If you have problems sleeping, you aren’t alone. As many as one in three Canadians aged 35-64 aren’t getting enough sleep. This includes the inability to fall asleep, to stay asleep, and to feel rested in the morning.
It’s awful to wake up still feeling tired, but the effects of poor sleep aren’t limited to fatigue. It can also lead to a host of serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure, and memory problems. Not getting enough shuteye also lowers both your immunity and your sex drive. There are lots of good reasons to try to improve the quality and quantity of sleep you get each night.
Making a few simple changes in your environment can help promote a more restful sleep. Your heating and ventilation system has a role to play – dropping your furnace settings by just a couple of degrees at night significantly improves your sleep. Keep reading to find out what the ideal temperature for sleeping is, and start feeling healthier and more rested in the morning.
Temperature and sleep
The link between temperature and sleep is well established. Studies have shown that the thermal environment can drastically change the restfulness of our sleep. When it’s too hot or too cold, we don’t sleep as well. There’s even evidence that climate change is affecting how well we sleep.
If you want to promote a good night’s sleep, experts recommend a room temperature between 15.6 and 19.4 degrees Celsius. This is the optimal range to support the natural biological processes that drop our body temperature during nighttime hours. Our circadian rhythm is responsible for these temperature fluctuations, and can cause our core temperature to fall by as much as 2 degrees.
Adjusting your HVAC settings can help
There are lots of ways you can alter your sleeping environment in order to promote a more restful sleep, but one of the easiest ones is to set your thermostat to lower the temperature in your home each evening.
Aim to set it for 18.3 degrees Celsius, making minor adjustments up or down to accommodate the comfort of your family members. For instance, infants may sleep better at the upper end of the 15.6 to 19.4 degree range, which will still keep them cool enough to avoid overheating.
Most heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can be conveniently controlled by installing a smart thermostat. This allows you to pre-program your home’s temperature, or adjust it even after you’ve already climbed into bed. It’s also ideal if you often wake up in the middle of the night feeling warm. Lowering the temperature of your home by a degree or two may help you drift back to sleep faster.
Your HVAC expert can install a smart thermostat that connects to an app on your phone or other devices, making it easier than ever to program your thermostat.
Other tips
In addition to adjusting your HVAC settings, you can make a few other changes that will help you get a cool and restful sleep.
Consider investing in seasonal bedding so that you can swap out your cozy duvet for lightweight blankets in the warmer months. Keeping some throw blankets nearby will allow you to adjust your temperature if you’re too cold.
Choose breathable, light sleepwear in natural fabrics, and open your windows or turn on a fan to lower the temperature in your bedroom naturally.
Humidity can also impact sleep
Humidity, or the concentration of water vapour in the air, can also impact your sleep. Ideally, your home’s humidity should fall in the 30-50% range. If it’s higher than that, your sleep quality may suffer.
Humidity can also cause other problems for your HVAC system and your health. If your home’s humidity is outside of the optimal range, find out how we can help by reading our blog here.
Lower the temperature for higher sleep quality
A good night’s sleep is essential to stay healthy and feel our best. Whyte Ridge’s skilled technicians and full range of HVAC services will ensure your system is working optimally so you can rest easy at night. Find out how we can help you get better sleep and start waking up feeling rested.
