The ideal temperature in the bedroom

In a room that is too warm, you don't sleep as well. It can even seriously mess up your sleep rhythm. So even if it is cold outside, turning on the heating in your bedroom is not always a good idea. So what is the ideal temperature for sleeping well? And does this also apply to the baby's room? Check out our tips so you don't have cold feet and shivering nights.

The big advantage of a cold bedroom is that you sleep better. Several studies have shown that. But why is this actually so? It has to do with our body temperature. To fall asleep, your body temperature has to drop. This obviously doesn't work if your duvet is too thick or if your bedroom is too warm. The ideal temperature for sleeping is about 18 degrees. Some people sleep just a little bit better with one degree less, others sleep better at 19 degrees.

For young children and especially babies, the right temperature in the bedroom is especially important. This is because they cannot yet regulate their own body temperature properly. We throw off the duvet and quickly grab a sheet when we get too hot.

A baby or toddler cannot yet do this by itself. In particular, a room that is too warm is not advisable and can even be dangerous. A baby soon overheats. The bedroom temperature for a baby is better to be a little on the low side than too high. Even if it feels too cold to you, the ideal temperature for a nice nap is 18-20 °C during the first months. From two months onwards, this may be a degree lower: 16-18 °C.

• You sleep for less time.
• You sleep more restlessly and wake up more often.
• It takes longer to fall asleep.

A fresh bedroom has the advantage of helping you sleep better. But there are even more benefits:

• Your metabolism works better in the cold.
• You fall asleep more easily because the body produces more melatonin. Often you also sleep a lot more soundly. As a result, you wake up well rested.
• Strange but true: sleeping in the cold prevents wrinkles. When your body cools down, more hormones are produced.
• One of those hormones is the anti-ageing hormone. Of course, you won't stay young forever, but still ...
• You burn more calories when your body is cold. This is because it needs more energy to stay at the right temperature. Every little bit helps!
• Research shows that your concentration is best at a temperature of 16.6 degrees. Not really important for sleeping, but nice to know when reading a good book in bed.