With some parts of the country seeing snow recently, it is no surprise that many of us are now heavily relying on the central heating to keep us toasty warm. But did you know that having the bedroom too warm can actually disrupt your sleep and make it difficult to get the rest you need?
Studies show that the temperature of your sleep environment plays a huge role in how well and how long you sleep for. This is because when it’s time for sleep, the body begins to cool down. This tiny drop in the core temperature kicks the circadian rhythm into gear and lets the body know that it’s time to sleep.
Circadian rhythms are the body’s way of regulating sleep-wake cycles, and it turns out the temperature plays a big role in keeping them regular. The body cools down for sleep at night and warms up to wake in the morning. As the body cools, it also releases melatonin, the hormone we use to induce and regulate our sleep.
But if our sleep environments are too warm or too cold for the circadian rhythm to work, then it can play havoc with our sleep patterns and lead to poor sleep.
Warm rooms can lead to hot flushes, night sweats and regular waking to push off the covers, while cold rooms can prevent sleep as the body works overtime to try and warm up.
So, what is the ideal temperature for a great night’s sleep?
Research indicates that our environments need to be between 16-18°C for our natural rhythms to work effectively. Our bodies tend to start cooling down just after sunset, so set your thermostat to the optimum temperature as soon as it gets dark outside to allow your body to cool down and produce melatonin for sleep.
Although it can be tempting to turn the thermostat up before bed, it’s better to keep it between 16-18°C and use extra blankets if you feel too cold.
Cool gel memory foam mattresses are a great way to regulate the body’s temperature at night and sleep monitors also help you to identify when you may be getting too warm or too cold in the night so that you can make adjustments accordingly.
If you would like to find out more about how a REM-Fit Mattress, REM-Fit Sleep Monitoring technology or Zeeq Smart Pillows can help you to get a better night’s rest, please get in touch with our experienced, knowledgeable staff by calling 020 8731 0020 or email us via sales@rem-fit.co.uk.
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