For some, air conditioning is a must at night, but how do you get optimal cooldown results?
- If you aren’t already running your air conditioning, turn it on a few hours before bedtime. Some of us run our AC all day (or, at least, keep it running whenever we’re at home) and that’s great! However, if you are the type of person who prefers to sweat it out, do your sleep a favor by turning your AC on a few hours before bed. It’ll cool your home and your body, preparing you for a better bedtime.
- Instead of turning your AC up a few degrees before going to bed, turn it down. According to the National Sleep Foundation, we sleep best when we’re in a 65-degree room—so if you’re keeping your AC thermostat in the mid/high 70s, try turning it down before bed and see if your sleep improves. Yes, your electric budget might go up, but the extra sleep will probably be worth it.
- If your air conditioner has “sleep mode,” use it. In sleep mode, you can set your AC at a sleep-inducing cool temperature before bed, and the AC will slowly raise the maximum allowable temperature overnight (or in some cases turn itself off after a few hours). You’ll be asleep, so you won’t even notice!
- If you have an older air conditioner, plug it into a smart power strip so you can schedule things perfectly.
