Possible Health Benefits of Lower Bedroom Temperatures

You may want to think twice before turning down your air conditioner! An interesting study was released recently investigating the possible health benefits of sleeping in cooler temperatures at night. It is something we usually do not think about, but some are starting to think it can really make a difference. Specifically, researchers set out to see if it had an effect on stores of brown (good) fat which has the potential to improve metabolism.  Sponsored by the American Diabetes Association, researchers took 5 healthy young men and had them sleep in a controlled environment. During the course of the experiment, they had them all sleep in different room temperatures. It was found that when the temperature was cooler, significantly higher amounts of brown fat were found. This implies that there is possibility of metabolic benefit to sleeping in colder temperatures.

However, is the same true for women? We do not know. Since the study only included 5 men, it is impossible to know if the same results would have been found in a group of 5 women. With the possible metabolic benefits this study eludes to, it is hopeful that it will be repeated not only with women, but with a larger and more diverse group.

Resources:
Article abstract and link in PubMed

Article: Let's Cool it in the Bedroom  New York Times