Tropical nights: sleeping when it never cools down

Key rules

• Tropical night: A tropical night is one where the temperature does not fall below 20 °C.
• Torrid night: A torrid night stays above 25 °C.
• Daytime: Keep shutters and curtains closed on sunny sides, ideally with outside shading.
• Night: Open windows only when the air outside is cooler than inside.

What a tropical night is

A tropical night (noche tropical) is a night when the temperature does not fall below 20 °C. A torrid night (noche tórrida) stays above 25 °C. On these nights your home does not cool down, so you need habits that do the job instead.

Where you will meet them

They are most common on the Mediterranean coast (Valencia, Alicante, Murcia and the Catalan coast), the Balearics, the Canary Islands, the Andalusian coast and the Guadalquivir valley. Big cities such as Madrid, Seville and Barcelona get more of them because concrete and asphalt hold heat. The north Atlantic coast has the fewest. They are becoming more frequent almost everywhere, including cities that had few before, like Madrid and Bilbao.

Keep the heat out during the day

The aim is to stop the home heating up in the first place.

• Close windows, shutters (persianas) and curtains on the sunny sides from morning until evening.
• Outside blocking works better than inside. Awnings (toldos) and external shutters stop sun before it reaches the glass.
• Switch off lights and appliances you do not need. They give off heat.

Open up when the air outside is cooler

Open windows only when it is cooler outside than inside. That usually means late at night and early in the morning. If you can, open windows on opposite sides of the home to create a cross-draught. Close everything again once the sun is up.

Getting to sleep

• Sleep in the coolest room. That is often one on a lower floor or facing north.
• Take a lukewarm or cool shower before bed. Cold water is not needed.
• Wear light cotton clothes and use light cotton bedding.
• A fan helps at moderate temperatures. Some people put a bowl of ice in front of it. Damp sheets or a wet cloth on your skin also help your body cool.
• In the evening, avoid heavy meals, alcohol and caffeine. Drink water through the day and evening.
• Keep a regular bedtime and avoid intense exercise late in the day.

Staying safe

Poor sleep over several hot nights wears you down, and heat is harder on older people, young children and anyone with a health condition. If the room stays very hot, move to a cooler place for the night or the hottest hours. If you have no cooling at all, the what-if section below walks you through it.

Common questions about where tropical nights happen and which room to choose are answered in the FAQ below.

What if a heat wave hits and you have no cooling?

If someone is confused, faints, has a seizure or has a body temperature of 40 °C or more, call 112 straight away and cool them while you wait. For everything else, cool your body, get to a cooler place for a few hours, and call for help early if you or someone at home is at risk.

Cool the body first

• Drink water regularly. Do not wait until you are thirsty. Avoid alcohol and sugary drinks.
• Take cool showers. Put wet towels or wet clothes on your neck, wrists and face.
• Avoid effort and heavy meals.
• Stay on the lowest floor of the building if you can.
• In the day, close windows and lower blinds on the sunny sides. Open them at night to get air through the home.

Go somewhere cool

Spend several hours in a cooler place if your home stays hot. Good options are a shopping centre, a library, a relative's home or a municipal climate shelter (refugio climático).

To find a shelter, look on your town hall's website, which often has a map. You can also call the 010 information line, or the local equivalent, or ask at a social services office or health centre (centro de salud). Shelters often stretch their hours or open at weekends during heat alerts. Phone numbers and apps differ by town, so check yours.

Never leave anyone, child or adult, in a closed car.

If the power cuts out

Keep the fridge shut. Use a battery fan if you have one. Follow the same cooling steps above, and go to a cool place if the home keeps heating up.

People at higher risk

This applies to anyone over 65, babies, pregnant women, people with a long-term illness and people on certain medicines. Leave home for a cool place if the indoor temperature stays at or above 32 °C, or if they simply cannot cool down. Do this especially during an orange or red heat warning from the state weather agency. Exact triggers vary between regional heat plans, so follow local advice if it is stricter.

When to get help

Milder symptoms. Dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, cramps, intense thirst, a fast pulse, very hot dry skin or a temperature of 39 °C or more need medical advice. Call your regional health line or go to your health centre. In a few regions the health line is 061. If things get worse, call 112.

Heatstroke. Confusion, fainting, seizures or a temperature of 40 °C or more is an emergency. Call 112 first, then do this while you wait:

1. Move the person to a cool, shaded place or an air-conditioned room.
2. Lay them down and raise their legs slightly.
3. Remove extra clothing.
4. Cool them fast with wet cloths, a cool shower or fanning. Put cold packs on the neck, armpits and groin.
5. If they are fully awake, give small sips of cool water. Give nothing by mouth if they are confused or unconscious.
6. If they are unconscious, place them in the recovery position and check their breathing.
7. Do not give paracetamol or aspirin.
8. Keep cooling until help arrives.

Frequently asked questions

Where in Spain are tropical nights most common?

Tropical nights are most common on the Mediterranean coast, the Balearics, the Canary Islands, the Andalusian coast and the Guadalquivir valley. Big cities such as Madrid, Seville and Barcelona also get more of them because of the urban heat island effect.

Are tropical nights becoming more frequent?

Yes, tropical nights have risen across almost all of Spain since the 1960s. The biggest increases are on the Mediterranean coast and in the south and east. Some cities that once had few, like Madrid and Bilbao, have seen some of the largest rises.

Which room should I sleep in during a tropical night?

Sleep in the coolest room of the home, often one on a lower floor or facing north. Keep its shutters (persianas) and curtains closed by day. Open the windows at night and in the early morning, ideally to create a cross-draught.

What can I do in the evening to sleep better when it stays hot?

Take a lukewarm or cool shower before bed and wear light cotton clothes and bedding. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, caffeine and intense exercise late in the day.