CHAPTER 32: KEEP IT COOL
By DARIUS CREED
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Sleep temperature has always been a point of contention for many couples. One person wants it warmer while the other person wants it cooler. It seems that it’s typically the man who wants a cooler room. I know that has always been the case for me. Well, when it comes to sleep quality, it actually is a better idea to adjust that dial down a few notches.
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Cooler is Better Than Being Tired and Bitter
The circadian rhythm is influenced by temperature (Sweeney & Hastings, 1960). Excess heat can adversely impact this sleep clock.
Moreover, if the body is too warm, not only will sleep latency (how long it takes to fall asleep) be delayed but the heat will also interfere with thermal load and the body’s sleep stages. More specifically, sleeping in uncomfortably warm ambient temperatures will disrupt thermoregulation, decrease slow-wave sleep (SWS), decrease rapid-eye movement (REM), and increase wakefulness (Okamoto-Mizuno & Mizuno, 2012).
A comfortable and cool environment promotes relaxation and makes falling asleep and staying asleep much easier. According to the research, an ambient temperature range of 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius), has been shown to improve sleep the best (Pacheco, 2023) for most people.
Just remember that you’re going to need to set that temperature to the ideal range an hour or two before bedtime, not at the time you go to bed. Otherwise, you may find it a challenge to fall asleep until the ideal temperature is reached.
If your spouse or significant other insists on a warmer sleep environment, a compromise of one or two degrees may be doable. But anything warmer than that could be pushing it. If the suggested temperature is still too cold for your partner, suggest that she (or he) use some additional warming layers so you can both be happy.
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Individual Preference Matters
Of course, the recommended temperature range is nothing more than a guide. It isn’t a wise idea to make the temperature too cold either. The effect can be just as disruptive (Pacheco, 2023).
You may be the type of person who is exceptionally prone to being chilled. Your age, gender, and metabolism all play a role; so, the recommended temperature may need to be slightly higher for you. As a for-instance, a sedentary 80-year-old woman would probably not enjoy her sleep temperature at the same setting as an athletic 25-year-old man.
If the temperature range I mentioned earlier feels too rigid then a good rule of thumb is to simply set your temperature gauge for a slightly cooler ambient temperature than what you normally experience during the day (perhaps by about three to five degrees cooler). I know that some readers may be concerned with the additional financial cost of running the AC for longer periods each night, but I would argue that the cost of losing sleep and hurting one’s health can impose greater consequences. ??
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NOTE
What you are reading is a small portion of a book I put together with Dr. Catherine Divingian. Most chapters were written by me, while other chapters were written by her. Some of the material was written by both of us.
I originally wanted to post the entire ebook at once, but given its size, I came to realize that is not practical. There are four main parts to this book, each with its corresponding chapter/s. Every day, I will post a chapter until the entire book has been fully posted into LinkedIn. The first day will be the book Title, Medical Disclaimer, Table of Contents, Preface, How to Use This Book, and Introduction. The next day forward will be all the Part intros and the chapters, one per day.
Most of the chapters are fairly short. No long stories. We make it a point to get to the point. This is deliberate. We wanted to keep the chapters short so you can make the most of the information without burning up too much of your time doing so. For busy professionals this is a good thing.
Anyone who wants a copy of the ebook—in its entirety—is free to DM me. We will be happy to send you a digital copy as our gift to you.
Rest well.
Darius Creed (& Dr. D)
SOURCES
Okamoto-Mizuno, K., & Mizuno, K. (2012). Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm.?Journal of Physiological Anthropology,?31(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-6805-31-14
Pacheco, D. (2023, November 8). Best temperature for sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www .sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep
Sweeney, B. M., & Hastings, J. W. (1960). Effects of temperature upon diurnal rhythms.?Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology,?25, 87–104. https://doi.org/10.1101/sqb.1960.025.01.009
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