Do you sometimes have trouble sleeping? Sleep experts say there are a number of reasons people experience sleeplessness: too much caffeine, drinking alcohol before bedtime, trying to sleep with lights and electronic devices on. But one reason for sleeplessness that you may not know about is that the heating system is set too high.
So what if you could sleep better and save energy by lowering the thermostat? Here's why and how to do just that.
No matter how much technology we've surrounded ourselves with, we're still bound by certain natural forces, such as our circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are a 24-hour cycle that includes all plants, animals and even fungi. In other words, all life has evolved to be in tune with the natural cycle of light and dark. When it's dark, humans are biologically programmed to sleep. And when we sleep, our body temperatures go down. It makes sense that sleeping in a room that's too warm will cause us to sweat and be uncomfortable. As our bodies try to maintain the lower temperature, we may stir and wake up. Interrupted sleep sets off some unfortunate circumstances, including the release of stress hormones, which cause us to gain weight, and the interruption of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which helps our brains organize memories and perform other functions. The ideal temperature for sleeping is 65 degrees, say experts. That may seem chilly to some but your own optimum temperature could even be a little lower (or higher). You can experiment and find out the ideal temperature for your uninterrupted sleep.
Obviously, turning down the thermostat at night also helps you save energy. While you can manually set the thermostat every night on 65 degrees, a better way might be to install a programmable thermostat, and set the schedule ahead. You can also program the HVAC system to lower the thermostat when you're away from home. To learn more about how to save energy, contact Russell's Heating and Cooling. We serve the Hampton Roads area of Southeast Virginia. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about saving money and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 757-750-1831. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “openicons/Pixabay”