Some like it Hot – The Effect of Temperature
We spoke earlier about the daily body rhythm but did know our body temperature also changes throughout the day?
When we wake up our body temperature slowly rises and peaks around 4-6pm.
It then gets cooler and cooler before bedtime and continues cooling as we sleep.
Accordingly, our environmental surrounds affect us.
Coulthard proposes that during the day, our offices should be 21-25 degrees Celsius with our homes between 18-21 degrees Celsius (because we tend to be less active at home).
Our sleep temperature is also vital.
Coulthard says the Sleep Council recommends our bedrooms are around 16-18 degrees Celsius to help our body temperature to drop and start our sleep cycle.
That being said, Coulthard also cites research that suggests that our head remains cool with our body comfortably warm.
While we our it is good to maintain an appropriate temperature to help with our daily body temperature changes, we also see to like to love temperature changes.
Ever notice the pleasure you get from sitting in front of a warm fire on a cold day or the the refresh splash of cool water on a hot day?
This phenomenon is called ‘alliesthesia’.
So when planning our environment, we should aim for generally consistent temperatures but also have spots we can enjoy some alliesthesia like fireplaces, heated floors for winter or cool fresh breezes from windows for summer.
How do you maintain the temperature in your house?
How can you use temperature changes to help you sleep?
How can you add some alliesthesia to your life?
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