Some people are having trouble sleeping the last few days. Blame it on the heat. Our bodies are designed to sleep when we're cooler.
"Not when we're hot." Says Dr. Stephen Grant with the Iowa Sleep Disorder Center. It's often the case that people will mention in the summertime when air temperatures increase it's harder to fall asleep."
There's science behind the link between temperature and sleep
"We actually rely on a circadian drop in our body temperature to cue us to go to sleep." Dr. Grant tells WHO Radio News. "So, sleep and body temperature are intimately related."
What's the ideal temperature for the best quality sleep?
"Keep the bedroom between 60 and 68 degrees. That way you can put on a light blanket and still get to sleep."
Everybody wants to have a hot body, but it's not so good for sleep
Dr. Grant, who is an M.D. and Psychiatrist, as well as a Certified Sleep Specialist with offices in Ankeny and West Des Moines says people who work out after work often have trouble falling asleep.
He explains that's less about adrenaline and more about their body temperature.
"What's really happening is an increase in core body temperature of one to two degrees that can alter their ability to fall asleep."
Dr. Grant suggests a three to four hour buffer between exercise and bedtime.
Take a Sleep Quiz from the Iowa Sleep Disorder Center CLICK HERE