Is it bad to sleep in a cold room? Sleeping in a cold room is okay as long as you're comfortable with the temperature. If you're healthy, the crisp air is unlikely to make you sick. Instead, sleeping in a cold room has many benefits like reduced insomnia symptoms, better melatonin production, and deeper sleep.
One study found that sleeping in a room set to 66 degrees can help prevent certain metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Study participants not only burned more calories when they were awake, but also nearly doubled their amount of brown fat, or good fat, which allows the body to store fewer calories.
The best room temperature for sleep is approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). This may vary by a few degrees from person to person, but most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius) for the most comfortable sleep.
“Even though it's considered healthier to sleep in a cooler room as opposed to a heated one, if you're too cold during sleep, your body may alter its cardiac autonomic response, which means your heart rate will increase and you may find it even harder to have a good night's sleep.”
“You can't get sick from being cold in general, whether you are outside or inside,” Fecher says. “Can you get sick from being cold? Yes, but not in terms of a cold or the flu. This comes from frostbite and/or even hypothermia.
Cold air inflames lungs and inhibits circulation, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma attacks or symptoms, worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and infection.
They recommend an indoor temperature of at least 18 degrees, declaring that you face health risks at lower temperatures.
How cold is too cold? Below 13° - If your home is this cold, it may increase your blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. 14-15° - If your home is this cold, you may be diminishing your resistance to respiratory diseases. 18° - This is the recommended night time bedroom temperature.
World Health Organization Standards
An appropriately dressed adult who is considered normal and healthy should be comfortable in a room that is approximately 18 degrees C (64 degrees F). If you are prone to respiratory problems or allergies, you should never set your thermostat below 16 degrees C (61 degrees F).
Dry air can worsen your cold symptoms and parch your nose and throat. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist or open up a window for fresh cool air – just don't let the snow in. 3.
For most people, the temperature in the bedroom at night should not exceed 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and it should be even lower for people that sleep best in a cool bedroom.
Cold air can dry out the tissue in the throat and can cause severe irritation. Symptoms can be made worse when breathing through the mouth rather than the nose.
Everyone's different, which means what's comfortable as a bedroom temperature will vary. However, as a rough rule of thumb, the Sleep Council recommends that the optimum temperature is between 16C and 18C, with slightly higher temperatures for younger children and elderly adults.
Most scientists agree that the best room temperature for sleep is approximately 18.3 degrees Celsius, although this can vary from person to person between roughly 15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius. For most people, a bedroom temperature below 15.6 degrees Celsius is too cold for optimum sleep.
The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating your home to between 18 to 21 degrees celsius during winter. And The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests 18 degrees is the ideal temperature for healthy and well-dressed people. Both agree this is also the ideal temperature for sleeping.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends indoor temperatures of at least 64°F (you can drop that down to 62°F at night if you're really looking to save on your heating bill). But if you have infants, sick or elderly people in your household, then it's recommended that you keep the thermostat set at 70°F.
Ideally you should heat your home to a temperature of at least 18 °C. This is particularly important if you have reduced mobility, are 65 or over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease. Having room temperatures slightly over 18 °C could be good for your health.
Put simply, cold weather alone doesn't make you ill. However, it can increase your chances of becoming ill. This is partly why illnesses such as colds and flu (influenza) are more common in winter months.
Cold air is often dry air, and for many, especially those with chronic lung disease, that can spell trouble. Dry air can irritate the airways of people with lung diseases. This can lead to wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
Sleeping without a pillow may help some people who sleep on their front. It can help keep the spine and the neck in alignment during sleep, easing neck and back pain. It is not a good idea for everyone, though. People who sleep on their back or side might find that sleeping without a pillow causes neck or back pain.
This all depends upon how late, and how regular, a person's sleep patterns are. For example, falling to sleep at 4 am and waking at 12 pm will cause a person to miss out on a large amount of daylight, especially in winter. This can be problematic for various reasons, including our physical and emotional health.
We do not recommend sleeping for only one hour at night. Some research suggests that lost sleep can take years off your life and that you may not be able to catch up on the lost hours of rest. This is because consistent sleep deprivation can cause a myriad of chronic health issues in people over time.