What’s the Best Temperature for Sleeping?

A comfortable bedroom is a crucial part of a good night’s sleep, and temperature is one of the biggest influences on comfort. Fine tuning the temperature of your room each night by just a few degrees can improve 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 review what temperatures are better for sleep and why. Then, we’ll offer some suggestions for HVAC equipment or accessories that might help improve sleep.

Your Body Is Designed to Cool Down During Sleep

According to the Sleep Foundation, the ideal bedroom temperature is approximately 65 degrees. Your specific preferences will have an impact, so anywhere around 63-67 is a good rule of thumb. But why is a cooler temperature easier to sleep in?

Sleep happens in cycles, and this pattern is called the circadian rhythm. Our bodies use information like the quantity of light and heat around us to keep the circadian rhythm balanced with what’s necessary 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, darker bedroom is easier to sleep in than a room that’s hot and well-lit.

As you fall asleep, your body stops a lot of automatic processes that help balance your internal temperature. For example, sweating helps dissipate excessive heat while shivering is the muscles’ way of warming themselves up. When you don’t regulate the temperature of your bedroom, even minor 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 reactive to changes in temperature. Slightly warmer temperatures around 67-69 degrees are ideal, but make sure you’re also taking sleepwear and blankets into account. Heavy layers can be too warm, and any parent can tell you that infants only have one way to show their dissatisfaction.

Tips for Fine-Tuning Sleep Temperatures

If you’re having trouble finding your ideal sleep temperature, there are a few pieces of HVAC equipment that can make all the difference. These products are particularly 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 alter the direction of airflow. If you want to adjust the temperature for a particular room or space in your home, a zoning system makes it quick and easy. Members of your family that like 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 provide fine-tuned comfort for single rooms or smaller areas. As the name implies, you don’t need any new ductwork, which helps reduce installation costs. These compact systems are great for rooms adjacent to unfinished spaces like the garage or attic.

Smart thermostats: these programmable thermostats are one of the simplest ways to make precise, energy efficient improvements to the indoor temperature. Intelligent programming can monitor how you use your HVAC system and suggest the best day-to-day schedule. So if you want a cooler bedroom every night, a smart thermostat can automatically cool things down near bedtime. They’re compatible with zoning systems and mini splits as well, bolstering your control over the temperature in every room of the house.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep with Abilene Air-Tech Inc

If your HVAC system is the reason you can’t fall asleep, let Abilene Air-Tech Inc know. We can offer suggestions and quality products perfect for maintaining cozy nighttime temperatures. Schedule an appointment by calling us at (325) 692-5850.