Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Prime Day Deals LIVE Prime Day TV Deals Walmart Deals Prime Day Laptop Deals Switch 2 Restock Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading This DIY air cooler cost me nothing — and it actually worked in a heatwave I tried the Egyptian Sleep Method during a heat wave and regretted it — here's why Sleep Problems I live in a building with no air conditioning — here’s how I get a good night’s sleep in summer I tried the viral ‘cool spoon’ trick to sleep better during a heatwave — here’s what happened Reddit swears by these hacks to sleep in the heat — but which ones actually work? I thought this viral cooling fan hack was crazy — but it actually works This trending cooling fan hack is actually ‘dangerous’ — according to an expert This simple DIY air conditioner helped me fall asleep fast during a heatwave — here's how to try it Eve Davies 13 July 2025 I swapped my Eight Sleep Pod for a homemade AC — it does the job but I wouldn't recommend it for night-long cooling When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty Images) It's HOT in the UK right now where most homes aren't built with the luxury of air conditioning. Honestly, I've been sweltering in my heat-trap of an attic bedroom. Beside sleeping on one of this year's best cooling mattresses, this week I've been on the hunt for cooling sleep hacks that won't break the bank. One that keeps cropping up on my radar (ie my TikTok For You page) is the DIY air conditioning hack. The premise behind it is placing ice in front of a fan to circulate chilled air around your bedroom, helping to lower the room’s temperature. Questionable, but we'll give it a go. You may like This DIY air cooler cost me nothing — and it actually worked in a heatwave I tried the Egyptian Sleep Method during a heat wave and regretted it — here's why I live in a building with no air conditioning — here’s how I get a good night’s sleep in summer From mouth tape to sleepy mocktails, TikTok is awash with questionable sleep hacks and my team of beady-eyed sleep experts and I are always keen to put them to the test to see if they have any legs to stand on. Here's what happened when I put the homemade air con through its paces... @icelandfoods ♬ original sound - IcelandFoods How I slept with a DIY air conditioner To be transparent, I usually sleep on the Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover which does a grand job of regulating my temperature through warm nights. But to get an accurate gauge of how effective the homemade air con method is I turned it off last night and instead set up my fan and ice contraption next to my bed. Sitting up close to the fan I could certainly feel a cool breeze, so I was hopeful it would help me keep cool through the night. After some simple stretches, a bedtime tea and reading a couples of pages (my tried-and-test cooling nighttime routine) in the cool breeze brought by my DIY air con, I fell asleep quickly. But I'm not entirely praiseworthy. While it helped to lower my body temperature at bedtime to initiate sleep onset, the ice soon melted and I found myself waking up slight sweaty and flustered during the night as the fan reverted back to circulating the stuffy attic air. Honestly, in the current UK climes, I'm not certain any TikTok hack will secure totally uninterrupted sleep. How to make a DIY air conditioner Rest assured, there's no tools or flat packs required. Building a DIY air conditioner is actually a simple process with just two components: a fan and a bowl of ice (or frozen bottle). (Image credit: Future) If you've opted for the frozen bottle fill a large (at least one litre) plastic bottle with water, filling it about 75% of the way to ensure there's room for the ice to expand without the bottle exploding. Otherwise, make sure your freezer is loaded with ice ahead of the evening. When it comes to setting up, place your fan on a stable surface near your bed and fill a large, low bowl with ice, be that ice cubes or your frozen bottle. For best results, aim to have the ice level with the airway of the fan, and in line with where you'll be sleeping. Turn on the fan when you start winding down for the night to allow time for your room to cool down before you hit the hay. I can't say I'll be swapping my Eight Sleep Pod for a DIY air con again. But if you're looking for a cheap cooling hack, it does the job. While it isn't completely free (fans, of course, take up electricity to run), it'll certainly save you bucks compared to running a full-home AC unit, or splurging on cooling sleep tech. (However, if you do have the budget, there are plenty of great cooling Prime Day sleep deals like up to $480 off the BedJet 3 Climate Comfort Sleep System). (Image credit: Future) It turns out I was right to be sceptical about the DIY air con cooling hack. Yes, it can help cool your room down at bedtime, but it's inevitable the ice will eventually melt. So, I wouldn't recommend as a night-long cooling method, especially if, like me, you don't like the humming sound of a fan running at night. Instead, I recommend following the caveman method to block out warm air and sunlight from your home during the day, keeping it a cool haven rather having to work to cool it down at bedtime. Today's best fan deals on Amazon... $70View Deal See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Sleep Staff Writer Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. She is a Sleep Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide and has four years’ experience writing health features and news. She is particularly interested in the relationship between good sleep and overall health. At Tom’s Guide Eve is responsible for coverage and reviews of sleep tech and is our smart and cooling mattress specialist, focussing on brands such as Eight Sleep and Sleep Number. She also covers general mattress reviews, seeks out the best deals to produce tried-and-tested buyer's guides for sleep accessories and enjoys writing in-depth features about sleep health. She has been involved in rigorous testing procedures for mattress reviews in our Sleep Studio and has interviewed experts including sleep doctors and psychologists. When not covering sleep at Tom's Guide, Eve enjoys writing about health and fitness, food and culture. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. 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