6 Reasons You Should Sleep In A Cooler Room At Night (But NEVER Use A Fan)

Aug 06, 2018

For some reason, most of us are very particular about how we sleep. Side, back, stomach - ask anyone, and they'll be able to tell you their preferred sleeping position.

You may even have an aunt who will only sleep in absolute pitch darkness, or a best friend who can only sleep if she plays some rain sounds in the background.

And you certainly will have someone who is convinced that they can only sleep with the fan on. In fact, this person in your life may very well be you. But why is it that we love the fan so much? Is it the noise? The constant stream of air on our faces? Or is it the fact that it keeps us cool at night?

Regardless of your reason, before you go making sure you or your loved ones have a fan to use at night, consider the following information.

According to The Sleep Advisor, there are some things you should consider before plugging in your fan:

1. Allergic Reactions: Some of us are very sensitive to allergens, like dust and pollen. And what does that fan do? It whips up all those allergens and blows them at us during the night. So, if you are someone who suffers from allergies, hay fever, or asthma, you can either make sure you meticulously clean your fan and room constantly or you could reconsider plugging in that fan.

2. Dry Air: Air circulating all night will dry out your skin, mouth, and eyes. So, if you keep your eyes or mouth slightly open during the night, you may want to reconsider the fan, or keep a glass of water and some eye drops nearby. As for your skin, some good moisturizer might help.

3. Sinus Irritation: For many, constantly breathing in cool air from a fan will dry out your sinuses, causing them to overcompensate by producing even more mucous. This does not sound like a combination I would recommend waking up to.

4. Sore Muscles: And if you like the fan directly hitting you all night, it's more than likely that you'll be waking up feeling less-than-limber. Ever wonder why? Perhaps it's that constant cool air causing your muscles to cramp up.

Of course, if you are somehow immune to these four fan-causing reactions, then by all means, plug it in. If the fan works for you, it works! Why change a good thing? However, if you suffer from any of these issues and you're using a fan at night, it might be best to make a change. But find a change that cools your room because there are some pretty neat health benefits for sleeping cool.

Often find that you've kicked the covers off at night? Find yourself searching for a cool spot on the bed? There's actually a reason for that.

Our bodies are meant to sleep in cooler temperatures. In fact, about two hours before we go to sleep, our body's temperature already starts getting cooler, and it will stay cooler all night, finding Its coolest temperature at around 5 a.m.

So, one way you can help your body regulate its temperature fluctuations is to avoid getting hot at night.

While many factors come into play in causing insomnia, one risk factor could simply be an inability to regulate temperature. Thus, once you find a way to help lower your temperature at night, you may very well find yourself sleeping much more deeply and effortlessly.

If a cool room eases your body into sleep and a warm room stimulates your body to wakefulness, it is probably best to turn down that thermostat at night.

A room at about 66 degrees has actually been shown to help with weight loss and with decreasing insulin resistance, and reducing both can decrease your odds of getting Type II diabetes.

In fact, sleeping in a room that temperature can even increase your brown fat, also known as your good fat, which, too, can boost your metabolism.

Sleeping in a cool room will even help you produce melatonin, which is a hormone with anti-aging effects!

Not getting proper sleep can wreak havoc on the body and mind, and can even cause you to feel depressed. This is why it is so important to make sure you get proper sleep each and every night.

So, here's how you can keep your room cool, all without the use of a fan:

• Use a programmable thermostat: This way you can program your thermostat whether you're home or not.
• Sleep in the nude: This way you won't have any clothes sticking to you at night and elevating your temperature.
• Freeze your sheets or pillowcases: This one seems strange, but try it. You may very well like it!
• Stick your feet out: Don't you hate your feet getting hot at night! That's because they can release heat and help you cool down, so stick those feet out from the covers.
• Get better bedding: Go for cotton or even organic cotton as these fabrics breathe a little easier. Heck, go for an organic mattress to lower your sleeping environment by 7 degrees!

You don't just need sleep. You need quality sleep. Help your body out and make some changes to your sleeping environment. Your body will thank you.

Does sleeping with a fan on bother you? Let us know in the comments, and spread the word so your friends and family can learn the benefits of sleeping in a cold room!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!