A Cool Night's Sleep and Lymphoedema Summer

A short article and video from Gaynor Leech of Lymph-What-Oedema with her top tips to get a cool night's sleep in Lymphoedema Summers. "For those of you who have restless nights during the summer because its humid and you feel there is no air, maybe you struggle to breathe or you are soaked through and your head is screaming “I need to sleep”. In the UK most of us do not have the luxury of air-conditioning in our bedrooms, if you are lucky you might have a ceiling fan or a bedside table fan or like me you rely on keeping the bedroom window open all night. However, you may not be able to open a window because of noise or safety, so here are a few simple tips that might make life easier.

  • Do some deep breathing exercises before you go to bed to help you relax.
  • Drink a glass of water before you go to bed this will help you stay hydrated through the night and have glass or carafe of water on your bedside table, so if you need to, you can have a drink.
  • Turn your hot water bottle into a cold-water bottle
    Use cotton sheets, cotton pillows, cotton pillowcases and cotton nightwear as cotton is breathable it will not cause static and is will absorb perspiration.
  • Put wet face clothes or towels in a plastic bag in the fridge before bedtime then when you go to bed take them with you to cool pulses on your forehead, wrist, and feet.
  • If it helps put your nightwear in a plastic bag before you got to bed.
  • Use a cool mat suitable for both adults and children
  • Lights, sockets, gadgets are a source of heat. Turn them off and unplug

Lymphoedema swelling can get worse during the summer months but do not get too upset it will go down when temperatures go down.

On Vimeo 

About Gaynor

Gaynor Leech is the Founder of L-W-O (lymph-what-oedema). L-W-O provides non-medical support and promotes:

  • Self-management
  • Raising awareness
  • Bringing people together
  • Empowering their members
  • Signposting

They are UK based, patient-driven and voluntary. L-W-O is an independent, not for profit organisation.

L-W-O website has been described as the most viewed Lymphoedema website in the UK and Europe. The website is written entirely from a patient's point of view.

L-W-O has a strong social media presence with its own website; www.lymph-what-oedema.com, a community page https://www.facebook.com/lymphwhatoedema and closed online support www.facebook.com/groups/lymphwhatoedema, Pinterest, You Tube, Twitter and LinkedIn. Without their social media presence, they would not have reached as many Lymphoedema members as they have.

L-W-O Message: Lymphoedema exists, We exist

Would you like to keep in touch with Gaynor and her good work? 

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