Best Air Conditioning Temperature for Sleeping

There’s nothing quite as awful as trying to sleep through the worst of a Brisbane summer. When the heat and humidity remain high during the night, many of us reach for the air conditioning thermostat. Using air conditioning throughout the night is a great way to improve your sleep and survive the worst of our local summers. There is plenty of debate about the best air conditioning temperature for sleeping, but we’re here to clear things up. In this article we’ll be discussing the best air conditioning settings for summer, winter and those sweltering Brisbane nights.

What is the Optimal Air Conditioning Temperature During the Day?

If you live in Brisbane or sub-tropical Australia, we recommend setting your air conditioning to 23C-25C during the day.
Setting your thermostat to 23C-25C offers the best balance between cooling, comfort and energy efficiency. The optimal air conditioning temperature varies depending on the climate and humidity in your area. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different temperature settings to find the one that works for you!

If you’ve invested in reverse cycle air conditioning, the best heating temperature for Brisbane’s winters is about 18C during the day. That might sound chilly, but heating your home can be costly, so it’s better to set the temperature low and add extra layers of clothing to stay toasty.

The Best Air Conditioner Temperature for Sleeping in Australia

The best air conditioner temperature for sleeping is 25C in Australia. This is cool but not cold, which promotes better sleep.

Keeping the room cool causes your brain to produce higher levels of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that controls your body clock and promotes sleep.

We recommend 25C as the best aircon temp for sleeping because it’s a good middle ground. While a cool room will help you drift off faster and improve the quality of sleep, a cold room will have the opposite effect.

Setting your aircon to 25C also prevents the system from running constantly throughout the night. Since the ambient temperature will usually drop below 25C naturally, your aircon can maintain the temperature without working excessively hard. That saves on your power bills!

If you struggle with sleep, suffer from insomnia or work irregular hours, installing an air conditioner is the best thing you can do to promote better sleep.

What Mode Should My Aircon Be On When Sleeping?

We recommend setting your aircon to “sleep mode” when you’re getting ready for bed. Sleep mode is an advanced function that allows your air conditioner to gradually increase the temperature throughout the night. This keeps you warm and minimises the amount of electricity your aircon is using.

If your air conditioner doesn’t have a sleep mode, you can also use “timer mode” to turn the aircon off once you’ve fallen asleep. For instance, you could cool your room down before climbing into bed, and set the timer to switch the aircon off 1-2 hours after you’re asleep.

For nights where it’s humid but not hot, you can use the “dry mode” setting to remove excess moisture from the air. Humid air makes it feel hotter than it actually is, which can reduce the quality of your sleep.

How Does Sleep Mode Work on AC?

The sleep mode on your air conditioner is designed to cool the room down while you fall asleep, then gradually increase the temperature to keep you warm.

This works because our body temperature lowers as we drift off to sleep. Lowering your core temperature improves sleep, but it can also leave you shivering if you get too cold during the night.

As the ambient temperature drops, the sleep mode on your AC will increase the temperature in your room. This will prevent you from waking up at 2am because you’re freezing cold. It will also reduce the amount of electricity your air conditioner uses during the night.

Most modern air conditioners include a sleep mode. Depending on the system and settings, it will increase the temperature by 0.5-1C per hour until it reaches the best AC temperature for sleeping (25C). Once it reaches 25C, the air conditioner will switch off. It’ll come back on automatically if it needs to cool the room down again.

Advanced systems can also monitor your bedroom for signs of movement. If your air conditioner detects motion like tossing and turning, it will lower the temperature to help you drift back to sleep.

The Importance of Air Conditioning Temperatures for Sleep

Body temperature and sleep cycles are closely connected, and it’s easy to disturb your sleep if your aircon is set to the wrong temperature.

That’s because your body’s sleep cycle is controlled by its circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is based on the day and night cycle of the sun, and it relies on cues such as temperature to release melatonin.

If you’re sleeping with aircon on, setting your air conditioner to 25C helps by:

Just remember that setting your air conditioning temperature too low can also affect sleep, so try to find a happy medium!

Air Conditioning Temperature Setting for Energy Saving

It’s no secret that air conditioning temperatures can have a big impact on your power bills. According to research by Canstar, increasing the temperature of a split system air conditioner by 2 degrees could save you more than $55 per year! Ultimately, the best air conditioning temperature setting for energy saving is 25C or higher in summer. The less your air conditioner has to cool your home, the less power it will consume. 

There are also a few other things you can do to reduce your cooling bill this summer: