You slip into your pajamas, do your nightly skin-care routine and hop into bed. Then, you pile three blankets on top of your body and drift off to sleep. You might want to adjust that last step and stick to just one blanket.
Ugh, really? Yep, and it has to do with not being too warm as you fall asleep. You don’t have to go to bed shivering, but your body prepares itself for sleep by cooling down, so it’s a bad idea to go to bed in an overly warm room. Aim to keep your room temperature between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit—it will naturally aid in the sleep process.
One way to do this? Go to bed with the door open. In a study published by Indoor Air: International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health, scientists observed a group of healthy young adults sleeping over a period of five nights. Those who kept the bedroom door open reported a better and longer night’s sleep than those who slept with the door closed, partially because the open door allows for better ventilation.
Another temperature to keep in mind? That of your pre-bed shower. Taking a piping hot shower before nose-diving into bed sounds pretty blissful, but the first step could actually work against you, according to the National Sleep Foundation. To fall asleep, your body needs to lower its temperature, and a hot shower or bath causes your body temp to rise. If you can’t give up your nightly steam, do it at least two hours before bedtime. If not, keep that water closer to warm than scalding, OK?
