What is the best temperature for sleep?
Here’s why cooler nights result in better sleep
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When you’re curled up on yourbest mattress, it can feel like the rest of the world simply disappears. But as comfortable as your bedding cocoon might be, if you want to get the best night’s sleep, then it’s important to consider your entire sleep environment – and that includes the temperature in your bedroom.
“We suggest maintaining a cool bedroom temperature for optimal sleep,” says James Higgins, founder and CEO ofEthical Bedding. “It supports the body’s natural dip in core temperature that occurs during sleep, promoting deeper and more restful sleep cycles.” In the bedroom, this translates to an ambient temperature around roughly 65 degrees Fahrenheit / 18 degrees Celsius.
A cooler bedroom isn’t just a way to save on your heating bills – these lower temperatures are a way to keep your environment in sync with your circadian rhythms. In this guide, we’ll take a look at why lower temperatures are better for your rest, plus some advice on how to achieve that perfect sleep environment.
What is the best temperature for sleeping?
The best temperature for sleeping is between 60 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit, (16 to 19 degrees Celsius). Our internal body temperature peaks in the afternoon, gradually lowering as we get closer to bedtime and cooling further as we sleep, before rising slowly in the morning as we prepare to wake up. When the bedroom is cooler, our body recognizes this as a cue that it’s time to sleep, while a warmer room tells your circadian rhythms to wake up.
How temperature affects sleep
Ambient temperature plays an important role in how well we sleep, so you want to avoid a bedroom that’s too hot (or too cold). Astudy from 2015found that high temperatures could cause fatigue, whileresearch from 2022linked increased temperatures during the night to worse sleep efficiency and quality. And a 20122012 studyconcluded that temperature was a key factor in sleep quality, with heat affecting sleep stages and thermoregulation.
If you’re struggling tosleep in hot weather, try opening a window at night or using an electric fan to cool the room. Taking a lukewarm shower in the evening and drinking a glass of cold water can also help keep your body temperature down.
And consider the role your bed itself might play. A cooling pillow is an easy way to upgrade your sleep setup – we have some excellent options in ourbest pillowguide – or if you regularly struggle withnight sweats,consider investing in one of thebest cooling mattresses.
Can it get too cold in the bedroom?
Although we recommend keeping the bedroom on the cooler side – so your environment supports your body as it prepares for sleep – don’t make your bedroom frigid. “There is a point where the room gets too cold,” says Lisa Artis, deputy CEO atSimbaSleep’s charity partner,The Sleep Charity. She warns that a cold bedroom “could cause you to wake up and take a while to get back to sleep while you warm up. Especially when the outside temperature drops to its lowest in the early hours.”
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Temperature, light, and comfortare all important for achieving a good night’s rest, and if your icy bedroom leaves you shivering, it will be hard to get comfortable. We have some advice onhow to keep your bedroom warm without turning the heating on, so you can stay cozy during a cold snap.
And sometimes, it is better to prioritize comfort over the cooler nights. Dr Lindsay Browning, psychologist, neuroscientist and sleep expert atAnd So To Bedsuggests that, “when you are unwell you might want your room a little hotter or cooler than ‘sleep recommendations.’ It’s always important to listen to your body and do what feels right for you.”
However, as anyone who has spent the night searching for the cooler side of the pillow can attest, a lot of the time, what your body wants is a lower temperature in the bedroom. Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite bedding choices for maintaining this perfect ambient temperature.
Bedding for maintaining the right temperature
For UK sleepers…
Ethical Bedding Eucalyptus & Bamboo PillowThe Ethical Bedding Eucalyptus & Bamboo pillow is built with breathable materials to create a cooler overnight experience. Both naturally temperature regulating and affordable, it’s a great starting point for anyone looking to create a more sleep-friendly bed setup.
Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 duvetConsisting of a 3.5 tog duvet and a 7 tog duvet, the Simba Hybrid 3-in-1 is a versatile bedding option. On warm nights, use the 3.5 tog duvet alone, switch to the 7 tog on milder evenings, or combine the two when it gets particularly cold. Our tester was impressed with how easy the duvets are to detach and attach – learn more with ourSimba Hybrid 3-in-1 duvet review.
Simba Hybrid Firm pillowWith a cool cotton cover and Simba’s Stratos heat control tech, the Simba Hybrid Firm pillow can help you keep a cool head overnight. Interior removable layers allow you to adjust the pillow to suit your height and sleep style, and our tester found it best for combination and back sleepers. Learn more with ourSimba Hybrid Firm pillow review.
For US sleepers…
Layla Kapok PillowThe Layla Kapok pillow is stuffed with a removable fill that means you can adjust the comfort level to your liking. We were impressed with the temperature regulation during ourLayla Kapok Pillow review, thanks to the breathable cover and the open-cell memory foam fill.
Casper Down PillowThere are five chambers within the Casper Down Pillow and each one has its own carefully balanced level combination of down and feathers. This multi-chamber design results in an adaptable build, while the cover is cool to the touch. Read more with ourCasper Down Pillow review.
Purple mattressIf you’re regularly waking up hot and sweaty, it might be worth investing in a cooling mattress – our top choice is the Purple bed. An unusual take on a hybrid mattress, the Purple contains an open GelFlex Grid design that helps air circulate for a cooler night. Take a look at ourPurple mattress review, to learn more about this unique bed.
Ruth is TechRadar’s Sleep Writer. She’s here to help you find the perfect sleep setup for your budget and personal preferences. As well as keeping a keen eye on everything that’s going on in the world of mattresses, she regularly speaks to experts to help you learn how to improve your sleep habits, whether that’s by debunking sleep myths or explaining the science behind it all. Prior to joining the TechRadar team, she wrote features and product guides for new parents hoping to get a decent night’s sleep, as well as writing for a variety of online spaces.
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