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 at 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 different preferences for sleep.
We’ll review what temperatures are beneficial for sleep and why. Then, we’ll offer some recommendations for HVAC equipment or accessories that can 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 personal preferences will have an impact, so anywhere around 63-67 is a good rule of thumb. But why is a cooler temperature better to sleep in?
Sleep occurs in cycles, and this pattern is known as a circadian rhythm. Our bodies take in information including the amount of light and heat around us to keep the circadian rhythm balanced with what’s needed for healthy sleep. Since the sun’s warmth disappears at night, the circadian rhythm interprets 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 stops a lot of automatic processes that help maintain 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 minor changes can be strong 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 ideal, but make sure you’re also taking sleepwear and blankets into account. Heavy layers may be too warm, and any parent will tell you that infants only know one way to express dissatisfaction.
Tips for Fine-Tuning Sleep Temperatures
If you’re having trouble maintaining your ideal sleep temperature, there are a few pieces of HVAC equipment that can make a noticeable difference. These products are especially useful for families, because different preferences can lead to butting heads 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 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. Thankfully, a ductless mini split can provide fine-tuned comfort for single rooms or smaller areas. As the name suggests, 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 simplest ways to make precise, energy efficient adjustments to the indoor temperature. Intelligent programming can record how you use your HVAC system and suggest the best day-to-day schedule. So if you prefer a cooler bedroom at night, a smart thermostat will automatically cool things down at 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 Three Rivers Heating & Cooling
If your HVAC system is the reason you can’t fall asleep, let Three Rivers Heating & Cooling know. We can offer recommendations and quality products perfect for maintaining cozy nighttime temperatures. Schedule an appointment by calling us at 503-213-4433.