Overview
- Sustained warm nights reduce the body’s ability to cool before sleep and measurably worsen sleep when bedrooms stay above about 25°C, according to sleep specialists.
- Sleeping naked can make some people feel cooler and cut local sweat-related odor but experts say comfort determines benefit and it is not universally recommended.
- Special hygiene steps are advised for those who sleep unclothed, with experts recommending washing sheets weekly or twice weekly, using breathable natural fabrics and choosing light summer duvets or modular covers.
- Babies, young children, the elderly and people with chronic illness face higher heat risk and caregivers should watch for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke and call 112 for confusion, seizures or loss of responsiveness.
- Commentators and health authorities note very high heat deaths and say the scale of overnight heat reveals gaps in Germany’s preparedness that need concrete measures such as heat‑action plans, cool rooms in care facilities and better warning systems.