How to achieve ideal temperature for sleep at night
By Dan Kauna, June 25, 2026Most people focus on buying a comfortable mattress or heavy duvets when trying to fix their sleep.
However, room temperature is often the real reason behind those restless nights. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold messes with how the body rests, leaving you tired the next morning even after eight hours in bed.
How your body cools down for sleep
The human body runs on an internal clock that naturally drops your temperature when it is time to sleep. To cool down, your body pushes heat away from your core towards your hands and feet by widening your blood vessels. This internal drop signals to the brain that it is time to switch off.
When your bedroom is too warm or freezing, this cooling process stalls, leading to broken sleep.
A 2023 study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment highlights how easily our sleep gets disrupted. Lead researcher Amir Baniassadi, PhD, noted that “during sleep, we oscillate between phases where our body temperature is regulated differently.”
When indoor temperatures go above 25 degrees Celsius, sleep efficiency drops by 5 to 10 per cent. This cuts out the deep, restorative rest your body needs.
For most people, the best temperature for a good night of rest is between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Easy ways to fix your room temperature
Nairobi weather changes drastically, moving from the biting cold of July to the dry heat of January. You do not need expensive air conditioning to keep your room comfortable across these seasons.
During the hot months, opening windows slightly in the evening helps cool air circulate before you sleep.
Setting up a simple fan near the window pulls in the breeze, while swapping heavy synthetic bedding for 100 per cent cotton sheets lets body heat escape easily.
When the July chill sets in, avoid expensive space heaters that can easily add Sh2,000 to your electricity bill.
Instead, layer thin blankets to trap heat more effectively than one single heavy duvet. Putting a rug on cold tiled floors also prevents drafts from dropping the room temperature.
Finally, taking a warm bath an hour before bed opens up your blood vessels, helping your body cool down faster once you get into bed.