Gina Johnson
Our bodies are designed to cool down as we sleep, which is why many people prefer a cold room when they go to bed. This is because a lower body temperature aids energy conservation, which would have been beneficial for our ancestors who struggled to find enough food. A cool room can also help you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Drop in temperature | Connected to a decrease in metabolism |
| Regulated by the circadian rhythm | |
| Aids energy conservation | |
| Signals to the brain that it's time to rest | |
| Optimal room temperature | Between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) |
| Relates to the body's internal temperature regulation |
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What You'll Learn
A cool room helps you settle into sleep
A cool, but not cold, room will help you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night. A room temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) is optimal because it relates to your body’s internal temperature regulation. Your body’s internal temperature shifts during a 24-hour period. You begin to shed warmth around the time you go to bed and continue to cool down until reaching your low point near daybreak.
The drop in temperature is connected to a decrease in metabolism, which is thought to be regulated by our circadian rhythm. Metabolic rate can drop as much as 15% in humans during sleep, signalling to our brains that it’s time to rest. A lower body temperature at night also aids energy conservation.
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A lower body temperature aids energy conservation
Having a period of time when we use as little energy as possible would have been beneficial for our ancestors, who likely struggled to find enough food. Our core temperature continues to drop until about halfway through the sleep cycle, when it reaches its minimum. The timing of this can vary depending on whether we are 'morning people' or 'night owls'. Morning people reach their lowest temperature after 3.5 hours, while night owls take longer at 6.01 hours.
Our body's internal temperature shifts during a 24-hour period. We begin to shed warmth around the time we go to bed and continue to cool down until reaching our low point near daybreak. A room temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) is optimal because it relates to our body's internal temperature regulation.
Infants may need a slightly higher room temperature for sleep, but it's important to avoid turning up the thermometer more than a few extra degrees to prevent them from getting overheated.
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Sleep is essential for boosting your immune system
Your body's temperature decreases before sleep. A cool, but not cold, room will help you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night. Your body's internal temperature shifts during a 24-hour period. You begin to shed warmth around the time you go to bed and continue to cool down until you reach your low point near daybreak. Getting cold at night is normal and signals to your brain that you are ready to sleep. Your core temperature continues to drop until about halfway through the sleep cycle, when it reaches its minimum.
A lower body temperature at night also aids energy conservation. Having a time (such as sleep) when you use as little energy as possible would have been beneficial for our ancestors, who likely struggled to find enough food.
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Your body temperature decreases before sleep
The timing of this can vary depending on whether you are a 'morning person' or a 'night owl'. A 2001 sleep study found that morning people reached their lowest temperature after 3.5 hours, while night owls took longer at 6.01 hours.
A cool room can help you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night. A room temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) is optimal as it relates to your body's internal temperature regulation.
The drop in temperature is connected to a decrease in metabolism, which is thought to be regulated by our circadian rhythm. A lower body temperature at night also aids energy conservation, which would have been beneficial for our ancestors who likely struggled to find enough food.
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Morning people reach their lowest temperature after 3.5 hours
Our bodies are naturally programmed to feel cold at night, and this is a signal to our brains that it's time to sleep. Our core temperature continues to drop until about halfway through the sleep cycle, when it reaches its minimum. The timing of this varies depending on whether you are a "morning person" or a "night owl". Morning people reach their lowest temperature after 3.5 hours, while night owls take longer at 6.01 hours.
The reason we feel cold at night is connected to a decrease in metabolism, which is thought to be regulated by our circadian rhythm. Our metabolic rate can drop by as much as 15% during sleep, which signals to our brains that it's time to rest. A lower body temperature at night also aids energy conservation, which would have been beneficial for our ancestors, who likely struggled to find enough food.
A cool, but not cold, room will help you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night. A room temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) is optimal because it relates to your body's internal temperature regulation. Your body's internal temperature shifts during a 24-hour period. You begin to shed warmth around the time you go to bed and continue to cool down until reaching your low point near daybreak.
The timing of your lowest body temperature also depends on your sleep chronotype. Morning people, or those who prefer to go to bed early and wake up early, reach their lowest temperature after 3.5 hours of sleep. On the other hand, night owls, or those who prefer to stay up late and sleep in, take longer to reach their lowest temperature, typically around 6.01 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
A cool room helps you settle into and maintain sleep throughout the night. Your body temperature decreases before sleep, so a cool room can aid this process.
A room temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15.5°C and 18.3°C) is optimal because it relates to your body’s internal temperature regulation.
Researchers believe that the drop in temperature is connected to a decrease in metabolism, which is thought to be regulated by our circadian rhythm. A lower body temperature at night also aids energy conservation.
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