Winter is a good time to improve your sleep quality and save energy by turning down the heat at night. With the drone of air conditioners running all night during the summer all but forgotten, it’s a good time to catch up on the restful sleep that cool temperatures and a quiet home foster.

Recent research conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) prove that temperatures at or below 65 degrees improve sleep. Human body temperatures drop as bedtime draws closer, and stay low until it’s time to wake up.

The NIH reports that maintaining a cool body temperature plays a significant role in deep sleep. As an added benefit, cooler temperatures speed up metabolism and the body removes excessive blood sugar.

REM sleep also increases, which is the sleep phase that’s most beneficial for brain functioning. Recent research published in Sleep Medical Review indicates there’s a correlation between fitful REM sleep and depression, and the best first step in possibly preventing it is to lower the temperature at night.

Turning It Down

A programmable thermostat takes all the work out of remembering to turn the thermostat down at night and will help you save energy during the day if you’re routinely away. Most of these devices have four separate settings for the time and date. You can set it to warm the house up shortly before you awaken and get home from work.

Before setting the thermostat, experiment with nighttime temperatures to find the most comfortable one for you and your family. Too warm or cold temperatures will interfere with sound sleep.

If subfreezing weather is forecast, keep the temperature above 55 degrees to prevent the water pipes from freezing. It’s also a good idea on those cold nights to keep kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open under the sinks.

Besides lowering the temperature to save energy and money with your heating system, keeping it well maintained also helps. To learn more, contact Powers Heating & Air, providing trusted HVAC services for Peachtree City homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.

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