The relationship between sleep and body temperature

Have you ever noticed how energetic and awake you feel when your body is hot? When your body cools down a little, do you feel lethargy and tired? There is a very precise, defined, and complex relationship between sleep and core body temperature. When your body temperature drops, you start to feel tired and lethargic. When your core body temperature warms up, you feel energetic, alert, and ready for action.

One of the least known (and least understood) facets of sleep research, body temperature plays a critical role in your ability to sleep, wake up, and perform well throughout the day. Body temperature also plays a crucial role in many other bodily functions including blood circulation, metabolism, and other functions you may not know about!

Increased body temperature = Awakening

Increasing and decreasing body temperature during the day is a normal occurrence, depending primarily on the level of activity in the body at any given time. When you do intense physical activity, your body temperature will rise slightly above normal. This increase in temperature helps increase blood flow and helps keep it in a state of increased awareness.

When you stop this physical activity, your body temperature drops slightly below normal. Due to low body temperature, you may feel tired or COVID-19 detector.

For example, if you have worked a lot for 2 or 3 hours (jogging or running, lifting weights, or both), you may feel tired and without energy after your workout. You can mistake this lethargy for drowsiness, but what is really happening is that your core temperature has dropped slightly below normal. When, after a few minutes, your core temperature returns to normal, you probably feel much closer to normal, without any more drowsiness.

Some will actually take a short nap (no more than 30 minutes) when their core temperature drops, for a quick energy recharge. But don't nap past the 30-minute level, as you can fall asleep soundly, and this could definitely make it much harder to fall asleep when bedtime comes.

Too warm = sleep problems

If you ever find yourself tossing and turning in an overly hot bed late into the night, this sleep / temperature relationship becomes very clear. I know this is true for me: If I have too many blankets and wake up too hot, cooling off the bed usually helps me go back to sleep.

And I know I will never fall asleep if I am too hot to start. That is why I always like to sleep in a cool room (60 degrees). I can always add or throw blankets if I am too hot or cold. If my temperature is correct, there is a good chance that I will fall asleep and fall asleep.

Therefore, pay close attention to how warm or cool it feels to lie down. If you are hot, then your body expects some form of physical activity and will not let you sleep. Conversely, if you are cold (not cold, not uncomfortable) at bedtime, your chances of falling asleep easily can be pretty good.