my nighttime routine, it also tells my brain that it’s time to leave the stresses of the day behind and relax.
2. Cracking the window open early in the evening
I usually keep the windows closed and blinds shut during the day to avoid hot air and harsh sunlight (often referred to as the caveman method), which just instantly raises the temperature of the room.
However, I crack my windows when the temperature starts to drop in the evening, since this is a great way to cool your room down and promote air circulation.
On days that I feel the room is very stuffy, I keep the window open through the night and close it a couple of hours after I wake up.
3. Swapping my duvet for a top sheet
If you’re anything like me, I cannot sleep without some sort of coverage. It is a long-rooted habit and one that I’m not willing to sacrifice.
I also can’t let it sabotage my sleep during summer so I figured out the ultimate trick— to use my favorite cotton top sheet as a blanket.
Organic cotton is naturally breathable, soft-to-touch and moisture wicking. It is also extremely lightweight, so you won’t feel like your blanket is strangling you during a heatwave.
Plus it’s a cost-effective method to sleep cool considering you can use a cotton sheet on your bed all-year round.
