Do you toss and turn, struggling to get a good night’s sleep? When looking for solutions, most homeowners in Maryland don’t think about their home’s HVAC system. But your sleeping environment is largely influenced by the heating and cooling system which will ultimately impact your sleep quality. Here are four ways that your home’s HVAC system can impact your quality of sleep.
1) Poor Indoor Air Quality
Poor indoor air quality can keep you up at night suffering from coughing, sneezing, and congestion. Without proper ventilation,all sorts of air particles such as dust, pollen, mold, and other irritants can get trapped inside the house. Poor indoor air quality can trigger asthma attacks, allergies, and cause or worsen breathing issues during sleep, all things which increase the risk of unhealthy sleep patterns.In a study by the University of Washington, researchers found that:
“air pollution causes upper airway irritation, swelling and congestion, and may also affect the central nervous system and brain areas that control breathing patterns and sleep.” – Martha E. Billings, MD, MSc, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington
Changing your air filters regularly and ensuring your home is properly ventilated will allow your home to naturally cleanse your air by replacing or diluting indoor airborne pollutants with fresh air from the outdoors.
2) Inconsistent Temperatures
Inconsistent temperatures can also make it difficult for you to get a good night’s rest. We won’t get into debating rather lower or higher temperatures are best for sleep because everyone has their own preference. But what’s important is that your home can maintain your desired temperature throughout the night.
Failing to keep your heating and cooling system properly serviced and cleaned can make it difficult to achieve a consistent temperature while you sleep. One minute you may wake up sweating, throwing the covers off. Next, you’re shivering cold and pulling them back on. If this sounds familiar to you, investing in your home’s HVAC equipment can help to combat inconsistent temperatures.
3) Loud Noises
If your home’s HVAC equipment is nearing the end of its life cycle or just requiring repairs, it’s normal for it to operate rather loudly. A loud banging or thumping noise from your furnace while you’re asleep can abruptly awaken you. If this happens multiple times each night, you’ll notice a decrease in your overall sleep quality. Regardless of which of these noises you hear, you never ignore them. It’s always best to contact a professional HVAC technician as soon as you notice them.A good way to avoid having issues such as these arise with your HVAC unit is to perform regular maintenance on your unit.
4) Humidity Levels
Have you ever woken up in the morning with a dry nose or throat? This is a result of the humidity levels in your home. If the humidity levels are too low in your home, you are likely to experience irritation in the nose and throat. If your humidity levels are too high you may experience trouble breathing. Both of these conditions can impact your quality of sleep, so it’s important to properly control your home’s humidity levels for good sleep. At Minnick’s, we recommend that you aim to maintain your home’s humidity levels between 35 percent to 45 percent. Not only will proper humidity levels improve your quality of sleep, but it will also benefit your health.
Getting a good night’s rest is not as hard as it seems
With a few adjustments to your current HVAC system and maybe an investment in some new equipment, you can make good quality sleep possible every night. At Minnick’s, we are here to help Maryland homeowners improve their home in every aspect to make it an ideal living environment.
Minnick’s offers a variety of HVAC solutions that can keep you comfortable and help you achieve higher quality sleep. Schedule an appointment online or call us at (301) 327-3038 and we’ll be more than happy to help you out with any questions you may have about your home’s HVAC system and how it affects your sleep.
