Struggling to sleep? Adjusting the temperature of your room could help you nod off

Adjusting the central heating before bedtime could be the key to nodding off, according to new research.

Let’s face it, we’re all after a better night’s sleep. If it isn’t kids or noisy neighbours keeping us up, it’s wondering whether our bedrooms are too stuffy or, in fact, a bit chilly.

Thankfully, a new study by the US-based National Sleep Foundation has taken the guesswork out for good. It turns out a temperature between 15 and 19 degrees celsius is the Holy Grail for a good night’s sleep.

Considering the average central heating system is set to 20 degrees, it’s possible we’re all heating our homes a little too high which could be causing sleepless nights.

If there are little ones involved, it’s a slightly different story. Babies and toddlers sleep best in temperatures of 18 to 21 degrees – which, let’s face it, probably means you will sleep better anyway.

Of course, everyone is different, and some might find they prefer to sleep in a slightly cooler or slightly warmer environment.

A good test of whether your room is too hot if is you wake up feeling sweaty, whereas if you are shivering in bed then it’s clearly too cold.

The NHS website provides some further tips on getting to sleep at night. First off, they advise a ‘sleep friendly’ environment which helps your mind associate their bedroom with sleep.

Your bedroom should be reserving for going to sleep and having sex, it advises, so you should eliminate certain things from your room including: “TVs and other electronic gadgets, light, noise, and a bad mattress or bed”

It adds: “Fit some thick curtains if you don’t have any. If you’re disturbed by noise, consider investing in double glazing or, for a cheaper option, use earplugs.”

Finally, consider taking a warm bath before you go to bed to enable your body to reach an optimal temperature for sleeping.

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