Everything You Need To Know
“How did you sleep?” are often the first words we say to someone in the morning after, perhaps, “Is there coffee?”. Whether you’re a night owl who struggles to get to sleep, a light sleeper who wakes at the slightest noise or a worrier plagued by racing midnight thoughts, we are all searching for that one recipe that ensures a decent night’s sleep. As our wakeful hours become more frantic and our need for rest becomes more pressing, we are desperate for our sleep to be, well, perfect.
There are of course many factors that lead to a good night’s sleep but the one we want to focus on today is temperature: why it’s so crucial and all importantly, what is the ideal temperature for those uninterrupted eight hours of sleep.
How does temperature impact your sleep?
Being too hot or too cold means you are more likely to wake up and your restorative, slow-wave sleep (the sleep stage where you get the most rest) may be shorter.
Too hot - As you get tired in the evening, your body temperature will drop slightly which might make it tempting to turn up the thermostat in the bedroom before bed. Resist this urge if you can, as a warm, stuffy room is much more likely to negatively impact your ability to get to sleep and lower the quality of the sleep itself. Tossing, turning and sweating due to an overheated room is never going to lead to a restful night.
Too cold - While a cold bedroom is generally considered better for sleep than a warm one, if you’ve ever woken up shivering under a blanket that is too thin, you’ll know how badly that can impact your night! Ensure that your bedding is the right weight for the season and keep a blanket at hand for those chillier nights.
So, what is the optimal room temperature?
The general consensus is that for the ideal night’s sleep, keep your bedroom between 16-19.5 degrees Celsius (60-67 degrees Fahrenheit). This might well be cooler than the rest of your house and where possible, try to keep your bedrooms slightly cooler than the rooms you spend time in throughout the day, either by regulating your radiators accordingly or setting a thermostat in your bedroom.
Do babies need warmer rooms?
Infants may benefit from a room a few degrees warmer (up to 20.5 degrees C / 69 degrees F) as, up until 11-12 weeks, their still-developing bodies are more sensitive to room temperature. It is not recommended for a baby to sleep in a room much above this, where possible.
Our tips on maintaining the ideal temperature for sleep:
- A flow of fresh air is great for sleep and will get rid of old, musty air along with any feelings of stuffiness. If you can, leave the window open. An open window, even on cooler winter nights, will help keep you asleep longer (provided the bin lorry doesn’t wake you up in the early hours!)
- What you sleep in makes a huge difference to maintaining an ideal body temperature. Make sure your bedding is made from natural fibres. Naturally, we recommend linen bedding, known for its amazing temperature-regulating properties and moisture-wicking abilities.
- Ensure your sleepwear is also made from natural materials. Synthetic fabrics can facilitate sweating which, when it cools, leaves you cold and uncomfortable.
- On hot, sunny days, keep your curtains or blinds closed to keep out as much heat as possible.
- Lastly, keep your bedrooms cooler than the rest of your house or set your bedroom thermostat so that it drops in the evening. Getting dressed for bed might feel a little chillier, but it will make your night’s sleep so much better.
For more inspiration on natural bedding options, look for Piglet in Bed’s Bedding Bundle Builder, as well as our full range of natural Duvet Covers and Pillowcases.
