Key Points
- There’s no single perfect temperature. The right setting depends on the season, time of day, your home’s insulation, and personal preference.
- Cooler is better for sleep. Many sleep experts recommend a bedroom temperature of about 60 to 67°F.
- A warm home has real benefits, like comfort and protection from the strain cold can put on your heart and blood pressure.
- A cool home can mean better sleep and slightly lower energy use in winter.
- A programmable or smart thermostat lets everyone compromise and save energy. Our thermostat repair and installation team can help you upgrade.
What’s the best thermostat setting for your home: warm or cold? The answer depends on the time of day, the season, your sleep, and your energy bills. The thermostat is a common source of contention in many households. Any time you move in with a new roommate or partner, you need to establish a set point for the temperature. This can become a heated debate if you are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Regardless of your personal opinion, there are facts to support your preference. Here are some facts that may help you win the heating and cooling debate with your housemate. Although, if you prefer it cold, you certainly have an edge.
What Is the Ideal Room Temperature?
There are different factors that go into determining your home’s optimal temperature. Many homes are kept somewhere between the upper 60s and mid-70s Fahrenheit during the day. Factors that determine the ideal temperature for you include:
- The season
- Your home’s insulation
- Your region and local climate
- Humidity levels
- Personal preference
For energy savings, the U.S. Department of Energy suggests setting your thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you’re awake in winter and lower while you’re asleep or away. In summer, it recommends keeping your home as warm as is comfortable, and notes that running your AC at 78°F instead of 72°F can save between 6% and 18% on your cooling bill. That’s worth knowing during a long Dallas summer.
The Best Temperature for Sleep
The ideal temperature changes at night. Many sleep experts, including the National Sleep Foundation, recommend a bedroom temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, with around 65°F a common target for healthy adults. If your bedroom gets too hot, it can interrupt your sleep, including your REM cycle. Poor sleep can leave you groggy, and over time it may affect your immune system, memory, and ability to learn.
Health Benefits of a Warm House
Keeping your house warm can have some positive effects on your health.
Energy Booster
A warm house can feel like an energy booster. Many people feel more comfortable and motivated in a cozy home, especially on gray winter days, which can make it easier to get up and get moving, or maybe just clean the house up.
Better Focus and Comfort
Being uncomfortably cold can be distracting. When you’re shivering or bundled up, it’s harder to relax or concentrate. A comfortably warm home helps you stay focused on what you’re doing instead of on how cold you feel.
Blood Pressure
Your body needs to stay within a specific temperature range. When you get too cold, your blood vessels narrow to hold in heat, and your heart has to work harder. This can raise your blood pressure and put extra strain on your heart, which is a special concern for older adults and people with heart conditions. If that applies to you, talk to your doctor about a safe indoor temperature, and keep your heating system reliable with regular furnace maintenance.
Benefits of a Cold House
Keeping your house cool, especially at night, offers a lot of advantages.
Burns Calories
Your body burns a bit more energy to keep you warm in cooler conditions. This effect is modest, so think of a cool home as a small bonus rather than a weight-loss plan.
Less Inviting to Some Pests
Many common household pests, like cockroaches, prefer warm, humid spaces. A cooler, drier home is less inviting to them, which is good news for you, since these insects can carry diseases. Normal indoor temperatures won’t kill pests, though, so controlling moisture matters just as much. A whole-home dehumidifier can help keep humidity in check during muggy Dallas summers.
Muscle Recovery
If you’ve ever seen an over-extended athlete sink into an ice bath, you know that cold is often used to aid muscle recovery. A cool room isn’t the same as an ice bath, but it can make resting after a tough workout more comfortable.
Better Sleep
One of the most important reasons to keep a cool house is better sleep. Your body temperature naturally drops as you fall asleep, and a cool room supports that process so your sleep cycles, including REM, can complete without disruption. During REM sleep, your body is less able to regulate its temperature, so a warm room is more likely to wake you up. If you get too warm, you can wake up groggy, and over time poor sleep can take a toll on your memory, immune system, and learning capabilities.
How to End the Thermostat Debate (and Save Energy)
You don’t have to pick a side. These tips can help everyone stay comfortable:
- Use a programmable or smart thermostat. Schedule cooler temperatures for sleep and warmer ones for waking hours. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat back 7–10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
- Use ceiling fans. A fan helps you feel cooler, so you can set the thermostat a little higher in summer.
- Create comfort zones. A ductless mini split lets you set different temperatures in different rooms, which is perfect for bedrooms, offices, or additions.
- Adjust your bedding and layers. The person who runs cold can add a blanket instead of cranking up the heat for everyone.
- Fix uneven rooms. If some rooms are always hotter or colder than others, leaky or poorly designed ductwork may be the cause. Our HVAC ductwork repair service can help balance your home.
- Keep your system tuned up. A well-maintained system holds a steadier temperature. Schedule an AC tune-up before summer and furnace service before winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best thermostat setting in the summer?
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat as high as is comfortable when you’re home. Running your AC at 78°F instead of 72°F can cut your cooling bill by 6% to 18%.
What is the best thermostat setting in the winter?
The Department of Energy suggests around 68°F to 70°F while you’re awake, and lower while you’re asleep or away from home.
What temperature should I set my thermostat to for sleep?
Many sleep experts recommend 60 to 67°F for most adults. Babies and older adults may need a slightly warmer room.
Is it cheaper to keep my thermostat at one temperature all day?
Usually not. Setting your thermostat back while you’re asleep or away can save energy. If you have a heat pump, ask a technician about a thermostat designed for heat pumps, since standard setback schedules may not work as well with them.
Why are some rooms in my house warmer than others?
Uneven temperatures are often caused by ductwork problems, poor insulation, sun exposure, or an aging system. An HVAC inspection can pinpoint the cause.
Get Heating and Cooling Help From Ellis AC & Furnace Repair
Call us at 972-291-9316 or visit our website to review our special offers and financing options! Our team of HVAC professionals is ready to assist you with your heating and cooling needs. Each staff member is trained and licensed to evaluate your needs and put together a strategy that meets them. Our speedy industry professionals will investigate your problem and give you a free estimate. This way, you have time to do your research and be sure we’re giving you the best cost for the service. Ready to settle the thermostat debate for good? Contact us today.