What Is Considered Good Sleep?What Is the Best Temperature for Sleep in Winter?
Published October 21, 2026 · What Is Considered Good Sleep? editors
Quick answer: keep the bedroom cool, roughly 60–68°F (the range Good Sleep cites from Cleveland Clinic and the Sleep Foundation), and make the bed warm. Warm skin, especially hands and feet, helps your body release core heat, which is part of how you fall asleep. Overheating the whole room works against that.
Why cranking the heat can hurt sleep
A hot, dry bedroom makes it harder for your core temperature to drop, and you may wake up sweaty under winter bedding at 3 a.m. Warm air also costs money to keep up all night.
Why cold feet keep you awake
On the other side, if your hands and feet are cold, blood vessels stay constricted and your body holds onto core heat. That's one reason warm socks help some people fall asleep faster.
The winter setup that works
- Thermostat: set it in the 60s at night.
- Bed: pre-warm it, then hold a gentle warmth rather than a scorching one.
- Layers: breathable sheets and a blanket you can push aside.
- Feet: socks if you run cold.
Electric blanket vs water-based heated topper
Electric blankets heat and only heat; in summer you need something else. A water-based system like Good Sleep heats up to 110°F in winter and cools to 62°F in summer with the same topper. Good Sleep suggests about 82°F as a starting point for cold sleepers, and on King each side can be set separately, so a cold sleeper can stay warm next to a partner who runs hot. Good Sleep's tagline sums it up: cool (or warm) your bed, not your house.
Thinking about one for the holidays?
Good Sleep is $1,479 one-time with free shipping and a 30-night trial from delivery (15% restocking fee on returns). Its policy also extends returns through January 31 for orders placed November 24 through December 24. For a deeper dive into how water heating and cooling works, read how water-based bed cooling works, and for more drug-free sleep habits, see how to sleep better naturally.
Warm in winter, cool in summer
Good Sleep heats to 110°F and cools to 62°F on your existing mattress, with no app and no subscription.
See Good Sleep at trygoodsleep.com