The temperature of your bedroom at night may significantly impact heart health, especially for older adults, with risks increasing as temperatures rise above 75°F, a new study warns.
The temperature of your bedroom at night could have serious implications for heart health, particularly among older adults. A recent study led by Dr. Fergus O’Connor from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, highlights how elevated bedroom temperatures can stress the cardiovascular system during sleep.
According to Dr. O’Connor, when the human body is exposed to heat, it responds by working harder to circulate blood to the skin’s surface for cooling. This increased workload on the heart can create stress and limit the body’s ability to recover from heat exposure experienced during the day.
The researchers aimed to investigate how real-world bedroom temperatures affect older adults, focusing on a group of 47 participants living in southeast Queensland, with an average age of 72. Unlike many sleep studies conducted in clinical settings, this research was a “free-living” study, allowing participants to maintain their normal activities and sleep schedules.
Throughout an entire Australian summer, from December to March, scientists monitored the participants using high-tech fitness trackers to record heart rates from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Additionally, sensors were placed in the participants’ bedrooms to track temperatures, resulting in over 14,000 hours of nighttime sleep data.
The findings revealed that the temperature at which the heart began to show signs of disruption was slightly above 75°F. Specifically, the study found that when bedroom temperatures ranged from 75°F to 79°F, the likelihood of experiencing a “clinically relevant” drop in heart recovery increased by 40%. This risk doubled when temperatures rose between 79°F and 82°F, and above 82°F, the risk nearly tripled compared to cooler environments.
Dr. O’Connor noted that for individuals aged 65 and older, maintaining overnight bedroom temperatures at approximately 75°F can significantly reduce the likelihood of heightened stress responses during sleep.
While the study establishes a strong correlation between heat and heart stress, the researchers caution that its observational design does not definitively prove that heat is the sole cause of these effects. Furthermore, the study’s focus on older adults in Australia may limit its applicability to other populations. Although the wearable devices used in the study are advanced, they do not match the precision of medical-grade electrocardiograms (ECGs) utilized in clinical environments.
Dr. O’Connor also pointed out a notable gap in temperature guidelines. While there are established recommendations for maximum indoor temperatures during the day, there are currently no equivalent guidelines for nighttime conditions.
The study has been published in the journal BMC Medicine.
As the link between bedroom temperature and heart health becomes clearer, it may be wise for older adults to consider adjusting their sleeping environments to promote better cardiovascular health.
For more information on this study, refer to Fox News.