What is the best temperature to sleep?
A bedroom should be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius) for optimal sleeping conditions. Depending on the individual, this may vary by a few degrees, but for the most comfortable sleep, most doctors advise keeping the thermostat set between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius).
I’ll go into greater detail about the ideal sleeping temperature.
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Best Temperature To Sleep: See The Science
A room temperature of about 65°F (18.3°C) is recommended for restful sleep at night for a variety of scientific reasons. In terms of controlling the internal temperature of your body, this is relevant.
Throughout a 24-hour period, your body’s internal temperature changes. This is referred to as a circadian rhythm. Around the time you go to bed, your body starts to lose heat. It then continues to cool off until it reaches its lowest point around five in the morning, just before dawn.
The blood vessels in your skin enlarge as your body cools. Your hands and feet may initially warm up when your body temperature begins to drop at night. This is a result of your body allowing heat to escape through them to lower the temperature of your core.
You may experience disturbed sleep if the temperature in your sleeping area is excessively hot or cold. This can affect how quickly your body cools down.
One 2012 studyTrusted Source found that the temperature of the room where you sleep is one of the most important factors in achieving quality sleep.
Another studyTrusted Source looked at data from 765,000 survey respondents and found that most people experience abnormal sleeping patterns during the hotter summer months when it may be more difficult to keep sleeping quarters at an optimal temperature. The body’s capacity to regulate its temperature at night may be impacted by this.
How Does Temperature Impact Sleep?
We’ve all had sleepless nights at some point. The next morning we are groggy and moody, moving slowly and eagerly anticipating the time when we can once more close our eyes and rest.
Temperature is one of many variables that can affect sleep quality.
“According to Dr., you are more likely to wake up if your bedroom gets uncomfortable hot or cold. Drerup.
What makes this the case, though? According to one study, excessive heat or cold exposure causes a person to become more awake and has a negative impact on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the stage of sleep where dreams occur. “According to Dr., maintaining slow-wave, restorative sleep stages requires good thermoregulation. These phases, according to Drerup, are when we sleep the most.”
Sleep Too Hot
As part of the sleep initiation process, our core body temperature drops when we are sleeping, which is why you might want to turn on the heat to stay warm and cozy under the covers. However, if your bedroom is too hot or humid, you probably won’t sleep well or wake up early.
“According to Dr. Heat is a major REM sleep disruptor. Your body temperature will increase due to the heat in the room, Drerup claims, completely undoing the sleep initiation process.
It’s too hot in your bedroom if the temperature rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sleep Too Cold
On the other hand, sleeping too cold also has drawbacks. Sleeping too cold might not have as much of an impact on your sleep cycles, but it could still have negative health effects.
“According to Dr. Drerup, she continues, adding that this causes blood vessels to constrict, breathing to become shallow, and it puts additional strain on our cardiovascular system to restore normal body temperatures.
It’s too cold in your bedroom if the temperature is below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tips For Keeping The Bedroom Cool
The advice that follows can help you set your bedroom at the ideal temperature for sleeping:
- Close the blinds to reduce heat build-up during the day
- Move downstairs during the summer
- Turn down the thermostat at night
- Use a fan or air conditioning in hot climates, or a hot water bottle on cold nights
- Open the windows to promote ventilation
- Control bedroom humidity
- Reduce sweating by using the best mattress, sheets, duvet, comforter, pillow, and pajamas for temperature regulation
- Take a warm bath an hour or two before bedtime to encourage a natural cool-down effect
You can aid your body in getting ready for sleep by being gentle with your own internal thermostat in addition to adjusting the temperature of your sleeping environment. The timing of these activities can have an effect on body temperature and possibly sleepiness because the circadian rhythm is sensitive to changes in light, diet, and exercise.
You can help your body clock and sleeping temperature by practicing good sleep hygiene habits like going to bed at the same time every night, abstaining from caffeine and alcohol before bed, and maintaining a dark, quiet bedroom.
Best Sleep Temperature For Babies
Infants may benefit from a bedroom that is one or two degrees warmer, up to 69 degrees Fahrenheit (20.5 degrees Celsius). They are more sensitive to variations in the outside temperature because their bodies are smaller and still developing.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may be made more likely in a warm bedroom. It is advised to wear approved sleepwear, maintain a comfortable temperature by adjusting the thermostat, and stay away from thick blankets and layers. During the night, parents can check their baby’s temperature by touching the back of the neck or the baby’s stomach.
Research suggests that babies achieve temperature maturation by eleven weeks of age, on average. By this time, they are similar to adults in that they begin to reach a minimum core body temperature of 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit (36.4 degrees Celsius) four hours before bedtime.
Does Age Affect The Ideal Sleep Temperature?
Our bodies change as we age; two of these changes are a decrease in body temperature and a rise in cortisol (the stress hormone) and melatonin (a hormone released at night that regulates sleep). Depending on your body, you might need to modify your sleeping temperature, but you should try to avoid making significant alterations either way. Ask your doctor if you should adjust the temperature where you sleep.
So, now that you know it’s not ideal to sleep in too hot or too cold of temperatures, what is the best sleeping temperature? “The recommended range for adults’ bedrooms is typically between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Dr. This temperature range is believed to actually aid in the stability of REM sleep.
Conclusion
The best temperature for sleeping was the main topic of the article.
Before you go to sleep at night, make sure your bedroom is cool. Your chances of getting a sufficient amount of uninterrupted sleep each night will improve as a result.
For healthy sleep, your room should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 and 19.4 degrees Celsius). When dressed for bed, infants ought to be able to sleep in these conditions as well. For infants, you might think about raising the temperature by one or two degrees, but be careful not to let them get too warm.
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