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The Connection Between Room Temperature and Sleep Quality

Most people have an evening ritual when it’s time to go to bed. You might drink a glass of milk, read a book, or get your items ready for the next day at work. In addition, you should seriously consider adjusting the temperature of your bedroom. While you probably have a favorite temperature during the day, this isn’t necessarily the same number that you should set the thermostat to at night. Here are some details on the connection between room temperature and sleep quality.

How We Sleep

It’s important to note that humans sleep in a very interesting manner. To reach a restful state, we need to lower the temperature of our brain. Although it’s fine for our bodies to stay warm under a blanket, our heads need to cool off by a couple of degrees. While it’s possible to sleep in a warm room, it might take additional time for your brain to cool off.

Lowering the Thermostat

The obvious solution is to lower the thermostat before you go to bed. Experts recommend five to six degrees to begin with. If you find that you still can’t reach a relaxed state, go ahead and drop the temperature by another couple of degrees. Also, don’t neglect the fan capabilities of your AC unit. It’s easy to get caught up in the raw temperature number, but a moderately strong fan can do wonders as well. Experiment to see what sort of atmosphere your body and brain prefer.

If you can cool the climate of your bedroom, you’ll naturally speed up the sleeping process. Remember that it takes a short duration for your AC unit to take effect. You don’t want to be turning the thermostat down the moment you get under the sheets. As you’re completing your nightly routine, you already want to be turning down the temperature so that there’s no delay.

Effect of Humidity

Humidity is another factor that can have an adverse effect. If you think high humidity is unpleasant during the day, it’s even worse at night. High humidity will disrupt your sleep patterns even further. When you lower the temperature, humidity levels often naturally drop as well. All in all, this is the sort of climate you should be aiming for when you head to your bedroom.

Many people have never experimented with humidity control, so you might not know what you’re missing out on. Consider a dehumidifier to accompany your air conditioning at night. Not only do temperature and humidity affect how fast you fall asleep, but they also influence sleep quality. In the right climate, you won’t wake up as frequently in the middle of the night. Furthermore, your body will achieve deeper levels of sleep, which will make you feel well-rested in the morning.

Temperature for Children

Children don’t have to lower their temperature as much. Three to four degrees is generally sufficient for young individuals. Most importantly, listen to your children’s feedback on how they’re sleeping. Because sleep is so important for growth, and every child is different, you want to create a climate that they’ll thrive in. At Breeze Air Conditioning, we offer powerful AC systems that can pinpoint an exact temperature in your home.

Morning Temperatures

Lastly, you can afford to turn up the thermostat a little bit in the early morning hours. Outside temperatures are naturally low at this time of the day, so your bedroom will already be on the cooler side. In addition, your body has been sleeping for a good number of hours at this point. Your melatonin levels are already high, so there’s no need to condition your body even further. If you wake up in the early morning, use the bathroom and slightly turn up the thermostat while you’re at it. You’ll still be able to reach a drowsy state within minutes.

Turn to the Professionals

In conclusion, there’s a strong connection between room temperature and sleep quality. If you can adjust your bedroom’s temperature properly, you’ll be set for an amazing night of sleep.

At Breeze Air Conditioning in Palm Desert, CA, we can help in this avenue by setting you up with the right thermostat. We’ll take care of any issues that prevent you from honing in on a certain temperature. More generally, we’re experts in heating, cooling, ventilation, and other HVAC services. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today.