WHILE most of us enjoy the warm summer days, for many it can mean hot, sleepless nights.
And while a fan can help to keep the temperature down, it can push up energy bills.
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Experts say that it costs just over 25p a night to run a fan, based on having a 70W fan going for 12 hours.
That can quickly add up, especially if you’re using multiple fans in your home or leave them on for longer.
Meanwhile a family of four each using an air-conditioning unit, which is pricier to run than a fan, could add as much as £70 a month, according to smart meter app Loop.
I’ve seen adverts everywhere for cooling gel pads, but dismissed them as something to keep your cat or dog from overheating.
But they are also for us humans. So, tired of the sound of my fan rattling around in the middle of the night, I decided to give one a go myself.
The mats come in many shapes and sizes, but I opted for one around the size of my pillow.
I managed to nab one for just £4.99 on Amazon, but they’re also available in stores like The Range and B&M Bargains for between £6 and £8.
Cooling gel mats are activated by touch. When you sit or lie on it, the gel reacts to your body heat by cooling down.
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They can be made even colder by popping them in the fridge, but mine felt cool to the touch straight out of its box.
The photos on Amazon for the item suggested it could be used to go inside your pillowcase or straight onto your mattress.
I decided to test using it in several different positions to see what worked best – and if it could beat my energy guzzling fan.
Placing it inside a pillowcase
At first, I tried to copy one of the photos I’d seen and slid the mat inside my pillowcase, so it would be right underneath my head.
Images online show people sleeping soundly like this, but I found it was far too hard and I could feel it every time I moved.
The rim around the edge of the mat also scratched against my neck – hardly a comfortable way to sleep.
Placing it under my back
Next, I tried putting the cooling gel pad on the mattress directly underneath my back.
It was very cold at first, but the temperature evened itself out after a few moments.
It definitely cooled me right down, so much so that I turned the fan off altogether for the first time in months.
However, I could definitely feel it whenever I moved. As someone who is sensitive to lumpy mattresses, it was a bit uncomfortable to lie on directly.
Putting it at my feet
Finally, I tested putting the mat just underneath my ankles and feet at the end of the bed.
Experts say your feet play a vital role in regulating your body temperature.
Keeping them covered with thick socks is crucial to warmth in winter, and keeping them exposed cools you down in summer.
I certainly felt that just by having my feet touching the cool gel was enough to not need to use the fan.
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