With the warm weather continuing through this week, many of us will have found the past few nights almost unbearable when it comes to getting to sleep at night.
If you hate sleeping with your windows open or don't want to send your energy bills skyrocketing by keeping a fan on all night, then trying to stay cool in bed can seem impossible, which can make nighttime uncomfortable at best.
But there are other methods you can try that are cheap and easy - and could help you stay cool enough to drift off to sleep even in on the hottest summer nights.
Birmingham Live reporter David Bentley tried out one trick involving icepacks, which he said cost him around £1 each to test. Read on to find out what he made of his experiment.
Having tried a hot water bottle that just has cold water in it instead, I found the effect didn't last long, so I went for a genius hack involving icepacks that cost about £1 each.
Icepacks are usually kept permanently in the freezer, often for use in one of those cool boxes you take on a picnic. All you need to do is take one out at night and pop it into a spare pillowcase from the airing cupboard, then put it in the bed where your feet can touch it. Don't totally wrap it up in the pillowcase or you'll reduce the cooling effect.
The pillowcase takes away the shock of something so cold touching warm bare skin - but you can try it without a covering if you dare. I found that using a pillowcase also absorbs any freezer moisture on the outside of the icepack.
Putting your feet on the icepack is pure bliss and you can feel the sizzling heat draining out of your body. The effect seemed to last for ages and it certainly helped me nod off.
If you opt for a multipack then you can go downstairs and get another from the freezer when you wake in the night and find the one in the bed has warmed up too much. Or you'll have enough to share with all the family.
Icepacks can vary in price, of course, and they can be bought individually if you have limited freezer space or are not keen on a whole batch of them rattling around. But I do think the best bet is to get a set of them in one go, as it seems to work out cheaper.
I looked on Amazon and found six icepacks for £6.89 - that's £1.14 apiece and virtually the same as I had purchased from a store - and another listing with six icepacks for £8.99, which is £1.50 each. I also spotted a pack of three for £4.69 - about £1.56 each. Argos also sells ice packs - these £16 lunch pack ones.
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