I tried the Egyptian Sleep Method during a heat wave and regretted it — here's why

An Egyptian landscape showing pyramids and a setting sun — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Yep, there’s another heatwave coming and already temperatures are rising. I’ve just moved from an apartment into a house, and while I’m in love with having two stories, the upstairs traps a lot of heat.

With windows that can only open a crack, there’s not much we can do to cool down at night.

What is the Egyptian Sleep Method?

The Egyptian Sleep Method refers to dampening a towel, wringing out the excess moisture and using that as your blanket instead of a comforter.

While some online articles are claiming that this hack gets its name from the way the Egyptians used to sleep, we think it’s more likely because being wrapped up in a towel looks slightly reminiscent of a mummy.

The moisture of the towel against your skin is supposed to keep you cool enough to fall asleep. But does it work?

I tried the Egyptian Sleep Method — here’s what happened

First thoughts

After turning the shower on and chucking a towel in the bath (which admittedly felt all kinds of wrong), I wrung it out and hung it on the door to ensure there wasn’t enough moisture to damage my mattress.

If you’ve invested in one of the best memory foam mattresses, I wouldn’t recommend trying this hack. Memory foam absorbs moisture which can lead to mattress mold — if you do want to give it a go, put the towel on a spin cycle in your washing machine or dryer first, to ensure it’s not too wet.

A woman laying a pink towel down on her bed — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

Disclaimer: I volunteered to try this hack because I have bamboo bedding and a wool mattress, and both materials wick away moisture, so I knew I wouldn't be compromising my bed.

Next, I got ready for bed, removed my duvet and pulled the damp towel over me instead.

My first thoughts? Ick.

You know that feeling when you’ve been caught in rain fully clothed and you have damp fabric clinging to your skin? It was like that. Although, to be fair, it felt ice cold.

Falling asleep

Once I stopped tossing and turning, I became used to the feeling of the wet towel and it was extremely effective in making me feel cool. At one point, I thought I might actually become too cold.

However, as soon as I turned over (which I do a lot), the same slimy, icky, wet feeling kept me awake until I eventually became used to it again and started drifting off.

A pink towel lay flat on a bed with grey bedding — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

The shock of the cold against the parts of my body that hadn’t felt it yet made me feel alert — the opposite of what you want as you’re trying to fall asleep.

This pattern kept repeating. Just as I was drifting off, I moved slightly and I was awake again. But again, I wasn’t hot. So that was something.

The rest of the night

Okay, so I think I lasted about 40 minutes with the towel. I was aiming to sleep with it all night but in a hazy, frustrated state, I kicked it off. It was getting too late and I just wasn't able to switch off with such a strange sensation against my skin.

After I did, I was cold enough to pull my duvet back over me and drift off into a peaceful slumber — so I do think it lowered my body temperature a decent amount.

Although I was left with damp sheets and pajamas, which did not feel great.

A woman lying on her side with a sleep mask on, wrapped in a pink towel — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

My verdict on the Egyptian Sleep Method

My take on the Egyptian Sleep Method is that it is genuinely effective for cooling you down — if you can stand the icky feeling.

I’m going to keep this sleep hack in my back pocket for truly unbearable hot nights when I’ve tried everything else. I also imagine adding a fan into the equation would make it even more effective.

So, if you’ve been lying awake for hours, sweating and sweltering, it’s worth giving the Egyptian Sleep Method a shot. But remember, remove all excess moisture and take extra care if you have a memory foam mattress.

My top tips for sleeping in the heat

If you’re looking for a less-invasive solution to sleeping during hot weather, below are my top tips.

Sleep in the right material

Since switching to bamboo for my bed sheets and my pyjamas, I’ve not necessarily slept ‘cooler’ but I’ve slept drier, which helps prevent overheating.

As I mentioned earlier, this material wicks away moisture which means it can absorb sweat from your body, which is why it's often used in cooling bedding. Because moisture traps heat, the less sweat on your body, the cooler you’ll feel.

It also helps you feel fresh during the summer — a big bonus for your sleep hygiene.

The close up of the surface of the Utopia Bedding Bamboo Mattress Protector showing the green leaf motif — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

Have a fan handy

While it’s not generally recommended to sleep with a fan on the whole night, falling asleep with one on a timer can be a great option. The circulation of air means your sweat will evaporate more quickly, helping to cool you down.

On top of this, the constant humming is akin to white noise, which can help drown out external sounds that might wake you up.

Try the caveman method

The top of a pair of blackout curtains while shut — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

The caveman method simply refers to closing the blinds and curtains in your bedroom (or whole house) and keeping the lights off. This keeps your room dark and cool, which is the most conducive environment for sleep.

To ensure this is effective, you should keep all light out of your bedroom throughout the day. If you have your blinds or curtains open even just for a few hours during the day, your bedroom will start to trap heat that’s hard to get rid of.

Lauren is an experienced writer and editor in the health and lifestyle industry and has led many campaigns and projects that deliver news, advice, and research on all things sleep. As the Sleep Features Editor for Tom’s Guide, Lauren writes, commissions and edits sleep and mattress content, from in-depth how-tos in sleep and mattress health to interviews with doctors and neuroscientists on the latest news in sleep. Lauren regularly tests new sleep tech and accessories to evaluate their effectiveness for getting good quality sleep and easing specific sleep struggles like nighttime anxiety. Alongside this, Lauren reports on the best mattress brands out there, like Helix, Saatva, and DreamCloud, helping readers find the right mattress for them and the best deals on them.

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