How warm or cold should your bedroom be? As soon as a child joins the family, parents start thinking about the right sleeping temperature for babies. After all, the room climate is crucial for a good night’s sleep.
If your little one sweats or freezes while sleeping, this is usually due to one of two factors: either the wrong sleeping temperature for babies or the wrong clothing for the night. In the following, we will tell you how many degrees your bedroom should ideally be and what role the right humidity in the room plays.
What is the ideal sleeping temperature for babies?
The right sleeping climate can help your baby sleep peacefully. Just like adults, babies sleep best at cool room temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees. In fact, the room should be a little too cold rather than too warm. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, babies overheat up to five times faster than adults. You can measure the room temperature either with a thermometer or with the help of a baby monitor that has an integrated temperature display.
How do I set the optimum room temperature?
If you have the option of setting your heating yourself, you can do the following: check whether the heater switches from summer to winter time. It is also advisable to switch the heating off completely in the bedroom in summer. It is generally worth buying a digital radio thermostat, which makes it easier for you to set the room to the ideal temperature. By the way: Tenants are also allowed to replace an old radiator thermostat with a new model that can be controlled by smartphone, for example. The only drawback is that the landlord can demand that you reinstall the old radiator thermostat when you move out.
How can I cool down the children’s room in summer?
In the summer months, it is not always possible to regulate the temperature in the room to below 20 degrees. In this case, you can take a few tips to heart.
- Ventilate properly: In summer, temperatures rise steadily during the day until they reach their zenith between 5 and 6 pm. You should not ventilate during this time. It is best to air the room immediately after getting up in the morning. It is only worth opening the window again in the late evening.
- Close the windows: At temperatures from 25 degrees upwards, it makes sense to keep the window closed during the day. But when should you close the window? Find the right moment in the morning. As soon as the incoming air becomes warmer than indoors, you should keep the window closed and, depending on the amount of sunlight, darken it immediately.
- Darken the room: Ideally, you should have external roller blinds, venetian blinds or shutters on your windows. They are particularly effective at keeping the heat out. Otherwise, internal blinds or opaque curtains will also suffice. Tip: There are also special heat protection roller blinds that can keep the heat out from the inside.
- Avoid underpads and nests: Nest pads and blankets as well as pillows generally have no place in the crib. They are factors that promote sudden infant death syndrome. If you have a carpet pad in the bed that is not made of cotton – such as one for moisture protection – you should remove it. Babies sweat much more on these than on a normal cotton mattress. Hot-water bottles and heating boxes also do not belong in the crib.
How do I maintain the optimum room temperature in winter?
In the cool winter months, you can turn on the heating at night so that your little one doesn’t get too cold. As mentioned above, it is worth using a radio thermostat to set the optimum sleeping temperature for babies. However, do not place the crib directly next to the heating. To prevent the bedroom from cooling down, it is advisable to keep the window closed at night – and only ventilate briefly before going to bed. If your windows are not airtight, you should make sure that your baby is not lying in a draught. Or put a draught excluder in front of them. Roller shutters also provide additional protection from the cold outside.
How important is humidity for sleep?
Air that is too humid is just as bad for sleep as air that is too dry. For this reason, in addition to the temperature, the humidity in the bedroom is also important for healthy sleep. The humidity level should be around 30 to 50 percent in the bedroom – a hygrometer measures the humidity and gives you a guide.
What to do if the air is too dry?
Especially in winter, it can happen that the room humidity drops below 30 percent. Heating dries out the rooms, which can have a negative effect on the skin and mucous membranes – and not least on the quality of sleep. What to do if the air is too dry?
- Place damp cloths or a bowl of water on the heating.
- Place a humidifier in the bedroom.
You also have the option of placing green plants, as these contribute to the humidity. However, make sure that the plants do not smell too strong, as strong odors can lead to headaches. Allergy sufferers, on the other hand, should not place plants in the bedroom.
What to do if the air is too humid?
Too much humidity in the bedroom can lead to dust mites and mold settling. Irrespective of this, too much humidity also affects your baby’s sleep as they sweat more. You can avoid excessive humidity by airing the room properly – preferably with a draught. Also useful if the air in the bedroom is too humid:
- purchase a dehumidifier,
- set up a bowl of salt,
- ventilate at least twice a day.
How you dress your baby at night is also important. The right clothing is just as important for restful sleep as the sleeping temperature for babies.