While experts say 78 degrees is the ideal thermostat setting for your air conditioner, a new study shows Americans disagree.
Sleep wellness brand Bear Mattress, in a recent sleep study released July 8, found that the country's "ideal sleep temperature" is 67 degrees.
"It's the temperature most Americans say helps them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer," Bear Mattress said in an Aug. 4 news release
.More than 2,000 adults across all 50 states participated in the research, Bear Mattress said, as it mapped "sleep comfort, temperature preferences, and bedtime behaviors" to understand "how geography and generation shape the way Americans wind down."
Here's what the study said about Arizonans and their preferred AC temperatures for sleeping.
What is Arizona's preferred sleep temperature?
While 67 degrees is the national average, Massachusetts sleeps the coldest at 63.2 degrees; meanwhile, Hawaii is the warmest sleeping state at 69.5 degrees.
"Regional climate plays a major role in how Americans define 'comfortable'," the study said.
In Arizona, that means that the preferred sleep temperature is 68.3 degrees, which makes a lot of sense considering the summer heat and high electric bills it often brings.
This perfectly matches what an unofficial Arizona Republic poll showed. For thethird consecutive year, Arizonans voted 78 degrees as their preferred AC setting, according to poll results. More than one-quarter of the poll voters fell into this category.
A 2021 Consumer Reports national survey found that the average temperature Americans set their thermostats to is about 71 degrees during the day and night. The temperature varies slightly by region, with Americans living in the South reporting that they set their thermostats to 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, while those living in the Northeast set theirs to 70 degrees, the survey found.
What temperature should I set my AC to in Phoenix?
The truth is, there isn't really a magic number, but experts would say 78 degrees.
However, the decision you may want to make is based on:
- What feels comfortable to you and the other people in your household.
- The health conditions of people in your household.
- How well your home is insulated and otherwise protected against heat.
- What other cooling methods you use (floor fans, ceiling fans, closed curtains/shades, etc.).
- How much you're willing to pay on your electric bill.
Brianna Callaway, a spokesperson with Valley Services, a Phoenix-based HVAC repair company, said residents should be able to set their AC at the temperature they feel most comfortable with. Yet, she recommended residents keep it set at the same temperature when they are at home, and move it up or down as little as they can.
"I would say most people like to keep it around 75 degrees," Callaway said. "When you're gone, you could leave it around 79 or 80, but if you're at home, we recommend keeping it at the same temperature."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The ideal AC setting isn't 78, study says. What it means for Arizona
