Waking up in the middle of night to a hot, sticky room or freezing cold temperatures can easily ruin a perfect night of sleep. As a member of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Michael Gardner shared some helpful tips with The Huffington Post on how to keep your bedroom temperature just right for optimal sleep:
1. Keep your bedroom between 62 and 72 degrees: Dr. Grander says that most people can find their optimal temperature for shut-eye within this 10 degree range, making it hotter or colder can lead to sleep disruptions.
2. Layer up for sleep: As you sleep, your body is interacting with the temperature of not only your bedroom but, your blankets and pajamas. Dressing in layers allows you to adjust the temperature throughout the night without having to get up.
3. Watch your spicy food intake at dinner: Eating spicy foods, especially at dinner time can raise your body temperature, making it more difficult to fall asleep and stay there.
4. Enjoy a long, hot bath: This indulgence has been proven by studies to help make it easier to fall asleep as the bath raises your body temperature then, dramatically decreases it when you get out.
While you may feel comfortable at one temperature at the beginning of dozing off, that can drastically change in the middle of your snooze. Give these sleep hygiene tips a try and let us know what you think!
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