According to Dr. Kelvas, when the room is too hot or cold, the body has difficulty regulating these hormones, which can lead to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
The common recommendation for ambient room temperature is in the range of 60 °F (15.5 °C) to 68 °F (20 °C), as per the Sleep Foundation. It’s been found to aid the body’s thermoregulatory process to promote healthy sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) and good quality sleep overall.
Temperature plays a crucial role in regulating both the body and sleep. The human body maintains its core temperature through mechanisms like sweating, shivering, and blood flow regulation. Sweating cools the body by releasing heat, while shivering generates heat through muscle contractions. Vasodilation and vasoconstriction help regulate temperature by adjusting blood flow.
Temperature also influences sleep stages, particularly by signaling the body’s circadian rhythm. Core body temperature naturally drops before sleep, facilitating deep sleep stages like slow-wave sleep (SWS) and REM sleep. A cool room helps promote the drop in body temperature, aiding sleep quality by enhancing melatonin production and reducing cortisol levels.
Warm temperatures, however, disrupt sleep, reducing REM and SWS, and increasing wakefulness. Humidity exacerbates this, preventing the body from cooling effectively. Conversely, cooler rooms enhance sleep by supporting the body’s natural thermoregulation, helping you fall asleep faster and stay in restorative sleep stages. Cold environments also activate brown fat, contributing to better weight management and lower disease risk, including type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
