You're wondering whether to bother with getting the air conditioner repaired or, instead, just doing without it this summer. After all, summers in Canada aren't known for being excessively hot. One definitive reason to have a working air conditioner is that cool temperatures appear to be advantageous during sleep, both for more restful sleep and for metabolic health.

Better Sleep

Temperatures that are too warm or too cold tend to disrupt sleep. The best temperature for sleeping generally ranges from 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit; temperatures above 75 degrees may keep you awake. If you have trouble sleeping and your bedroom temperature is regularly warmer than this, heat could be the problem. 

One associated factor is biological. Body temperature dips slightly as a person becomes sleepy, which is a normal part of its daily rhythm. This typically occurs at night, with the body temperature continuing to decline slightly for several hours before starting to rise again in the early morning. If the environment is too warm, it interferes with the normal change in body temperature.

Another factor involves simple comfort. A warm environment often leads to sweating. You wake up, finding yourself damp and uncomfortable in the bed -- especially if you like to wear some sort of nighttime apparel. 

Enhancing Metabolic Health

Sleeping in cooler temperatures also can speed up your metabolism rate, which helps you burn calories. The healthy changes in metabolism appear to last throughout the entire day. 

The main effect appears to be on brown fat, medically known as brown adipose tissue. Adults only have tiny deposits of this healthy fat, but even that amount has beneficial effects.

Brown fat helps the body remove sugar from the blood and improves insulin sensitivity, which may help prevent Type 2 diabetes. It also helps burn stores of white fat, the substance people generally want to reduce in their bodies. 

A study published in 2014 indicates that sleeping in a 66-degree environment could double a person's brown fat levels, whereas sleeping in an environment above 80 degrees depletes stores of this healthy fat.

Concluding Thoughts

You may not need to run your air conditioner a great deal, but the affordable cost of air conditioner repair is worth the advantages you gain. On some hot, sunny days, leaving windows open at night just doesn't work to lower the temperature effectively. In addition, some nights stay excessively warm as well. You'll sleep better and experience healthy effects on your metabolism when you keep your bedroom cool. 

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