Being Cold Helps You Sleep Better?
Sleep is the most underrated health-building activity a person can do. Lack of proper sleep leads to mood changes, mental health problems, obesity, diabetes, reduced cognitive performance, hormone abnormalities, and so much more.
It’s a common misconception that sleep is your “rest” time. The reality is sleep is more important for the brain than any other activity you could do. While your body may be at rest, your brain is in some ways more active than when you are awake.
So how does being cold help you get better sleep?
There are a few hormones at play here which also help regulate your circadian rhythm, or your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is one of these. You may have seen people with sleep problems take melatonin to help them get to sleep. Melatonin works in many ways on the body, but one of its functions is to help drop the body’s core temperature, making you a bit colder. This doesn’t happen right away at night, but it does help you stay asleep longer through the night, with your lowest body temperature arriving by morning.
Another hormone at play is cortisol, aka the “stress” hormone. This study shows that exposure to heat, fever, or exercise increases core body temperature and increases cortisol. To put simply, cortisol counteracts the effects of melatonin, so by increasing cortisol you are decreasing your chances of good sleep.
Both cortisol and melatonin are necessary and needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but time of day plays a big factor here. If your body is meant to have a lot of melatonin in order to help you sleep, it would make sense to drop your body’s temperature to encourage that process.
Natural fluctuations in your body’s temperature shows that it is generally highest around dinner time. That sharp drop right afterward, around 7pm, is usually when melatonin production really starts to ramp up, causing a decrease in your body temperature. However, if your temperature doesn’t quite drop enough, that can make it difficult to sleep.
Surprisingly, the temperature in your brain changes as well. During sleep, these changes of 0.2-0.4 degrees fahrenheit helps to induce certain “cleansing” properties as well as different stages of sleep. The different stages of sleep (NREM and REM) are important for brain function, which means body, mood, and health functions as well.
The thermoregulation of your brain and body are vital to a restful night’s sleep. So how can we help our bodies get cool before sleep?
Dropping room temperature. Setting the temperature of your bedroom to somewhere between 60-67 degrees fahrenheit (15-20 degrees celsius) should help cool the room. I have also used a fan in my room, directed at my bed for over 7 years now. This helps even on hot days when the AC just isn’t quite dropping the temperature correctly.
Take a lukewarm shower. Water is known to relax the body and mind, but if the shower is too hot it will raise the body temperature. While this isn’t necessarily bad before bed, it may take longer to start to cool off afterward, prolonging sleep. Cold showers can help decrease the body temperature, but too long of exposure stimulates the immune and nervous system, and can cause a person to feel invigorated, rather than tired. Lukewarm is a happy middle that does provide the benefits of both temperature extremes in regard to sleep.
Cooling technologies. Investing in yourself and quality cooling sleep products will absolutely make a noticeable difference in your life. Things like mattresses, pillows, sheets, blankets, humidifiers, and even pajamas will keep your body cool.
Incorporate other “cooling-off” methods into bedtime routine. Here are a few additional low-cost ideas to help you sleep:
Gently cleanse your face with lukewarm or slightly cold water
Drink ice-cold water after dinner and before bed
Use a fan
Avoid exercise and other activities that raise the body temperature
Consume your favorite low-sugar caffeine-free chilled foods
I know I use most of these strategies daily, and it has really impacted my quality of life. But let me know if any of these tips were helpful to you, or if you’ve tried some of them and they didn’t work. I’m really curious to know! You can reach me on my social media handles below.