Now that it’s summer in Canada, it’s time to revisit one of the best ways to ensure a good night’s sleep. Temperature!

Studies indicate that having an ambient temperature of 18-19 degrees Celsius or 65-68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for sleeping. The thing that I’ve noticed, especially during the summer months, is that people generally (myself included) still use a comforter or some other heavy blanket while sleeping. But this can be detrimental as it’s keeping you warmer than you’re supposed to be.

If you don’t cool down before bedtime, it’s very difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Having the AC or fan on or opening some windows at night (so long as it’s not noisy out) will help a lot. My doctor also recommended that taking a warm shower a couple of hours before bed can also be helpful since your body will naturally cool down after the shower. I just wouldn’t recommend using the sauna or hot tub or something insanely hot.

Having a cooler temperature helps decreases your heart rate and helps to facilitate putting your body in a state of sleep.