Why the Ideal Sleep Temperature is So Elusive

People who sleep together often find this a hotbed of disagreement. Learn why temperature is only part of the problem.

Image: alleksana/Pexels

Temperatures rise around our house whenever my wife is too warm, or I’m too cold — or vice-versa. We clash over control of the thermostat, have heated discussions about whether windows should be open or closed, and wrestle blankets on and off all night. Yet at any given moment, there’s no telling which side of the argument either of us might be on.

How can two peoples’ internal thermostats be so different? And why do these preferences flip-flop? And what’s with those insane bouts of sheet-drenching night sweats?

Since we know that temperature can affect sleep quality and duration, these are burning questions when it comes to slipping between the sheets, alone or otherwise. And as we untangle the blanket of complexity surrounding body temperature, three under-appreciated facts emerge:

• “Normal” body temperature varies significantly from person to person.
• Each person’s temperature tolerance involves a complex mix of genetics, body composition and size, metabolism, physics, aging and various circumstances of the moment.
• Some nights, everything goes…