People across the UK are struggling to sleep comfortably as temperatures reach sweltering highs at night, due to the latest heatwave. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued Yellow Heat-Health Alerts for parts of England, active until 8pm on Tuesday, June 23.
These warnings are triggered alongside higher-level Amber Alerts across the south as a June heatwave brings humid conditions and temperatures set to top 30°C. The hot weather means humid and muggy nights between 15C to 20C, or higher, for millions up and down the country, and for some people, sleeping with a fan is simply too noisy and disruptive.
For anyone who is keen to sleep better at night in hot weather without a fan, there are solutions to try, including a 'full body ice pack' available on Amazon with a 4.5-star rating. The online retailer is selling a Magic Gel Ice Pack, with prices starting at £20, and shoppers can choose from various sizes to suit their needs.
In the reviews, many people have praised the body cooling item for keeping them comfortable in the UK heat. The product stays "cold as long as advertised (25 minutes), and usually even longer". It needs to be put in the freezer and can be used straight away for "immediate relief without having to wait for it to soften".
The product description adds: "You can twist, roll, sleep and even sit on this flexible ice pack – it’ll provide reliable relief for years to come. The cold packs [provide relief] for injuries, knee replacement pain relief, back pain, muscle aches, hot flashes, headaches and more."
There are two sizes to choose from. A large is 38cm x 28cm and costs £19.99. An extra large is 60cm x 39cm and costs £29.99.
Besides Amazon, other retailers sell similar versions. Boots is selling a Silentnight Restore Cooling Body Gel Pad for £30. Argos is selling a YUYU Ice Pulse Wearable Wrist Cooler for £34, which can help you "get through a hot flush" or "take the edge off on a stuffy night".
On Amazon, the Magic Gel Ice Pack has an average customer score of 4.5 stars out of five, and more than 7.4k reviews. In the reviews, one shopper said: "Perfect answer to very hot nights, either as a very large cold hot water bottle or to cool the bed before getting in, thus giving a good night’s sleep."
A second wrote: "This was so cool in the hot weather, just slipped under the base sheet of my bed! Perfect to lie on after 30mins in the freezer!" A third said: "Bought this to sleep on in the hot weather. Worked a treat, but you must make sure that there is something like a towel between you and it." A fourth claims: "This is a nice big size. Only stays cold about 40 minutes but still helps in hottest weather."
However, one person did say: "I bought the cool pack to cool my bed before sleeping during the hot weather. It worked well for that purpose at first. Unfortunately, I have only used it about six or seven times, but last night it started to leak from one corner, so it is now unusable." Another put: "Difficult to fit in freezer!" A third said: "It was too heavy". Another said: "Uncomfortable to use."
The majority of reviews are positive. Someone else said: "Excellent product! Seems well made!! very comfortable to use and on the hottest day ever in the UK it was a Godsend. Not too icy cold, soft luxury fabric. GREAT DESIGN perfect for hot weather, portable, versatile, for pets, elderly, injured athletes, young or old, post surgery. This is the product for you!"
Another wrote: "Great for putting under sheets to help kids stay cool at night in hot weather." One more put: "I purchased one each for my family as we couldn’t sleep in the hot weather. After a few hours in the freezer, I put them underneath the bed sheets. We all had a great nights sleep while feeling lovely and cool. Would highly recommend."
