HVAC Tips / September 7, 2021

The Sleep and Temperature Connection

Quality sleep protects your immune system, increases your alertness, and improves your cognitive functions. Unfortunately, you might struggle to get adequate quality sleep if your bedroom is too cold or too warm. Below is an overview of the connection between good sleep and the temperature of your room.

The Effect

Your body has a natural rhythm that determines when you feel sleepy and awake. Several environmental factors, including temperature, play a role in this rhythm. As the sun starts to set and the temperature falls, your body starts to release a hormone to make you sleepy.

The hormone’s release continues throughout the night until the temperature starts to climb at dawn. Your body then senses it’s time to wake up, and your sleepiness recedes.

High temperatures at night, especially in your bedroom, throw this rhythm off balance. That is why high bedroom temperatures can make you uncomfortable and restless. Indeed, you might struggle to fall asleep even when extremely fatigued. Even if you manage to fall asleep, you might find yourself waking up several times in the night.

Tips

Don’t let your sleep quality suffer because of warm temperatures in your bedroom. Take measures to control the temperature, improve your sleep, and enjoy the associated benefits. Some helpful tips include:

Set the Right Temperature

First, determine the right temperature for you. The exact temperature for you depends on multiple factors, such as:

• Your age
• Your sex
• Your health

Experimentation is the best way to determine your best sleep temperature. Once you get the right temperature, set the thermostat at that level a short time before you go to bed so that the bedroom feels comfortable by the time you go to sleep.

Ensure Even and Consistent Temperatures

Setting the optimal temperature won’t help you much if it fluctuates throughout the night. Take measures to ensure an even temperature throughout the night. Below are some measures that can help.

• Filter change. Regularly change your HVAC system’s air filter so that it doesn’t restrict airflow throughout the house. A restricted air filter will also cause the HVAC to struggle with temperature control.
• Thermostat placement. Proper thermostat placement ensures accurate temperature reading. For example, you shouldn’t place a heat source (such as a light fixture) near the thermostat.
• Zoned heating and cooling. Zoned heating and cooling ensures independent temperature control for each room of the house. For example, you can use the system to lower the bedroom temperature even if others still want higher temperatures in the living room.
• Register clearance. Nothing should block air return and supply registers. Register blockages prevent warm air from leaving the bedroom and cold air from reaching the bedroom.

Don’t forget to service your AC system for efficient operations.

Improve Ventilation

Improved ventilation helps to get rid of stale air. Blowing air across your skin will even help you feel cool. Here are some ways to do this:

• Set the AC fan so that it doesn’t stop blowing air throughout the night
• Ensure nothing is blocking your vents
• Use a ceiling fan over the bed (choose a silent fan that won’t interfere with your sleep)
• Place the return and supply registers in strategic locations so fresh air can circulate before exiting the bedroom
• Talk to your AC technician for additional measures to help improve your house’s ventilation.

Once you know your best temperature for sleeping, the next step is to get your bedroom to attain that temperature every night. However, that can be difficult to do if your HVAC system is acting up. If that’s the case, contact Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar to diagnose and solve your HVAC problems so you can get a comfortable night’s sleep.