Countless scientific studies have proven that optimum room temperature is also a determining factor for a good night’s sleep. Especially in winter.
This means it is important to be able to regulate your heating system if this is to give you the right temperature at night too.
Indeed, night-time temperature is not necessarily the same as the temperature needed to provide the right comfort during the day.
This article will look at the relationship between sleep and the temperature of the room, providing tips on how to adjust heating for a better night’s sleep.
Sleep and temperature: some information
Quality sleep is hard to achieve if the room is not the right temperature.
Sleep mainly consists of two phases: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) characterised by rapid movements of the eye under the lid and preceded by a an NREM (non REM) phase, or rather a non-rapid movement of the eyes which is typical of the falling asleep phase, when the heartbeat slows down, the muscles relax, and the brain waves reach their lowest possible levels.
We usually enter the REM phase 90 minutes after we fall asleep, and it features breathing and heartbeat that are similar to those upon waking.
At night, therefore, we alternate between NREM and REM sleep; the REM phases are longer and deeper, and more important when it comes to sleep in general.
During REM sleep, the body, although the brain is active, is unable to regulate body temperature, as it would do during a normal active phase of wakefulness.
If the temperature in the room is not right and the room is too hot or too cold, the brain is forced to “wake up” to regulate the body’s temperature and in doing so, it interrupts the deep sleep stage.
Research performed by a group of Swiss neuroscientists has specifically pointed out the ability of the human brain to adjust the amount of REM sleep according to the temperature in the room, increasing it at comfortable temperatures.
More research by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, has shown that the ideal temperature for sleeping, able to guarantee the body’s correct thermoregulation, is around 19 degrees.
At this temperature, the body produces melatonin, which definitely promotes comfortable sleep.
Further research, carried out by Auxologico, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) indicates that, as well as a temperature below 20 degrees, good sleep needs a humidity level of less than 55% e in the room.
To achieve this, it is important to make sure that the different rooms in the house are aired regularly, even in winter.
How to boost sleep quality with heating at night
If a cool body produces more melatonin and therefore, better deep sleep, it is a good idea to take great care with using heating at night.
The ideal thing would be to switch off heating completely while people are sleeping to avoid any increase in body temperature during sleep, at a time when the body does not need it.
What’s more, at a lower temperature, the body is induced to burn even more fat, keeping the metabolism active.
Another good tip is to heat the bedroom before going to bed, so that it is the ideal temperature to aid sleep.
Why does a smart heating system mean better sleep?
An excellent aid to guarantee the correct night-time temperature in the bedroom and therefore, a good night's sleep, is to use a smart heating system like IRSAP NOW.
It is a wireless system that can be controlled remotely via smartphone app, but it is above all multizone, making it possible to set a specific temperature in each area of the house.
Not only that but: the Smart Thermostat also allows you to monitor the air quality in the area where it is installed, as well as the humidity and any presence of harmful substances.
These data can be consulted at any time using the IRSAP NOW app, which also provides handy tips on how to improve air quality in every single area, warning, for example, of the need to open the windows and change the air.
The Smart Scheduling function means the system automatically learns the habits of those who live in the house, preparing the ideal temperature in every area, according to the time of day.
To ensure that each area has the correct temperature, there are smart thermovalves, devices that serve to automatically adjust the temperature of the water in the radiators, and also able to communicate any sudden and abnormal changes in temperature, caused, for example, by a window opening, to the system via app, using the Connection Unit,
A smart heating system, as well as bringing wellness, also makes it possible to avoid annoying and very expensive wasted energy, by not having the heating on when it is not needed.
Better sleep means better living: let technology help
We have seen how at night, the temperature in the home is an essential part of guaranteeing quality sleep and the way this is the foundation of everyday wellness.
Very often, this does not happen due to simple distraction, such as forgetting to switch off heating before going to sleep.
Technology, as is the case for the IRSAP NOW smart heating system, can be a genuine aid in maintaining homes at the right temperature conditions, even at night, for a guaranteed good night’s sleep.
