The circadian rhythm, occurring naturally with the light-and-dark cycle of the sun, governs our sleep cycle by exercising a part of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus, set in the hypothalamus. Various environmental and personal occurrences, like the amount of light exposure, exercise, and surrounding temperature, signal this masterful “body clock.” As bedtime nears, our core body temperature naturally reduces around 2 degrees, achieving its lowest degree in the early morning hours. Then as the morning progresses, our core body temperature slowly warms up. Due to this, the optimal sleep temperature is from about 60 to 67° F. This temperature range lets the body use up less energy to maintain this core body temperature, resulting in more refreshing sleep! At Upper Arlington Heating & Air, our proficient HVAC crew has some suggestions, ensuring your sleep this summer renders a healthier and more gratifying way of life.
How Does Sleep Attire Impact Quality Sleep?
At the end of an eventful day, most of us have had that irresistible urge to go directly home, slip into something cozier, and allow all of life’s problems to dissipate, at least for the time being. Your choice of sleepwear is optimal when it’s contributing to your ability to wind down and stay asleep throughout the night. While cotton pajamas indeed can be pretty soft and comfy, they aren’t ideal, particularly in summer. To welcome our need for comfort and rest, we propose silk over cotton. “Why?” you may ask. Well, for starters, silk is lighter and more gentle on the skin than other materials. Silk also conserves your skin’s natural moisture, facilitating better control over your body’s temperature and assisting you to remain cool throughout Ohio’s summer humidity. While being hypoallergenic, silk also promotes good blood circulation, which has proven to slow the physical aging of our bodies. If you’re chilly, grab a blanket because when selecting cotton, flannel, or silk for your pajama of choice, your best bet is always silk!
How Is Quality Sleep Imperative?
As you may know, clean air filters and routine professional HVAC maintenance can dictate long-term energy savings. But what is to be done in the interest of our physical energy savings? Caring for our HVAC needs is essential, as well as our body’s needs. Studies demonstrate that poor sleep can directly factor in overeating; if your body can’t effectively preserve energy throughout the night, you will battle with this demand to eat more for your body to function correctly. Ironically, overeating causes us to feel sluggish and fight to make it through the day, bringing about all negative feelings toward physical activity. Lack of exercise, poor sleep, and overindulging can quickly harm our physical and mental health. Therefore, it is easy to fall prey to this toxic lifestyle, so being intentional about obtaining quality sleep is imperative. It’s unfortunate and can happen to anyone, all arising from this insufficient quality of sleep.
Does Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Hinder Sleep Quality?
Absolutely! If you’re waking up to a stuffy and sniffly nose, your air quality may be to blame. Although spring is through, summer allergens can be just as prevalent. Summer allergies are a hindrance, no matter the season, and it’s always best to remedy this issue sooner rather than later! For those who suffer from allergy symptoms regularly, you’ve surely noticed the effects it has on your sleep. Up to 40% of Americans are likely to develop allergy symptoms. And, for those struggling with allergies, the probability of insomnia doubles! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies these four leading indoor air pollutants:
- Excess Moisture- Summer moisture levels can get moderately high, especially in Ohio. Humidity is by far my most unloved aspect of summer! Not only is humidity annoying, but if this summer exposes your home to high moisture levels, mold development is highly plausible. Gross!
- Carbon Monoxide- Regarding CO exposure, CO molecules deplete the oxygen within our bodies. This scientific process is dangerous, rapidly leading to CO poisoning or, worse yet, death.
- Radon- Arising from the natural decay of uranium, radon exists in almost all soil. As radon moves up through the ground, this dangerous gas can blend with the air above, passing through cracks and holes in your home’s foundation. Once trapped inside your home, radon multiplies. The dangers of radiation exposure include developing severe illnesses such as lung cancer.
- Volatile Organic Compounds- VOCs are gases radiated from certain liquids or solids. VOCs can be detrimental to your short- and long-term health. Many VOC concentrations are up to ten times more dominant indoors than outdoors.
Thus, these pollutants are not only a nuisance in that they generate a musky atmosphere within your home, but this atmosphere can promptly have adverse effects on you and the health of your loved ones, even more so than those found outdoors. To better your indoor air quality, the EPA recommends:
- Preventing Exposure to Indoor Air Pollutants
- Ventilating Your Home’s Interior
- Utilizing Indoor Air Cleaners
The excellent news is developments in HVAC technology promote increasingly better indoor environments for the sake of benefitting and protecting all who reside in the home.
These are just a few helpful tips to ensure your summer nights are prosperous and refreshing; however, do not stop striving for your right to a good night’s sleep. Enhance your chances of attaining the quality of sleep essential for promoting a more pleasurable and productive life; call Upper Arlington Heating & Air today at (614) 490-7507, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here! Our skilled HVAC specialists are prepared and trained to strengthen your household for the better!
