What's The Best Temperature For Sleeping?
A relaxing bedroom is a key aspect of a good night’s sleep, and temperature is one of the biggest influences on comfort. Adjusting the temperature of your room each night by just a few degrees can increase the length and quality of your sleep. But just like how people have different comfort preferences, they also have different preferences for sleep.
We’ll discuss what temperatures are beneficial for sleep and why. Then, we’ll provide some suggestions for HVAC equipment or accessories that might help improve sleep.
Your Body Is Designed To Cool Off During Sleep
According to the Sleep Foundation, the ideal bedroom temperature is approximately 65 degrees. Your specific preferences should have an impact, so anywhere between 63-67 is a good rule of thumb. But why is a cooler temperature easier to sleep in?
Sleep occurs in cycles, and this pattern is known as a circadian rhythm. Our bodies use information including the amount of light and heat around us to keep the circadian rhythm balanced with what’s required for healthy sleep. Since the sun’s warmth dissipates at night, the circadian rhythm interprets cooler temperatures as a better environment for sleep. This is why a cooler, dark bedroom is easier to sleep in than a room that’s hot and well-lit.
As you fall asleep, your body shuts down a lot of automatic processes that help balance your internal temperature. For example, sweating helps dissipate excess heat while shivering is the muscles’ way of warming themselves up. When you don’t regulate the temperature of your bedroom, even little changes can be influential enough to wake you up.
Keep Bedrooms Warmer For Infants And The Elderly
Infant children are still developing, and their smaller bodies are more sensitive to changes in temperature. Slightly warmer temperatures around 67-69 degrees are best, but make sure you’re also taking sleepwear and blankets into account. Heavy layers could be too warm, and any parent can tell you that infants only know one way to show their dissatisfaction.
Tips For Fine-Tuning Sleep Temperatures
If you’re having trouble sustaining your ideal sleep temperature, there are a few pieces of HVAC equipment that can make a big difference. These systems are especially useful for families, since different preferences can lead to disagreements over the nighttime thermostat setting.
- Zoning systems: A zoning system employs a series of dampers and levers in your ductwork to adjust airflow. If you want to adjust the temperature for a specific room or space in your home, a zoning system makes it fast and easy. Members of your family that enjoy extra heat or air conditioning at night can use a zoning system to provide their ideal sleep temperature.
- Ductless mini-splits: Sometimes existing equipment and personal preferences just aren’t compatible. Fortunately, a ductless mini-split can offer fine-tuned comfort for single rooms or smaller areas. As the name implies, you don’t need any new ductwork, which helps save on installation costs. These compact systems are useful for rooms near unfinished spaces like the garage or attic.
- Smart thermostats: These programmable thermostats are one of the easiest ways to make precise, energy-efficient improvements to the indoor temperature. Intelligent programming can monitor how you use your HVAC system and generate the best day-to-day schedule. So, if you want a cooler bedroom every night, a smart thermostat will automatically cool things down at bedtime. They’re compatible with zoning systems and mini-splits too, expanding your control over the temperature in every room of the house.
Get A Good Night’s Sleep With Tokay Heating & Air
If your HVAC system is the reason you can’t fall asleep, let Tokay Heating & Air know. We can offer suggestions and quality products perfect for maintaining comfortable nighttime temperatures. Schedule an appointment by calling us at (209) 257-3156.
