People who have sleeping problems will resort to various remedies to try to find rest, from extended runs to exhaust themselves to taking sleeping pills. If you’re having trouble getting to sleep every night, the right temperature settings for your heating and cooling system may be just the solution you need. Birdwell Heating and Cooling shares how your HVAC system can help you sleep better.
Your Internal Thermostat
Comfort is an important part of inducing natural sleep. More importantly, your body has to have the same level of comfort throughout its various sleep states. It’s like having an internal thermostat in your body; to reach the first sleep state, your body needs to be at a certain temperature level, usually slightly lower than when you’re awake. A room that’s too warm or too cold will make falling asleep take longer, and can also cause you to wake up once you’ve fallen asleep. You may not be consciously aware of the discomfort, but your body reacts to it as you sleep.
If the room temperature is a few degrees off, it may affect the quality of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, also known as the dreaming stage. This is the stage where your body reaches full relaxation and turns off your body’s responses. This is the reason why your body doesn’t act out your dreams while you sleep. And if you get woken up in the middle of the night, having your room at a comfortable temperature will make it easier for you to fall back asleep.
The Right Temperature for Sleeping
What’s a comfortable temperature for you may not be as comfortable for someone else, so finding the right temperature may involve a few nights of trial and error as you adjust the heating and cooling settings. It may take a bit longer in shared rooms, as well. The best temperature for each person varies, but usually falls somewhere between 65 and 70 degrees.
Zoned HVAC systems make it easier to customize individual room temperatures. If you’re using mechanical thermostats, considering switching to programmable ones. Since comfortable sleeping temperatures are generally lower than waking temperatures, you may find it uncomfortably cold as you wake. A programmable thermostat will automatically raise the room temperature during specific times of the day, so you don’t have to worry about remembering to make the adjustments yourself. Certain models can even be programmed for different weekday/weekend settings.
Birdwell Heating and Cooling is your number one provider of AC repair, maintenance and installation services. Give us a call at (256) 229-3009 or fill out our contact form. We serve clients in Rogersville, AL, and surrounding areas.
