How to Achieve the Ideal Temperature for Sleep?

Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Check your thermostat, stat! If your nights consist of tossing and turning, watching the time slip by or staring at the ceiling just waiting for sleep to come, you know who frustrating it is to suffer from insomnia. While there are many causes of insomnia — stress, sleep-related disorders, gastrointestinal issues such as reflux and chronic pain — another lesser known cause is sleeping in a bedroom that’s too hot or too cold.

Why Does Room Temperature Matter? Our body’s temperature naturally fluctuates throughout the day and night, with our internal temperature being the highest in the late afternoon and the lowest early in the morning. During the evening, the body’s core temperature naturally drops, bringing on that feeling of sleepiness. Ideally, one’s body temperature starts cooling down one to two hours before going to sleep. It’s been found that those who have trouble falling asleep still have a warm internal temperature when they hit the sack.

What’s the Magic Number? Sleep experts agree that the ideal room temperature is 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep. Temperatures above 75 degrees and below 54 degrees can interfere with sleep. By maintaining your room’s temperature in the above suggested range, you’ll find that you’ll be able to fall asleep more quickly; if your body is too hot or too cold, it wastes energy trying to regulate the temperature, leading to tossing and turning.

Other Ways to Stay Cool as a Cucumber

• Switch to pajama sets or nightgowns featuring smart fabric technology that effectively wicks away moisture to keep you cooler and drier all night long. Another way to maintain a not too cold, not too hot sleeping environment is using temperature-regulating bedding. Almost like magic, this innovative technology is capable of absorbing heat when things get too stuffy and releasing it when you cool down.
• Purchasing a cooling pillow to keep your head comfortably cool. Made from the same technology as our temperature-regulating bedding, our pillows are capable of pulling heat away from your skin and leaving your body at a temperature that is more regulated.
• Use a fan to circulate air around the room and keep a window open to bring in fresh air.