What's the Best Temperature for Sleeping?

March 1, 2022

A relaxing bedroom is a crucial aspect of a good night’s sleep, and temperature is one of the largest influences on comfort. Fine tuning the temperature of your room every night by just a few degrees can improve the length and quality of your sleep. But just like how people have varying comfort preferences, they also have varying preferences for sleep.

We’ll learn what temperatures are ideal for sleep and why. Then, we’ll offer some ideas 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 around 65 degrees. Your specific preferences should have an impact, so anywhere within 63-67 is a good rule of thumb. But why is a cooler temperature more beneficial to sleep in?

Sleep happens in cycles, and this pattern is called the circadian rhythm. Our bodies use information like the amount of light and heat around us to keep the circadian rhythm in sync with what’s required for healthy sleep. Since the sun’s warmth dissipates at night, the circadian rhythm can interpret cooler temperatures as a better environment for sleep. This is why a cooler, darker bedroom is easier to fall asleep 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 excessive heat while shivering is the muscles’ attempt to warm themselves up. When you don’t regulate the temperature of your bedroom, even small 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 in tune 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 express dissatisfaction.

Tips for Fine-Tuning Sleep Temperatures

If you’re having trouble reaching 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 has a series of dampers and levers in your ductwork to redirect airflow. If you want to adjust the temperature for a specific room or space in your home, a zoning system makes it fast and convenient. 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 current equipment and personal preferences just aren’t compatible. Luckily, a ductless mini split can generate fine-tuned comfort for single rooms or smaller areas. As the name implies, you don’t need any additional ductwork, which helps lower 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 easiest ways to make precise, energy efficient adjustments to the indoor temperature. Intelligent programming can learn 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 will automatically cool things down at bedtime. They’re compatible with zoning systems and mini splits as well, enhancing your control over the temperature in every room of the house.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep with Brooks Heating and Air Conditioning

If your HVAC system is the reason you can’t fall asleep, let Brooks Heating and Air Conditioning know. We can offer suggestions and quality products ideal for maintaining cozy nighttime temperatures. Schedule an appointment by calling us at 800-COOLING.

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