What is the optimal temperature for sleeping?

Do you wake up in the middle of the night feeling cold or sweating?

It's probably because you're trying to sleep in a room where the temperature is off. Below, we'll cover the relationship between sleep and temperature, and share some tips for sleeping at the optimal temperature.

What is the optimal temperature for sleeping?

As with most things, the answer would be: "It depends."

Doctors say that the ideal temperature for sleeping is between 15 and 19 degrees. But of course, there is an additional margin outside this suggested range.

But why is the temperature recommended by experts so much lower than our normal body temperature?

There is an easy answer: When we fall asleep, our body cools down a bit. Therefore, what would otherwise feel like a comfortable temperature, when we are sleeping we feel too hot. This excessive heat prevents us from being able to rest in the most optimal way throughout the night.

What happens when your room isn't at the optimal temperature for sleeping?

Let’s think about it for a minute…

Your body wants to lower its body temperature, but the environment around you is too hot or too cold.

So what is your body supposed to do?

• If your bedroom is too hot, your body has to expend extra energy to cool itself down. That means it has fewer resources to help your body rest and recover from the day's tiredness. Plus, you won't sleep as well because your body is too hot, and that will make it easier for your sleep to be interrupted.

• If it's too cold, your body will have to use energy to warm itself back up. And that's what your body is supposed to do when you wake up. So, your body is doing the exact opposite of what it's supposed to do to get a good night's sleep, making your sleep even less restful, all while feeling cold.

Either way, it's not good.

Any tips for keeping your room at the optimal temperature?

If you're looking to keep your bedroom at a comfortable sleeping temperature, here are some ideas:

Sleep with multiple layers: Most people love to be warm when they get into bed, which means they choose a big, heavy blanket at bedtime. The problem is that such a blanket can make you too hot to fully enjoy your sleep. Therefore, sleeping with several thinner sheets makes it easier for you to discard unnecessary layers that make you too hot, optimally adjusting your sleeping temperature. 

Have a bedtime and set your thermostat to that time – We know most of us like to reach for our phones before bed, but it’s important not to do so. Not only is blue light bad for falling asleep, but it tricks our bodies into thinking it’s still daylight and not time to go to bed, which reduces the chances of actually falling asleep. Also, it’s important to automate your thermostat to turn down the temperature half an hour before bed, which will help cool your room down to the ideal temperature.

Shower at night – First of all, it’s a good idea to shower before bed for hygiene reasons. It’s also a good idea to shower before bed because the hot water will warm you up and force your body to cool down. That cooling effect can help signal different parts of your body that it’s time to go to sleep.

ZzzBlue can help you sleep 

ZzzBlue has created a memory foam mattress with cutting-edge materials for people looking for quality sleep,

We may not be able to help you program your thermostat, but we can help make sure you're as comfortable as possible when you go to sleep.

If you are looking to improve your sleep quality, check out our mattress.