Scientists say this is the optimal temperature range for sleeping -Premier Medical

Ambient temperature is an important environmental factor for falling asleep and staying asleep.

“To initiate sleep, low ambient light and temperature signal the body to secrete sleep-promoting neurotransmitters,” says a sleep neurologist at UT Health Houston. Dr. Sudha Thalavajra, TIRR Memorial Harman Dr., said. “During sleep, our body temperature is regulated in different stages.”

During REM sleep, the human ability to regulate body temperature is reduced.

This means that the body can’t adapt to high temperatures, Taravajra explained. This causes frequent awakenings from sleep.

Participants wore sleep monitors and environmental sensors to monitor sleep length, efficiency, and restlessness. The researchers collected 11,000 nights of sleep and environmental information from 50 older adults.

Studies have shown that sleep efficiency drops by 5-10% when temperatures rise from 77°F to 86°F.

This study highlights the possible impact of climate change on sleep quality in older adults.

“Both climate change and urban-induced warming (a.k.a. the urban heat island effect) could significantly increase nighttime temperatures,” says Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute of Aging, Hebrew Senior Life and said Dr. Amir Baniasadi, principal investigator at Harvard Medical School. “On the other hand, our study found that sleep quality declined rapidly when nighttime temperatures exceeded 77 degrees Celsius. will be

This also means that people who don’t have the money or ability to pay for cooling their homes are at higher risk. In addition, people of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to live in houses and apartments that are prone to overheating, and are more likely to live in denser urban areas with less green space, where the urban heat island effect is more intense. .

Finally, they also have less access to medical care to deal with sleep disruption and poor health consequences, Banaysadi added.

“Several studies are currently investigating the impact of climate change on sleep quality, many of them in adults, and some affecting children,” Taravajra said. Ta. “In general, sleep depth and sleep duration are affected as we age.”

In addition, our physiology also changes with age, preferentially shifting to earlier bedtimes. Elderly people with underlying medical conditions, mental health conditions, underlying sleep disorders, and those taking certain medications are most vulnerable to environmental disruption, Taravajra said.

“With climate change and rising temperatures, the associated disadvantage for people of lower socioeconomic status is usually accompanied by poor housing, high electricity bills, and the inability to afford air conditioning due to noisy environmental conditions. ” added Taravajura. “These layers magnify the underlying physiological changes in older people.”

“We need to prioritize those most at risk in our research to better understand their needs and develop strategies to help them adapt to climate change. Our next step is to focus on people who have less ability to regulate their thermal environment,” Baniasadi said.

They are particularly interested in two groups. The first is the elderly who cannot cool their homes for economic reasons, especially those living in subsidized housing.

Another group is the elderly who cannot regulate their thermal environment due to limited exercise capacity or cognitive decline, Baniasadi explained.

“As an intervention, we want to explore ways to automatically adjust the temperature in the bedroom based on their specific needs,” Baniasadi said.

Consistency is key to improving your sleep health. To do that, you need to adopt certain habits. Tallavajhula recommends:

regular sleep schedule

This is probably the most important. Similar to physical training with exercise, mental training to sleep and wake up at specific times of the day enhances the body’s sleep physiology.

Maintain low light and low temperature

This also enhances sleep tendencies.

If you have trouble falling asleep, some people may benefit from avoiding daytime naps.

Relax at the end of the day

Sustained stimulating activity, especially toward the evening, disrupts the brain’s sleep initiation network. Therefore, people prone to sleep onset insomnia would benefit from a consistent reduced sleep schedule.

Consult a sleep specialist

If all efforts to improve your sleep on your own have failed, the natural next step is to seek help from a sleep medicine expert. Most sleep disorders are treatable with very satisfying results.

A new study shows that the optimal temperature for seniors to sleep is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Climate change can also affect sleep problems.

To get a good night’s sleep, stick to a consistent sleep schedule, keep your bedroom lights and temperatures low, and relax at the end of the day.