Body & Mind

This is the perfect sleep temperature for your age

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Woman lies awake in bed in a dark bedroom, illustrating the consequences of an incorrect sleep temperature.

If you often find it difficult to sleep well, the bedroom temperature might be the culprit. I don't know about you, but when I sleep in a hotel, I always wake up with puffy eyes and often need an hour to recover. The reason? The too high bedroom temperature that most hotels maintain. And that's understandable, because our ideal temperature for the bedroom is between 20 and 21 degrees. But in hotels, the sleeping and living spaces are often connected, and it can be difficult to open the window for some fresh air. At home, I am also a comfort seeker, so we always keep the temperature at 21.5 degrees. But this is not the ideal bedroom temperature for a good night's sleep!

What is the ideal bedroom temperature?

The ideal bedroom temperature varies depending on your age. Children should not sleep in a room that is too cold; for them, 20 degrees is the perfect bedroom temperature. As an adult, you can set your bedroom temperature between 16 and 20 degrees. Many people find 18 degrees ideal for a good night's sleep because you often have your head and arms (little hands above the covers 😊) outside the covers, which can make it too cold at 16 degrees. But 18 degrees is often considered the best bedroom temperature.

’At night, your head and body cool down, and your heart rate and blood sugar levels drop. Studies show that a too high temperature in the bedroom disrupts this natural process and thereby increases the chance of insomnia . Researchers recommend sleeping in a room that is between 16 and 20 degrees.

The bizarre benefits of a low bedroom temperature

A lower bedroom temperature temperature has surprising benefits for your health. Recent studies show that sleeping in a cool room not only leads to deeper sleep but can also help with burning fat. This is because your body needs to expend less energy cooling down, and this energy can now be used to counteract the aging process. This effect is similar to the benefits of not eating too late: if you eat too late, your body is busy digesting food and doesn't have enough energy to perform other important processes.

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Disadvantages of sleeping too warm

Aside from the puffy eyes , there are more disadvantages to sleeping in a too warm room. In a warm room, you reach less well the REM sleep and the Slow Wave Sleep phase, both important phases for recovery and energy. A disrupted sleep cycle often leads to increased cortisol production, the stress hormone, which in turn has consequences for your health.

How do you sleep best at low temperatures?

  • Open the window: Make sure to only open a window if it is colder outside than inside. This helps to keep the room temperature stable without it getting too cold.
  • Choose a good duvet: Sleep under a duvet made of goose down feathers, which help regulate warmth.
  • Mattress choice: Opt for a firm mattress. With a soft mattress, you sink deeper, making it harder for your body to release heat. Although I personally love sleeping on a soft mattress, it is recommended to lie on a firmer mattress for the best sleep quality.