In the middle of summer, I often miss out on sleep because I'm too hot in bed. However, I can't sleep without the weight of a blanket of duvet on top of me.
The summertime cold air bed is designed for people like me, although the technology is stolen from those fabulous air hockey machines. The matress would be perforated, and should the temperature in the bed raise above a certain level during the night, the bed would rumble into action, blowing cold air through the matress and cooling everything down.
Note: Most of us in the UK don't have air con at home.-- Fishrat, Mar 28 2004 Pipe Dreams Duvet http://www.halfbake...pe_20Dreams_20Duvetperforated duvet [FarmerJohn, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] futurebird also tackled this one... http://www.halfbake...elain_20stomach-bed...but I have to say your solution sounds a lot more comfortable. [DrCurry, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Water duvet http://www.halfbake.../idea/Water_20duvetThe water-cooled duvet [hippo, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] History of Waterbeds http://www.waterbed.co.uk/faq01.html [Fishrat, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004] Under the Sheets Bed Fan http://tealco.net/bed_fan.htmlConstant fresh air against your skin under the covers in bed [adam75dfw, Jun 06 2006] YES. WE NEED THIS. I have the exact same problems - I can get to sleep under the weight of a sheet, but just barely - and I'm tired of resorting to taking my sheet into the nice tiled bathroom and lying down on the bare floor there, which is sometimes the only way I can lower my body temperature enough to sleep (other methods I've tried include rolling an ice cube all over my legs, which only works for ten minutes).-- gisho, Mar 29 2004 If you like something heavy, why not use a water sheet: a small network of tubes run inside the sheet, fed from a small pump, or your tap? Much like an electric blanket, but tubes instead of wires. Run the other end of your tube to the refrigerator for added bliss.-- Ling, Mar 29 2004 Ling - that neat idea sounds a bit like the cooling quilt. See the link above.-- Fishrat, Mar 29 2004 So it is: I haven't gotten into the habit of checking previous ideas before annotating.-- Ling, Mar 29 2004 Aaahhhh. Bliss. I like this v. much. Does it come in half-bed size? My fella doesn't suffer from the overtly extravagant continental summer temperatures like I do. He grew up here, I grew up in England. Anything over 25 C is a cue for SCORCHER headlines in the English papers. Here, it's a bit on the chilly side.-- squeak, Mar 29 2004 Love this idea - I am a UK expat living in South India where the temperature happily stays above 35C all night. Having never been used to air-conditioning, It took me months to get used to the noise of my rattly, chugging, battered old AC unit during the night. Also, when left on in the morning it's blast of cold air conveniently forms an icy wall between the bathroom and the wardrobe making the trip out of the shower serious brass monkeys even in the trpoical climate.
To get into bed and feel the gentle cooling breeze from below (which would probably keep the matress nice and clean and fresh too) would be great, especially if the machine operated with a gently whisper of air. Having said that, I am sure the Indian engineered version would be an alarming device with bare sparking wires, a huge unguarded whirling fan and buzzing, chugging motor. Plus, at least if my AC blows up, it's on the other side of the room and not wired into my bed!
For the idea, Masala Croissant.-- Jim'll Break It, Mar 29 2004 Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "airing the bed". I wonder what it would do to the dust mites? Blow them clear, or blow them clear up your nose? Allergy sufferers need to know.-- English Bob, Mar 29 2004 It's good [Stamp]-- sartep, Mar 29 2004 [English Bob], reverse the airflow for allergy sufferers, so that the mites are sucked away instead. A good excuse for being late to work: "I turned the bed vacuum up too much, and couldn't get out of bed".-- Ling, Mar 29 2004 Perhaps a liquid-cooled comforter is in order.-- Letsbuildafort, Mar 29 2004 Sorry [UB], it's just that turning it up makes it easier to practice my Jacko-style moon walking.-- Fishrat, Mar 29 2004 [bristolz]: don't tell me it's a leak, you've wet the bed again!-- Ling, Mar 30 2004 I think that, above a certain temperature, just having the air move past you isn't enough and the air needs to be refrigerated or, at the least, dehumidified.
[Ling] It was supposed to be a big block of ice but I guess it doesn't work as an image. Deleted.-- bristolz, Mar 30 2004 If your bed was not perfectly level you'd drift off the side. There should be bumpers around the perimeter so you'd just bounce around a little rather than fall out.-- AO, Mar 30 2004 Jeez, [AO]. How strong do you think this thing is? As I see it, it's gentle breeze we're after, not a skydiving simulator.-- squeak, Mar 30 2004 Or how about putting cold water in a big bladder and sleeping on that ... wait, I'm re-inventing the waterbed.-- Letsbuildafort, Mar 30 2004 Didn't [fishrat] say this was like an air hokey table?-- AO, Mar 30 2004 [letsbuildafort] that idea sounds good, but trust me it's not. Have you heard the stories of sitting on cold cement??? just image what sleeping on it can do.-- hatch, Mar 30 2004 AO - you might drift, depending upon how forceful the fan was, I guess. Maybe have a relaxed option and a 'sports' option.-- Fishrat, Mar 30 2004 I had a water bed once that had a broken heater. Even during the hottest of days it was like trying to sleep on a block of ice. You should try it if you stay hot.-- Apologetic_Cynic, Mar 31 2004 I understand, [hatch], I never could get s good night's rest on a waterbed ... but I HAVE heard of this baby oil trick ...-- Letsbuildafort, Mar 31 2004 Where I live, it's not unusual to turn off the heater in waterbeds during the summer. It does help keep you cool. Unfortunately, my back hates waterbeds.-- half, Mar 31 2004 Damn stilettos.-- Fishrat, Apr 01 2004 [BrauBeaton] Waterbeds have been around for much longer - possibly 3000 years (linky). Mind you, I'd always credited Austin Powers with their creation.-- Fishrat, Apr 04 2004 // Turn your waterbed temperature down. And there's no better bed in the hot summers. //
Seems like you could accidentally cause hypothermia with this. Water can absorb massive amounts of heat. My wife uses a standard hot water bottle on cold New England nights (she would use me but I snore too loud) but when the water cools off it can make you colder than you are (like the waterbed) but with less risk of hypothermia since you can toss the bottle aside. I would think that I have enough body weight to keep that from happening but what about children, very thin, and the elderly?-- MoreCowbell, Jun 06 2006 Have a "I was going to post this great idea but you got there first" bun.-- wagster, Jun 29 2006 Have a "I was going to post this great idea but you got there first" bun.-- sqeaketh the wheel, Jul 09 2012 How come all these old ideas are more interesting than the recent ones?-- Phrontistery, Jul 09 2012 Nostalgia?-- Ling, Jul 09 2012 random, halfbakery