The Warmer the Bedroom, the Poorer the Sleep

Because sleep is associated with a drop in body temperature during the night, bedroom temperature can influence body temperature and sleep. A study using over 3.75 million nights of objectively measured sleep and bedroom temperature data analyzed the associations between habitual bedroom temperatures and sleep. The study found that bedroom temperature was above 70°F for 69% of nights, with the average temperature ranging between 68.8 and 76.2°F. The study also found that, for each 1°F increase in bedroom temperature between 60-85°F, sleep efficiency (time asleep divided by time in bed) decreased. Similarly, higher bedroom temperatures were associated with shorter sleep duration, longer time to fall asleep, and longer awake time during the night. In summary, the study found that that many people sleep in bedrooms that are too warm and that, the warmer the bedroom temperature, the poorer the sleep.