How Your AC Can Negatively Affect Sleep

You probably know that getting enough sleep is extremely important to your overall health. But did you know that your AC system can play a large part in how much sleep you’re getting? 

Your AC can negatively affect your sleep if it is:

1. Turned up too high or down too low

2. Making loud noises

3. Producing too-high of a velocity 

Below, we’ll walk through each of these factors as well as provide you with tips on how to fix them, so that your AC is no longer a barrier between you and sleep. 

The optimal temperature for sleep is somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees. 

When your body is attempting to go to sleep, your body temperature actually decreases. When your external temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees, it can help encourage your body into sleep.

If your temperature is much higher or lower than this, it may not only be difficult to fall asleep, but the quality and duration of your sleep may be affected. 

If you think snoring is bad, you haven’t experienced a loud AC system. If your AC is making a lot of noise when you’re trying to sleep, it can affect your ability to fall (and stay) asleep.

There are a few reasons your AC could be making loud noises, but a few of the most common include:

• There is a mechanical issue

• Your AC isn’t running efficiently

• Your AC has a high decibel rating 

Our first suggestion would be to check your AC manual or the manufacturer's website for the decibel rating (dB) of your AC system. Systems with a decibel rating of 70 or higher are usually pretty loud. 

To ensure that your AC is running efficiently and doesn't need any repairs, you should have it checked annually by a professional. If you haven’t had your AC maintained in a while, this is a good place to start. An HVAC tech will come to your home, assess your system and point out any issues, which may help with the noise and catch small issues before they become bigger, costlier ones. 

According to a study, if your AC velocity is too high, it can have a negative impact on the quality of your sleep. 

Essentially, if your AC is blowing air out too quickly, it can interrupt your body’s ability to stay asleep.

To fix this, you should contact a professional. An HVAC professional can adjust your AC blower motor settings to reduce the velocity of the airflow. In addition, a tech can install something called a diffuser, which helps distribute the air more evenly (and less forcefully).

Do you know what else can cause you to lose sleep? Your AC bills. If your AC hasn’t been maintained in a while (over a year), it’s time to call an HVAC technician. The more efficiently your AC runs, the less expensive your monthly cooling bills will be.