Lebron James, one of the superstars of the National Basketball Association, needs his sleep as much as he needs practice. For him to play his absolute best during games, the King prioritises his sleep. He achieves this by setting his room’s thermostat at the ideal sleeping temperature. For him, the bedroom temperature must be at 20-21 degrees Celsius (68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
- A cool room helps with quality sleep, while a hot room causes sleep cycle interruptions.
- As core body temperature decreases, cooler temperatures ensure a comfortable sleep and allow you to fall asleep faster. Warmer temperatures keep you restless, making it hard to nod off.
- Find the right temperature for you so that you can consistently enjoy a good night’s rest.
Why Does Room Temperature Matter?
Athletes are not the only ones who need cooler rooms for better sleep. Ordinary sleepers like you can actually benefit from the airflow. If you’re a hot sleeper, you know that setting the room temperature above your comfort zone could cause overheating, and when you’re hot, sleep quality drops. Turn up your air conditioning! You’ll sleep more comfortably and have a good night’s sleep.
How Is Body Temperature Affected?
The science of it all lies in your body’s circadian rhythm. The so-called “body clock” regulates your sleep cycle, meaning, it tells you when to wake up and when to rest. How does it know? It takes cues from several environmental factors such as light, activity, and temperature.
Related to the circadian rhythm is your body’s thermoregulation. Your body itself has an internal temperature that fluctuates throughout the day to help with biological processes. One process is your sleep cycle.
When you hit the sack, you go through several rounds of the sleep cycle. The sleep cycle itself has four stages: the first three stages are known as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and the last stage is the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Throughout these four stages, your body’s temperature regulation revolves around 37 degrees Celsius. It either rises or dips by two degrees.
The drop in body temperature actually begins two hours before you hit the sack. The body releases melatonin, and you feel sleepy. Your temperature continues to drop when you enter NREM sleep, especially in the third stage of slow-wave sleep. You feel cooler at this stage. Your blood vessels are expanded for maximum blood flow. You are relaxed.
When you hit REM sleep, your body starts heating up, but right before you wake up from the heat, the sleep cycle begins again. A cool room temperature is crucial during this stage of sleep. If the room’s hot, you get too hot and wake up, interrupting your sleep. If your room’s at the ideal room temperature, you stay cool and continue sleeping.
Can It Get Too Cold for Your Own Good?
With this fuss overheat, you may think that a frigid room is a way to go. Well, too bad. The cold isn’t so good either. Although not as disruptive as heat, the cold also makes it hard to enjoy the z’s. Your body will work extra to keep you warm. You’ll be uncomfortable, and breathing will be shallower. In the end, you still can’t doze off. The cold is good, but too much of a good can be a bad thing.
What Is the Best Temperature According to Experts and Sleepers?
Now, how do you find the best sleeping temperature? You can start with what the experts recommend. Sleep psychologist Michelle Drerup, PsyD considers levels between 15 to 19 degrees Celsius as ideal. Other sleep experts recommend the same temperature.
Meanwhile, Redditors differ in their preferred temperature. A few fall within the range that experts recommend. Others go over 20 degrees Celsius, while some even go as high as 26 degrees Celsius. The variations depend on the weather, the season, location, and personal tolerance.
What Is Your Optimal Sleeping Temperature?
How about you? How do you like your sleeping environment? There’s no easy way to find your ideal room temperature except through trial and error. You can first set your thermostat within the expert-recommended range. If you think you can go lower, then drop the temperature the next day. Play around and you’ll find the level perfect for you.
Temperature’s Not the Only Way to Cool Down or Sleep Well
Air conditioning costs to power and money. It may not be best for you to go as low as 15 degrees Celsius. Fortunately, there are other ways to stay cool. Ecosa mattresses are specifically made to keep sleepers cool at night. Pair them with Ecosa’s beddings for better airflow. You can also shower under warm water before bed; this helps your body cool down after. Keep your room dark as well.
In fact, by keeping your room dark, you not only cool yourself, you help improve your sleep quality too. Add in some white noise or ambient sounds to help relax you. You can follow other sleep tips that will help you sleep. As long as you keep your room cold and at the right temperature, you have already taken a big step towards sleep wellness.
Set the Thermostat at the Right Level and Have a Good Night’s Sleep
Temperature plays a big part in good sleep hygiene, better quality sleep, and solid sleep patterns. Too much heat will only lead to waking interruptions. Keep your room at the right temperature and you can enjoy a comfortable and deep sleep every single night. You may not be Lebron James, but you can definitely sleep like him. In the comfort and good health.