One of the best experiences you can have is watching a baby sleep. It’s perhaps the most peaceful, relaxing feeling you can have. When they sleep, it’s as if they are in a magical land having a magical experience. When you watch them you can see them smile, hear them laugh, and if you’re lucky, you may even hear them utter a few delightful sounds. This experience is one of kind, and is made possible by the level of comfort the sleeping baby experiences.
Best Sleeping Temperature For Baby
So what is the optimal room temperature for your healthy baby? The answer may surprise you! 65 degrees F is considered by most experts to be the optimal temperature. Lower than you thought? Most parents tend to keep their ambient house temperature or bedroom temperature higher than is actually optimal for sleep. The body's core temperature needs to drop to initiate sleep.
Lullaby Trust in the UK recommends keeping the temperature of your baby's room between 16℃ and 20℃ (60.8°F and 68°F) with an ideal temperature of 18°C (65°F)
Sleep Temperature Guide For Newborn - 3 Months
Your baby's comfort lever depends on a number of factors including the temperature of your baby’s nursery. Just like Goldilocks’ porridge, your child’s nursery should not be too hot or too cold. Babies have a hard time regulating their body temperatures, particularly when sleeping since their nervous systems are not fully matured. If your baby is too hot or too cold it will increase the chance that they will awaken at night and if your baby isn’t sleeping then you aren’t either!
When babies are too warm they can become sweaty, have flushed cheeks and rapid breathing. When too cold, they become less active. But no matter what temperature you decide to set your child’s nursery at, the easiest way to check if your baby is too hot or too cold is to feel their stomach, back or the nape of their neck. Do not rely on feeling their hands or feet as their extremities can give you an inaccurate reading of their overall temperature.
The basic rule of thumb for dressing a baby for bedtime is to add one extra layer compared to older children. One sleeper bag with one footie, romper or pajama set underneath should do the trick in most cases.
Sleep Temperature Guide for Babies 3 Months - 4 Years
When it’s really cold outside, consider using a long sleeve cotton fleece sleeper bag that adds extra warmth without adding too much bulk and is still 100% breathable. Layer a rib knit or fleece footie underneath for added warmth.
When it’s hot, one long sleeve sleeper bag in breathable organic cotton Rib Knit provides total coverage without adding more warmth than your baby needs.
Keeping your baby in their magical dream world can easily be solved by ensuring that they’re not too hot and not too cold. Try lowering the thermostat to 65 at night and remember, if you feel warm then it would be no surprise that your baby does too and if you feel cold add an extra layer for baby as well and everyone will sleep better.