Anyone get any sleep last night? It’s been a rough few days as soaring temperatures have left that sweet shuteye out of reach for many. Now it’s Monday, and we’re tired, grumpy and – yep, you guessed it – still hot.

Of course, there’s no shortage of online advice on how to sleep when the mercury keeps rising, but the plain old internet is so passé. We’re in 2023. It’s all about generative AI now.

So, what did two leading chatbots, which have no concept of the despair from not sleeping, have to say on the matter?

We challenged Microsoft’s Bing Chat, powered by ChatGPT-4, and Bard, Google’s own AI assistant, to share their tips on how to keep cool. 

The results were, well, useful but obvious. Which isn’t surprising, since they’re all widely available online, from which chatbots mine the foundations of their own offerings. Still, given chatbots’ propensity to hallucinate, a couple of wilder solutions might have been fun. 

Nevertheless, here’s what Bing Chat had to offer:

1. Keep your home as cool as possible by drawing the shades, curtains and blinds during the hottest part of the day
2. Have a cool or lukewarm shower or bath just before going to bed – this cools the body directly and can help reduce the temperature of your skin
3. Use cotton sheets and light-colored bedding that reflects the sun’s rays
4. Use a fan or air conditioning unit to keep the air circulating in your bedroom
5. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated
6. Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime as they can dehydrate you
7. Sleep on a lower level of your home if possible as heat rises
8. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing to bed
9. Place a bowl of ice or a cold water bottle in front of a fan to create a cool breeze
10. Consider investing in a cooling pillow or mattress pad

And Bard suggested:

1. Keep your bedroom cool. Close your curtains or blinds during the day to keep the sun out, and open your windows at night to let in the cool air. If it’s still too hot, you can use a fan or air conditioner.
2. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing. Avoid synthetic fabrics, which can trap heat. Instead, opt for natural fibers like cotton or linen.
3. Take a cool shower or bath before bed. This will help to lower your body temperature and make it easier to fall asleep.
4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. These substances can interfere with sleep.
5. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help to keep you hydrated and prevent dehydration, which can make you feel hot and uncomfortable.
6. Get some exercise during the day. This will help to tire you out and make it easier to fall asleep at night.
7. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. This can help to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and get ready for sleep.
8. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. These conditions are ideal for sleep.
9. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy. Lying in bed awake will only make it harder to fall asleep.
10. See a doctor if you have trouble sleeping for more than a few weeks. There may be an underlying medical condition that is causing your sleep problems.

As everyone should know, just because something originated online doesn’t mean it’s right – but in this case, it seems the chatbots did their research.

Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, assessed both answers and agreed on all points.

‘Bard’s suggestions include more information, but all answers are what The Sleep Charity would recommend,’ she said. ‘However, we would add the opening of any attic windows – heat rises so opening top floor windows helps hot air to escape and keeps a breeze flowing internally.  

‘Regarding the point about exercise, try not to do this too close to bedtime unless it is something gentle like yoga or an evening walk. Any strenuous activity is best done earlier on in the day, especially when it’s hot.’

So there you have it, the AI guide to sleeping in the heat. And if these don’t work, at least you have someone to chat to while you’re awake.

MORE : How to sleep in hot weather – 9 tips amid June 2023 heatwave

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