Don’t you wish you could still sleep the way you did when you were young? Actually, there are a couple of tricks to getting good sleep that you may not know about — and that don’t involve taking sleep aids. Here’s how to set a good sleep temperature.
Melatonin to the Rescue
Our brains manufacture a hormone called melatonin that helps us sleep. When night falls, our melatonin levels are increased, causing our body temperatures to drop, which leads to drowsiness under the proper circumstances. You need to keep your body temperature low so that you can get a good night’s sleep. Sleeping “hot” keeps you from entering the deeper, more restful stages of sleep. Experts say a room that’s 70 to 75 degrees is really too warm a sleep temperature.
Unfortunately, many of us keep our homes too warm to promote melatonin production. What’s more, the habit of looking at screens, such as televisions and phones, as well as having bright lights on, further inhibits melatonin production.
To simulate the ancient conditions that helped our ancestors fall asleep, we need to have an environment that is cool, dark, and quiet.
How to Promote Melatonin Production
Obviously, you can turn off lights and keep your home quiet. But you can also set your thermostat lower this winter and allow conditions to get cooler. Experts say that 65 degrees is an optimal temperature for producing melatonin. Even better is a range of 60 to 65 degrees. You can always add a light blanket if you feel too chilly.
If you feel like you can’t afford to run an air conditioner in summer low enough to achieve an optimal sleep temperature, try running a fan to help you cool off. In winter, though, running a lower temperature will actually help you save money on your utility bill.
If setting your thermostat this low seems to be too big a challenge, try lowering it a few degrees at a time until you get used to it.
For more on sleep temperature, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing of Indianapolis.
