Effects of temperature cycles on thermal comfort and sleep quality of sleeping people

摘要

The effects of three air temperature changes were investigated: a constant temperature reference condition (26°C), a U-shaped change condition (28°C-27°C-26°C-27°C-28°C), and an inverted-U shaped change condition (25°C-26°C-27°C-28°C-27°C-26°C). Eighteen healthy young people (9 males and 9 females, mean age 23 years) slept in a climate chamber with continuous monitoring of multiple physiological parameters under the three conditions. Sleep quality was evaluated using questionnaires in the morning and by analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Compared with the other two conditions, when the air temperature was kept at a lower but comfortable 25°C during the initial phase of the sleeping period (inverted-U change), the subjects took longer to fall asleep and reported poorer sleep quality in the morning. This study indicates that a comfortably cool environment during the initial phase of the sleeping period delayed the onset of sleep.