India, June 11 -- There comes a point every summer when sleeping well feels like a luxury. The fan is working overtime, the air conditioner is running through the night, and yet somehow you are still awake at 3 am, flipping the pillow to the cooler side for the fifth time. Then comes the great summer sleep contradiction. The room feels cold enough, but sleeping without a blanket gets uncomfortable. Pull the blanket over yourself, and suddenly it feels far too warm. It is a nightly battle that most of us know all too well.

Years ago, some people swore by sprinkling water on coir mattresses before bed to make them cooler. Thankfully, sleep technology has moved on since then. The real answer to sleeping better in summer may not be turning y...