Bendigonians give their top tips for keeping cool on summer nights

And those of us without the luxury of air conditioning or who cannot afford to holiday in Germany, as one Facebook user suggested, need more creative escapes from the heat.

We asked for your tips to keep cool on a hot night and you sure had plenty of advice. 

How many of these methods from Bendigo Advertiser readers have you tried?

Several of you recommended this tip. Wetting then wringing out a shirt or a sheet – or even a towel – helped many of our readers stay cool, especially when combined with a ceiling or pedestal fan. 

Sammy Lysaght remembered the method from her childhood in Nhill. 

“Nhill use to get so hot and air-cons weren’t too common,” she wrote. 

Some of you chose to cool off with a nighttime shower, helping lower your body temperature before climbing into bed. 

It seemed to work for reader Kathy Ayres, who also kept a spray bottle of water nearby. 

Staying hydrated is the key to a comfortable night in summer, at least according to Tahni Logan.

She was also a fan of the bedside spray bottle, but it was a big glass of water before bed that was key to summer survival.  

Another spray bottle advocate was Sonia Houstan. But instead of aiming the nozzle at yourself, she reckons giving the curtains a quick squirt could help cool down the room.

We are not sure how long the curtains might hold up under this method, but when you’ve tried everything else, why not give them a spray?

Judging by how many of you went to the faithful, old face washer for heat relief, the object may well deserve to be a national treasure. 

There was so disagreement about where best to position the cooling square of towel, with votes for both forehead and neck. 

Chilling is usually a word to describe nightmares, but for those taking ice packs, it’s a dream come true.

Reader Tash Joyce takes not one, but two ice packs to bed: one tucked behind her neck and another at her feet.

Bec Fisher used the same principle, but swapped out the ice pack for a frozen bottle of water, which she tucked snugly into a sock.

“Cuddle it close to your heart,” she recommended.

You thought your car’s sun visor was for the windscreen, right? 

Well, the crinkly, metallic objects have found another use in Liz Holzer’s home; she uses them to block out the light coming through the windows. Blankets also do the trick, she said. 

“Not very fashionable,” she conceded, “But it helps the house not to heat up as much.”

Some of our readers were less than sympathetic to those who found hot nights a nuisance (perhaps they are the ones with airconditioners?) 

Jeffrey Jones went to so far as to say: “If your a true Aussie, hot or cold won't bother you.”

For those who still have spare coin after Christmas, you might like Bradley McHugh’s tip:

“Go on vacation,” he wrote of the Addy Facebook page. 

“Beach and swimming all day then go grab a nice dinner of an evening.

Then when back at the hotel turn the air-con down to coolest setting all night.

“Saves your electricity bill and you get to be spoilt all weekend.”

Enjoy your time away, Bradley!