2 changes I made to improve my sleep: temperature

I made two changes to my sleep routine this year.

This is part II. Missed part I? Catch up here.

Culturally, at least in the U.S., we’ve convinced ourselves that sleep is a nice-to-have. We sacrifice sleep quantity (7-9 hours) and sleep consistency (sleep and wake times consistent with our natural circadian rhythms).

In favor of work.
In favor of entertainment, sometimes coupled with social connection, but not always.

The science doesn’t support sleep as a nice-to-have.

Sleep, every night, is critical to

Learning, memory, recovery, mental health, metabolism, immunity, hormone regulation, cell repair and growth, and restoring energy.

What was my goal?

  • I wanted better quality sleep.

    As defined by time spent in the restorative sleep phases of deep sleep and REM.

    As perceived by how much energy I had during the day for work (productivity, focus, creativity), exercise, cooking, housework…any and all of the things I wanted to do.

  • I wanted to reduce the number of times I was waking up in the middle-of-the-night.

  • I wanted to fall asleep faster after getting up in the middle-of-the-night to go to the bathroom.

The second change I made to my sleep routine was temperature.

My sister will laugh when she reads this. Many years ago we were traveling together in Italy. We stayed a few nights in Venice. She’s always liked a cold room. A very cold room.

One night I had trouble sleeping because I was waking up cold. We got into a little dispute the next morning on what were reasonable and unreasonable temperatures for our hotel room’s air conditioner.

Fast forward to today. I’m in my 50s. I’m post-menopause.

In the winter months, and really any time it’s not summer, I’m still cold during the day. Some things never change.

But. 50s me seems to be warmer during sleep.

For many years, I struggled with waking up around 3am and not being able to fall back asleep quickly. I blamed it on my brain.

Several months ago, I decided to pay more attention to what was happening when I woke up in the middle-of-the-night.

I noticed there were times I was uncomfortable because I was hot. Not night sweats hot, but struggling to find the right blanket configuration hot. Is it on? Is it off?

My Whoop sleep data

Here’s the science.

“Sleepiness and sleep propensity are strongly influenced by our circadian clock as indicated by many circadian rhythms, most commonly by that of core body temperature.”

[source]

“The core body temperature (CBT), which also cycles along with the sleep-wake rhythm, decreases during the nocturnal sleep phase and increases during the wake phase repeatedly in a 24-hour circadian rhythm.

This relationship between the sleep-wake rhythm and the circadian rhythm of core body temperature is important for maintaining sleep.”

[source]

In a study using a temperature controlled blanket,

“On the high blanket temperature (HBT) night, subjects had less total sleep time, more frequent and longer awakenings, greater shifting among sleep stages, decreased amounts of stage 1 REM and stages 3 + 4, and delayed onset of deep sleep (stages 3 and 4).”

Recommended room temperature

Sleep scientist Dr. Matthew Walker recommends setting your bedroom temperature to 65–68° F (18° C) to help you fall and stay asleep.

Image by @danlefeb on Unsplash

What did I change?

  • I dress differently, including in the cold winter months. Less is now more.

  • I re-thought my bedding.

    I got rid of my favorite comforter. It was too warm more often than it wasn’t.

  • In the winter months, I turn off my heaters before I go to bed.*

My apartment doesn’t have central air. It’s heated and cooled by a PTAC (packaged terminal air conditioner) unit in the living room and one in the bedroom. City living!

What’s my ideal room temperature?

62 - 64 degrees fahrenheit. I know this because I put a little thermometer I bought for my refrigerator in my bedroom.

Cold, right? That’s under blankets. I’m all about blanket layers these days.

I’m not about cold air blowing on or at me. If that works for you, great.

Are you awake in the middle-of-the-night?

Notice the temperature of your body. How do you feel? A little too warm, a little too cold, or just right?

Have you tried changing the temperature of your room, or other sleeping temperature regulation mechanisms like clothing and bedding, for better sleep? How’d it go?


Thanks for reading!

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Eat plants. 🥦 Hydrate.🚰 Move.🤸 Prioritize sleep. 🛌


Cover image by @blueriverstudio on Unsplash.

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2 changes I made to improve my sleep: darkness