Everyone knows that during the Decatur, Alabama summer, falling asleep on a hot night can sometimes feel impossible. Factors such as heat and humidity can play a role in sleep difficulty, even when air conditioning is on, and fans are in use.
Making matters more complicated is the fact that in many homes, the temperature will vary in each room and floor. Some members of a household will want to turn up the air conditioning while others will end up too cool to be comfortable. On some nights, open windows will mean comfort for some rooms and increased heat and humidity for others.
So, what are some good ways to keep everyone sleeping well during the summer?
Know the Ideal Sleep Temperature
Experts say that 65 degrees is the ideal temperature for sleeping, which improves overall health. However, this might tax your AC system if it’s cooling the entire house, and upper floors may not reach this temperature at all, as heat rises. The good news is that other experts say anything between 60 and 72 degrees is ideal.
But it may not be necessary to bring your entire home to this temperature for better sleep, health, and mood. Solutions are available all summer long.
Strategies to Help Everyone’s Sleep
- Invest in Mini-Splits. Mini-split AC systems are ideal for homes whose residents have different temperature needs, or for homes that suffer from uneven cooling. Mini-splits are smaller, more compact versions of standard, central AC units, and are designed to cool one or two rooms each, such as bedrooms or home offices. These units are installed on a wall or ceiling and take up a little room. Since they use less energy than central AC, they can also save on your power bill. However, you may need two or more to achieve the desired cooling for each frequently used room.
- If You Have Central Air, Leave Your AC Fan On. Air circulation can help stagnant areas of your home receive cooler air, while moving out hotter air. Central air conditioners have a setting that can always keep the fan on, even with the AC not running. This will help prevent heat from pooling in one area of your home.
- Unblock Vents. Blocked vents can lead to hot, stagnant areas of your home. If you have such a bedroom or area, check the vents to ensure that they’re open.
- Check Your Ductwork. If no air flow is reaching one area of your home, making sleep miserable for a member of your household, checking the ductwork can rule out a leak. A leaking duct can waste energy and prevent cooler, less humid air from reaching a single room of your home.
- Install An Attic Fan. Attics are notorious for collecting dangerous heat during the summer, which can leak down into upstairs bedrooms and make the occupants miserable. Venting your attic can help remove this heat and help any heat already in a bedroom to rise, thus cooling the room and helping it to even out. This will help at night when some houses first grow hotter.
Need Help? We’re Here. At Southeastern Mechanical Services, we’re here to make sure your family sleeps at a comfortable temperature all year. If you’re still having trouble achieving the right sleep temperature for you and your family, contact us today, and we’ll be happy to help.