Sleeping in a cold room may be better for your health

According to Dr. Christopher Winter, medical director at Charlottesville Neurology & Sleep Medicine, the temperature in your bedroom should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep. Winter says any temperature above 75 degrees and below 54 degrees can disrupt sleep.

The cost of sleep

According to IMS Health, Americans spent about $2 billion on prescription sleep drugs in 2010.

Estimates of insomnia-related costs in the U.S. have ranged from $30 to $35 billion per year, including everything from medical visits, prescription drugs, ‘sleep consultants’ and luxury mattresses, to the cost of lost workplace productivity.

Read more: Why you need a Nest thermostat

So if you have trouble sleeping, adjusting the room’s temperature could help.

The science behind sleep

The science behind better sleep is simple. Over the course of each day, the body’s temperature rises and falls. When we begin to fall asleep, our bodies naturally cool off. Helping your body get to that lower temperature faster is key to falling asleep quicker.   

Read more: Scientists say a messy bed is a healthier bed

Plus, when the temperature in a room is too hot or too cold, the body will work to regulate its temperature, leaving you tossing and turning all night. When it doesn’t have to work overtime, the body can relax more, resulting in deeper sleep.  

Other benefits of sleeping in a cooler room

Temperatures in the 60s allow your body to release more melatonin, which has been shown to protect brain health and fight against cancers, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Studies also show that melatonin improves weight control by increasing ‘beige’ fat, a heat-generating type of fat that helps the body burn calories.