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Cooler bedroom temperatures help the heart recover during sleep:
Maintaining a bedroom temperature of 24°C [75°F] at night while sleeping reduces stress responses in older adults, according to new Griffith University research.
Dr Fergus O'Connor from Griffith's School of Allied Health, Sport and Social Work assessed the effect of increasing nighttime bedroom temperatures on heart rate and stress responses in older adults.
"For individuals aged 65 years and over, maintaining overnight bedroom temperatures at 24°C reduced the likelihood of experiencing heightened stress responses during sleep," Dr O'Connor said.
"When the human body is exposed to heat, its normal physiological response is to increase the heart rate.
"The heart is working harder to try and circulate blood to the skin surface for cooling.
"However, when the heart works harder and for longer, it creates stress and limits our capacity to recover from the previous day's heat exposure."
Study participants wore fitness activity trackers on their non-dominant wrist, and the bedroom temperature was monitored via installed temperature sensors throughout the Australian summer-long data collection period.
The data from the study provided the first real-world evidence of the effect of increasing bedroom temperature had on heart rate and stress responses.
"Climate change is increasing the frequency of hot nights, which may independently contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by impairing sleep and autonomic recovery," Dr O'Connor said.
"While there are guidelines for maximum daytime indoor temperature, 26°C, there are no equivalent recommendations for nighttime conditions."
Journal Reference: O'Connor, F.K., Bach, A.J.E., Forbes, C. et al. Effect of nighttime bedroom temperature on heart rate variability in older adults: an observational study. BMC Med 23, 703 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04513-0
(Score: 4, Informative) by Gaaark on Wednesday February 04, @10:34PM (3 children)
We sleep at a temp of 20C (and I'd prefer 19C).
My wife sleeps covered up and i sleep with just a sheet and maybe a blanket pulled half-way up. I sleep MUCH better at colder temps (all depending on how my son impacts that sleep, though).
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Thursday February 05, @12:54AM (2 children)
Cold is relative, even for us. In summer 68°F (20C) is too cold for us, but in winter it's not too bad - with a warm wool blanket.
In summer, our night time thermostat is usually set to keep us at 72°F (22.22C), and we'll be O.K. at 73°-74°F in the upstairs bedroom, which is always about 2°F warmer than the kids' bedrooms downstairs.
But, then, we grew up and lived in Miami until we were ~35 years old. Back in the 1970s, windows still opened on our homes and our parents would reluctantly turn on the A/C when it was getting to be more than 78°F (25.55C) at bedtime.
🌻🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2, Funny) by jelizondo on Thursday February 05, @01:26AM (1 child)
Oh! You're Florida Man, that explains a LOT.
Sorry, sorry. Just friendly banter, no malicious intent 😜
(Score: 3, Funny) by JoeMerchant on Thursday February 05, @02:32AM
We bought some land and spent some time in a little town in the middle of Florida for a few years.
In that town was another man about my age with my same last name and a similar first name - people would ask if he was my brother, or sometimes assume he was. He had a colorful history of abuse of various drugs, small time dealing, arrests for soliciting prostitutes, etc. Ehhh... no, never met him.
Then there's this guy, who just might be my hero: https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-man-accused-taking-key-west-conch-tour-train-joyride-having-meth [fox13news.com]
I had celebrated my 57th birthday not too long before - my celebration was nowhere near as epic or even memorable...
🌻🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]