Lower your temperature and sleep well

A story covered in the New York Times states that researchers say the optimal temperature for sleeping well is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (or between 15 and 26 degrees Celsius), and temperatures other than this can lead to restlessness.


And that's why insomniacs aren't able to sleep well - because their core temperature is higher than the recommended level.

Temperatures in this range, it seems, help facilitate the decrease in core body temperature that in turn initiates sleepiness. A growing number of studies are finding that temperature regulation plays a role in many cases of chronic insomnia. Researchers have shown, for example, that insomniacs tend to have a warmer core body temperature than normal sleepers just before bed, which leads to heightened arousal and a struggle to fall asleep as the body tries to reset its internal thermosta

 In short: a cool room and slightly lower body temperature ensures good sleep... but what if it's already freezing cold? It does make sense we always shiver first in bed, then get it warmed up, yes? Comments welcome.

Photo by oh so e