Does Room Temperature Affect Sleep?

We all know that sinking feeling—lying awake, tossing and turning, the air around you either too warm or too chilly to feel comfortable. You adjust the blanket, flip the pillow, stick one leg out, and still can’t quite get it right.

 But could the temperature of your room—or your body—actually be the reason you’re not sleeping well?

Let’s explore this, through both science and a real story from my client, Adina.

Adina’s Story

Adina, 41, came to me completely burned out. She had just started a new business, was taking intense courses, managing her family, and trying to do it all perfectly. Until one day, her body said, no more.

She wasn’t sleeping, her mind was racing, and she felt emotionally and physically spent. As we began working together, layers began to unfold—childhood pressures, deep-seated beliefs about achievement, and the invisible need to constantly prove herself.

Coaching isn’t always comfortable. Seeing your patterns so clearly can feel raw. But Adina showed up every week, even when it got tough. Over time, her sleep started to improve. She was falling asleep easily, feeling calmer, and even described her nights as “peaceful”—except for one strange thing.

She still woke up at 5 a.m. sharp.

At first, she assumed it was stress or a leftover habit from her overworked years. But as she became more in tune with herself—a beautiful outcome of this kind of inner work—she noticed something surprising.

She wasn’t waking up anxious. She was waking up hot.

Why Temperature Matters for Sleep

Most people underestimate how strongly temperature impacts sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, the ideal bedroom temperature for adults is around 65°F (18°C)—though the perfect range can vary slightly from person to person.

Our body temperature naturally drops at night as melatonin rises. This cooling process signals the body that it’s time to sleep. If the environment is too warm, it interferes with this drop, making it harder to both fall asleep and stay asleep.

That’s why you might find yourself waking up suddenly at 3 or 4 a.m., feeling flushed or uncomfortable—just as Adina did at 5 a.m. Her body temperature was rising again, and her sleep was disrupted.

Even slight increases in bedroom temperature are linked to more nighttime awakenings and lighter sleep. Essentially, the body wants to stay cool during sleep—and even minor overheating can break that rhythm.

The Female Factor: Hormones and Heat

Here’s where it gets even more interesting. Women, especially during their 40s and 50s, often experience fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone—two hormones that influence temperature regulation.

During perimenopause and menopause, these shifts can trigger hot flashes and night sweats, often leading to disturbed sleep. For some, it’s occasional warmth; for others, they wake up drenched, unsure why.

That’s why I often recommend hormone testing when clients describe consistent overheating at night. It’s not always about the thermostat—it might be your body asking for deeper attention.

In Adina’s case, she was still premenopausal, but we couldn’t ignore the connection. We decided to experiment before running tests. Sometimes, we start simple—lower the thermostat, open the window, and see what happens.

Within days, she noticed a difference. She was sleeping through the night again, her mornings felt calmer, and she finally felt rested.

It was a beautiful reminder that even when we work on mindset, emotion, and deeper healing, the physical environment matters too. Sometimes, the answer is as simple as adjusting the temperature.

The Science Behind Staying Cool

When your body overheats at night, your heart rate and metabolism increase slightly—essentially telling your body it’s not time to rest. Cooling the environment helps your core temperature drop, which allows for deeper, more restorative sleep cycles, especially slow-wave sleep (the deep sleep phase responsible for healing and repair).

Simple tweaks can make a big difference: lighter pajamas, breathable bedding, or even positioning your bed away from a heating vent.

If you tend to wake up hot, it’s not “all in your head.” It’s biology at work.

Adina’s Turning Point

After years of pushing herself past exhaustion, Adina finally learned how to listen to her body. At first, she resisted slowing down—old habits die hard—but eventually, she began to see her body as a messenger, not a machine.

By tuning in to what her body was saying, she found clues she never would’ve noticed before. The same awareness that helped her uncover emotional patterns also helped her recognize physical triggers.

When we began, she would have blamed herself for “not trying hard enough.” Now, she was curious instead of critical.

Sometimes healing is about relearning how to listen.

The Takeaway

Sleep isn’t just about shutting your eyes and hoping for the best. It’s a delicate dance between your mind, body, and environment. For Adina, the solution wasn’t another supplement or sleep aid—it was awareness. Once she noticed the pattern, we made a small environmental change, and her body did the rest.

If you find yourself waking at the same time each night—especially feeling hot or restless—consider your room temperature. Try lowering it by just a few degrees, opening a window, or switching to lighter bedding. If the issue persists, hormone testing may be worth exploring, particularly during the perimenopausal years.

Your body has wisdom—it’s always trying to find balance. Sometimes, it just needs the right conditions to do what it already knows how to do.

If you’re curious about other subtle nighttime factors that can interfere with sleep—like sugar and late-night eating—check out my blog: 👉 The Case of the Sleepless Cabinet Maker: Sugar, Sawdust, and Sleepless Nights

And if you’d like guidance on uncovering what’s really keeping you awake—whether it’s temperature, hormones, or mindset—let’s talk. Sometimes a fresh perspective is all it takes to start sleeping better again.

 📅 Book a complimentary callhttps://calendly.com/chevymermelstein/30min  and let’s uncover what your body is really trying to tell you.