There’s a good chance finding the right temperature for your home has been a point of contention between you and your family at one time or another. This is especially true when everyone heads off to bed at night. While some people wake up freezing in the middle of the night, others wake up in a sweat. This can even be true for people sleeping in the same bed because temperature can affect our bodies in different ways.
Sleep is an essential part of life. Our bodies need to sleep so much that we spend about one-third of our lives asleep. Getting adequate sleep has been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including reducing inflammation, stress, the risk of cancer, and depression. Sleep also makes you healthier, improves your memory, and even helps you stay lean or lose weight.
Conversely, people who don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of health problems like obesity, reduced brain function, stroke and heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
In other words, it’s really important to do everything you can to get the most from your snoozing hours. When it comes to your thermostat, how hot or cold your bedroom is can be a huge factor in your quality of sleep, so you need to find the best temperature when you head off to bed for the night.
Circadian rhythms and temperature
Your sleep is regulated by what’s known as circadian rhythms, or a biological clock. This biological process is your body’s natural way of connecting rest and sleep with the day and night rhythm of the world. To put it simply, this means when the sun comes up in the morning, it’s time to jump out of bed and start the day. When the sun goes down, the world gets dark, so it’s time to put on your pj’s and head to bed.
Your core body temperature stays steadily around 98.6 degrees but drops slightly when it’s preparing for sleep. Your body temperature remains low while you’re sleeping and gradually warms up throughout the morning.
How does temperature affect sleep?
Have you ever tried to fall asleep in a stuffy bedroom? It’s tough to fall asleep when you’re sweaty and dehydrated, leaving you feeling fatigued and “drained” but unable to fall asleep.
Warm temperatures can also affect the quality of your sleep. A higher core body temperature can affect your sleep stages and your ability to spend enough time in a restorative, deep sleep. Your body stops most of its temperature regulation procedures like sweating or shivering during REM sleep, leaving you more vulnerable to the temperature of your environment. Even after what may seem like a full night of sleep, you’ll wake up feeling groggy and fatigued without enough time spent in REM sleep. This can also impact your body’s ability to recover and can negatively impact your immune system.
A higher temperature can also increase the likelihood you’ll wake up in the middle of the night after falling asleep
Is there really a best temperature for sleeping?
Yes, really. According to the latest research, the best temperature for sleep is 65 degrees. This may vary a few degrees depending on personal preferences, but you should still keep your home between 60 and 68 degrees for the best, most comfortable sleep. When you start to increase your home temperature above 70 degrees, your sleep can be negatively impacted.
Here in East Tennessee, many factors can make 60-70 degrees feel different at different times of the year. Humidity levels, particularly, during the spring and summer can make this temperature range feel very different than it does during the fall and winter. People can also experience temperatures differently, especially between genders. Therefore, the best temperature for sleeping is meant to be used as a range for your particular needs.
Setting the temperature on your thermostat
If you have a centralized HVAC unit, it may be difficult to get the right temperature for everyone’s needs in your home. For example, infants and young children typically need a slightly higher temperature for sleeping than adults.
If these types of adjustments are needed throughout your home, you can help regulate the temperature by closing vents in particular rooms or areas. You can also try using different bedding based on different needs. There is a wide range of options from sheets to cooling pillows to even mattresses that boast being able to keep you cool during the night.
When adjusting your thermostat, think of the way your body cools down throughout the evening. Bring down the temperature in your home or bedroom gradually to reinforce your body’s rhythm for sleep while not being too uncomfortable.
You can also keep bedroom blinds and curtains closed during the day to keep that room cool, as well as turn on a fan or control the humidity in your bedroom.
HVAC Company in Knoxville, TN
Your quality sleep is invaluable to your overall health, and the heating and cooling in your home can be a game-changer to getting better, more beneficial sleep. By turning down your thermostat slightly, you’ll make your HVAC unit work better for your needs and the needs of your family.
At City Heating and Air Conditioning, we provide the best, most high-quality service for your heating and cooling needs. We offer HVAC installation and an annual service plan that is unrivaled in East Tennessee. Whether your heating and cooling system needs routine maintenance or you’re ready for a new HVAC system, City Heating and Air Conditioning has everything you need to keep your home comfortable all year long.
We’re proud to provide Knoxville, TN, and the surrounding areas with exemplary heating and cooling services and have worked hard to build a reputation for outstanding customer service and satisfaction. Our HVAC company offers HVAC maintenance, installation, and repairs for a variety of HVAC systems. Learn more about our HVAC services by calling us today at 865-938-1005.