1 . How Temperature Affects Sleep
Your body cools down as a natural process of preparing to sleep. This is a process that you can accelerate by taking a warm shower or bath just prior to going to bed, and the ambient temperature plays a role as well. The warmer the room, the longer this cooling-down period takes.
Even after reaching the necessary core temperature for sleeping, the ambient temperature continues to be a factor. One reason for this is that your core temp is not static throughout the night. In fact, it continues to drop by as much as two degrees Fahrenheit before reaching its lowest point in the early morning. If your core temp is suboptimal, it has a negative effect on the various sleep stages. It lessens the time you remain in a stage and, in particular, the crucial REM sleep stage. Too high a temperature also negatively affects the recovery of your immune system and other processes and makes you prone to waking up prematurely.
2. The Best AC Temperature For Sleep
Core temperature varies from one person to the next, which means that there is no one AC temperature setting that will be ideal for everyone. The National Sleep Foundation recommends an optimal range to promote sleep, which is between 60 degrees and 67 degrees. Be mindful that this recommendation is for adults. For infants, for instance, the general recommendation is between 67 degrees and 69 degrees.
3. Finding Your Ideal Sleep Temperature
Determining your optimal sleep temperature is going to take some trial and error. Begin with the highest temperature you find comfortable. Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., a sleep specialist referenced on WebMD, advises going as high as 75° F. You may also want to consider investing in a sleep monitor, which will provide you with a detailed report on how deeply you are sleeping at a particular temperature.
4. Other Factors To Consider
Your ideal sleep temperature will change over time. The fat layer under your skin thins with age, so your ideal temperature range at 50 years old, for instance, will likely be narrower than it was at 30. It would help if you also were mindful of the bedding and bedwear you use. If you prefer heavy bedding and pajamas, then your ideal ambient temperature will likely be lower.
Consider installing a ceiling fan in your bedroom. A ceiling fan helps to distribute the cooled air more evenly throughout the room. It would help if you also considered a smart thermostat. While you may need 60 degrees to fall asleep, you can have the thermostat increase the temperature to 70 degrees or higher two hours or so after bedtime. Doing so will not negatively affect your sleep, but it will save you a considerable amount in cooling costs.
5. Your Local HVAC Experts In Dallas
ENTIRE AIR SOLUTIONS, located in Dallas, has more than 25 years of experience installing, maintaining, and repairing central air conditioning systems, and ventilation. Our company also provides a full range of services for furnaces and other heating equipment, air purifiers, and smart thermostats. Call Entire Air Solutions today or contact us online if you’d like to schedule an appointment or have any questions about the products and services we offer.