Ireland is currently undergoing a heat wave, something the non-pregnant me would have enjoyed with Pimms cups on the rooftop of the Marker and late night chats sitting outside a bar on South William Street.

However this time I am nearly 33 weeks pregnant so doing all I can to stay cool, which is hard when I have basically an in-built hot water bottle! Thankfully I have been managing to sleep pretty well despite living in a Georgian house, notorious for a lack of air.

Bedtime routine:

• Shower: You may need another one again in the morning, but taking some time to have a slightly lukewarm shower in the evening has me feeling fresh and clean as I get into bed. Try and lower your body temperature as it sends signals to the brain to start getting ready for sleep.
• Timing: Go for the same time every night (the joys of being able to record TV programmes!)
• Smell: Light a scented candle or burn some incense
• Massage: My Neom massage candle has come out of storage to kill two birds with one stone, it is expensive but an essential as it’s so helpful in this weather
• Meditation: I am currently using Tracy Donegan’s Gentlebirth app so getting my practice in as part of my bedtime routine, but you can find lots of guided meditations for free YouTube.

I also love a big glass of milk to start the bed time routine, especially Lullaby Milk (available from Centra and SuperValu). It contains high levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. (They milk the cows when they are sleepy just before dawn!)

Ditch your duvet – in this weather you may be better off getting rid of the duvet altogether (most of us use at least a 9.5 tog duvet in Ireland) and using a flat sheet with some light blankets. I have a Karla Bree All Seasons duvet which is great, it consists of a 9.5 tog duvet, and a 4 tog duvet that can be clipped together to make a 13.5 tog duvet or used individually according to the weather. Here is a similar one that’s great value.

If you’re using a fan, position it to blow out the window as that will push out the hot air.

You can read some other tips for sleeping in pregnancy here.