The sun is here at last, as summer hots up this week in west London.

Temperatures could hit 33C on Tuesday (July 19) , before the heat makes way for thunderstorms later in the week.

While this is great for sunbathing, it is not so nice trying to sleep when you are sticking to your duvet or opening all windows in the house while praying for a breeze.

So, to stop you suffering this week and in the hot weeks forecast to follow , we've put together some top tips on getting a comfortable and cool night's sleep on warm nights.

  1. Unplug any appliances you aren't using to cool down your room. Things like laptop and mobile phone chargers cause heat you can do without.
  2. Give your feet or wrists a dip under some cold water. These have blood vessels close to the skin and so doing this can cool your whole body.
  3. Hanging a wet sheet where there is an open window to bring down the room temperature. An old trick but a good one.
  4. Put on light cotton pyjamas or use cotton bed sheets.
  5. Flip your pillow over onto the cool side. Okay so this isn't a long-term solution, but we all know how satisfying it is.
    Not advised
  6. You might look like a patient with a fever, but putting a cold, wet flannel on your head as you go to sleep can be effective at cooling you down.
  7. While you may have cracked open all blinds and curtains during the night in search of a welcome breeze, leaving them open during the day will let warm air into the house. Close them while you are out to keep the house cool.
  8. Use an electric fan to ensure there is a regular air flow in the room.
  9. Resist the urge to have a cold shower. Dousing your body in cold water will cause your body temperature to increase as capillaries narrow and heat is stored inside. Instead, have a lukewarm shower.
  10. If all else fails, grab your duvet and head downstairs. Lower levels in the house are always cooler as heat rises to the top.