A comfortable bedroom is a crucial aspect of a good night’s sleep, and temperature is one of the biggest influences on comfort. Adjusting the temperature of your room each 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 varying preferences for sleep.

We’ll review what temperatures are better for sleep and why. Then, we’ll provide 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 about 65 degrees. Your specific preferences can have an impact, so anywhere between 63-67 is a good rule of thumb. But why is a cooler temperature more beneficial to sleep in?

Sleep occurs in cycles, and this pattern is known as a circadian rhythm. Our bodies use information including the amount of light and heat around us to keep the circadian rhythm balanced with what’s required 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, dark 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 excess heat while shivering is the muscles’ way of warming themselves up. When you don’t regulate the temperature of your bedroom, even small changes can be noticeable 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 can tell you that infants only have one way to show their dissatisfaction.

Tips for Fine-Tuning Sleep Temperatures

If you’re having trouble sustaining your ideal sleep temperature, there are a few pieces of HVAC equipment that can make a noticeable difference. These products are particularly useful for families, as 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 particular 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 deliver fine-tuned comfort for single rooms or smaller areas. As the name implies, you don’t need any new ductwork, which helps lower 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 easiest ways to make precise, energy-efficient adjustments to the indoor temperature. Intelligent programming can learn how you use your HVAC system and create the best day-to-day schedule. So, if you like a cooler bedroom at night, a smart thermostat will automatically cool things down close to bedtime. They’re compatible with zoning systems and mini-splits too, enhancing your control over the temperature in every room of the house.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep with Airtech Cooling & Heating

If your HVAC system is the reason you can’t fall asleep, let Airtech Cooling & Heating know. We can offer recommendations and quality products ideal for maintaining cozy nighttime temperatures. Schedule an appointment by calling us at 941-377-7956.