Steel horizontal radiator in sandstone shown in bedroom.

What’s the perfect bedroom temperature for a good night’s sleep?

Written by
Nick Duggan

Struggling to sleep? We hear you. Whether it’s trouble dropping off or frequent waking, a poor night’s sleep can make life harder than it needs to be. The good news is, setting the ideal bedroom temperature can make all the difference for your sleep quality and overall health and wellbeing.

Overnight bedroom temperatures and their effect on your sleep cycle

Many people aren’t aware of the effect overnight bedroom temperatures have on their sleep cycle.

When we mention sleep cycles, this refers to the pattern of changes that happen in your brain while you’re sleeping. These changes happen in different phases, and when it comes to your health and wellbeing, each of these phases is just as important as the next. Each cycle takes roughly 90-110 minutes, and you’ll potentially have between four and five each night depending on how long you sleep for.

So, how does the bedroom temperature at night affect this sleep cycle? Well, a room that is too cool can make it hard for you to fall asleep. But equally, a warm and stuffy bedroom can stop you from nodding off quickly too.

If you’ve ever turned your pillow over so your head is on the “cold side”, you’ll be responding to your body’s natural drive to lower its core temperature. In turn, this will make it easier for you to fall asleep – even if you don’t know it.

High Output Dubal White Low Aluminum Radiator in bathroom under large glazed windows with rug and picture.

What happens when a bedroom’s temperature is too warm?

It may come as no surprise that overnight bedroom temperatures that are too warm have been shown to disrupt REM and deep sleep stages. When the heat range is too high, this can:

Cause more periods of wakefulness during the night
Alter your sleep-wake cycle
Affect the overall balance and quality of your sleep

In short, if you’re experiencing disrupted sleep each night, it may be that you haven’t got the ideal bedroom temperature.

So, what is a good temperature for a bedroom, and how do you achieve the perfect balance?

What temperature should a bedroom be at night for sleep?

Research has revealed that cooler overnight bedroom temperatures are generally better for supporting restful, comfortable, and healthy sleep. So, while it may be tempting to turn the thermostat up during the winter months, the recommended bedroom temperature range for encouraging sleep is between 16℃ and 18℃.

Use blankets and duvets to create warmer pockets of air once you’re in bed if you need to. Meanwhile, the cooler temperatures outside your bed will help to regulate your temperature through the night.

How to get the ideal bedroom temperature in the UK

The perfect bedroom temperature starts with knowing your BTU

To achieve the best overnight bedroom temperature, it’s important to understand BTU. BTU (which stands for British Thermal Unit) is what plumbers and other professionals use to measure how much heat a radiator can put out into your space. The higher the BTU, the more powerful the heating capacity of your radiator.

If the BTU output is too low, your radiator won’t have enough power to heat or cool the room properly, causing it to run continuously and create higher energy bills. If the BTU output is too high, the unit will cycle on and off too quickly, leading to uneven temperatures, excess humidity, and higher wear on the system.

Rececker Soft Radiator Brush on White cast iron radiator

Using BTU to achieve the right bedroom temperature

By matching the BTU output to the bedroom’s size, insulation, and heat load, you can easily manage temperature levels and create a comfortable sleeping environment. You can also ensure the best possible efficiency without excess wear and tear on your heating system.

Our handy BTU calculator tool will help you work out the correct BTU for any room in your home, including your bedrooms – and help you choose the right radiator size for the best results.

Maintaining ideal bedroom temperatures with radiator valves

Another area to consider when setting the ideal overnight temperatures for your bedrooms are your radiator valves. These valves are what control how much heat comes out of your radiators. So, naturally, they’re essential for getting the perfect temperature in any room in your home.

If you still have some old valves on your bedroom radiators, now would be a great time to change them. Replacing them with up-to-date thermostatic valves (TRVs) will allow you to regulate the heat more efficiently and effectively, which will make it easier to maintain a constant, ideal temperature in your bedroom.

Radiator valves don’t have to be boring either. Nowadays, valves come in a wide selection of designs, from contemporary styles to elegant designs fitting a more traditional home. And the colour no longer has to be just white, either. Choose from a range of finishes that will work nicely with your interior space and style.

Show your bedroom radiators some love

For your bedroom radiators to work at their best, maintaining steady temperatures for a perfect night’s sleep, they need some routine TLC. This means bleeding them to remove any trapped air, which will ensure the temperature is dispersed across them evenly. You also need to set your thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to your desired temperature, which can be adjusted as needed.

Of course, if your bedroom radiators are especially old or inefficient, it may be time to consider replacing them altogether!

“Getting comfort levels right is not just about getting a good night’s sleep. Setting the bedroom radiator’s thermostatic valve to the right level for you will mean a consistent temperature is maintained but, more importantly, you are not constantly adjusting things as this is when inefficiencies in the heating system are created and your bills can start to rise.” says Nick Duggan, Managing Director.

Think smart: modern heating solutions for ideal bedroom temperatures

Modern smart heating solutions – Wi-Fi-connected systems that allow you to control your home’s temperature remotely via smartphone or tablet – take a lot of the guesswork out of maintaining a perfect sleep environment. Even better, most electric radiators can sync with smart heating systems to help you make your rooms as cool or as warm as you want, when you want.

If you’re put off by the idea of needing a modern radiator design to incorporate smart heating into your home, you’re also in luck. At The Radiator Centre, we stock a wide range of traditional radiator designs that are compatible with smart valves. This gives you the best of both worlds: radiators that ooze timeless style and charm, yet are combined with the latest technology to help maintain the perfect overnight bedroom temperature.

If great sleep is proving to be a challenge and you think your bedroom temperature could be playing a part, our team can help. Pop into one of our six UK radiator showrooms or contact us by phone or email – and let us help you create a warm, comfortable space for a good night’s sleep.