Best Temperature for Sleep in the UAE

There is no single bedroom temperature that suits everyone. For many adults, a cool room around 18°C is a useful starting point; Cleveland Clinic gives a broader suggested range of 60 to 67°F, or about 16 to 19.4°C. If you are unsure where to begin, try around 19°C in the room and adjust gradually to your comfort over several nights.

In the UAE, the number on the air-conditioner is only its set point. The temperature beside your bed may be different, so use a thermometer near where you sleep before making large changes.

Why does the recommended temperature vary?

Your body temperature follows a daily rhythm and starts to fall as you prepare for sleep. A bedroom that feels too warm can make it harder to get comfortable, but room temperature is only one part of the sleep environment. Bedding, sleepwear, airflow, age, and personal preference all affect how warm or cool you feel.

A large observational analysis published as a 2020 conference abstract tracked more than 3.75 million nights from 34,096 people in the United States. It found that warmer bedrooms were associated with shorter sleep and more time awake. That is an association from one data set, not proof that a particular temperature will work for every person or every UAE home.

Age can also matter. In a 2023 home-based study of 50 adults aged 65 and older, sleep measures were best on average between 20 and 25°C, but the researchers found substantial differences between individuals. The result is not a rule that every older adult should set the air-conditioning warmer; it is a reminder to pay attention to the person, not just the average.

Start with comfort, not a fixed number

If you sleep comfortably and wake feeling rested at a temperature outside a commonly quoted range, you do not need to chase an exact figure. Use general guidance as a starting point, then notice whether you regularly wake feeling too warm or too cold.

Babies and young children need age-appropriate sleep guidance. Follow advice from your child's paediatrician or another qualified healthcare professional rather than applying adult temperature recommendations to a child's room.

If a health condition or medication affects how you respond to heat or cold, ask your healthcare professional what is appropriate for you.

Your AC setting is not the temperature beside your bed

An air-conditioner thermostat displays a target for its sensor; it does not guarantee that the air around the bed is at that temperature. The sensor may be elsewhere in the room or home, and airflow or a timer can change how the room feels overnight.

Place a room thermometer near the bed, away from a direct AC vent. Check it at bedtime and again if you wake uncomfortable. This gives you a better picture of the sleeping area than relying on the thermostat display alone.

Balancing sleep comfort and AC use in the UAE

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) recommends setting the AC thermostat to 24°C as an energy-conservation measure. That is general energy guidance, not a medical recommendation for an individual sleeper, and a thermostat set point is not the same as the temperature measured beside the bed.

If you prefer a cooler room, adjust the setting in small steps and check the actual temperature near the bed. Where your home has separate room controls, you can adjust the bedroom independently. Bedding and sleepwear also affect how warm you feel, so change one thing at a time and give yourself a few nights to judge the difference.

Air movement and humidity can affect comfort even when the room temperature seems reasonable. If you sleep with the AC on, our guide to sleeping with AC in the UAE covers dry air and direct airflow.

When the bed itself feels warm

The room is not the only source of warmth. A duvet, sleepwear, mattress protector, topper and the mattress surface can all affect how warm the bed feels. If the room feels comfortable but the bed still feels hot, look at those layers as well as the AC setting.

A mattress feature cannot lower the air temperature in your bedroom, but different surfaces and constructions may feel different to you. If you are comparing options, browse our cooling mattress collection and judge the feel of the specific model.

How to find a comfortable setting?

1. Measure the temperature near the bed, away from direct airflow, rather than assuming the AC display matches the sleeping area.
2. If you do not know where to start, try a room temperature around 19°C and see how you feel over several nights.
3. Change the setting by about one degree at a time. Keep your bedding similar while testing so you can tell what made the difference.
4. Notice how you feel when you wake: too warm, too cold, or comfortable. Bedtime comfort alone may not reflect how the room feels later in the night.
5. Repeat the check when seasons or AC use change, since the room may feel different even if you use the same thermostat setting.

If you are also comparing the feel of different mattresses, you can try them at our showrooms across the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best temperature for sleep?

There is no exact temperature that works for everyone. A cool room around 18°C is a common starting point for many adults, while published guidance spans a wider range. Adjust for your comfort and the temperature where you actually sleep.

What temperature should I set the AC to for sleeping?

Use the thermostat as a starting setting, not as a measurement of the air beside your bed. Check the bedroom with a separate thermometer, then adjust gradually. DEWA's 24°C advice is for energy conservation and does not prescribe a sleep temperature for every person.

Is 18°C too cold to sleep in?

Not necessarily. Many adults find a cool room comfortable, but if you wake cold or cannot settle, raise the temperature a little and see whether that helps. You do not need to stay uncomfortable to follow a general recommendation.

Should older adults sleep in a warmer room?

Some older adults may prefer a warmer room, but there is no setting that applies to everyone. A small study found the best average sleep measures between 20 and 25°C among the participants, with differences between individuals. Personal comfort and health matter.

Why do my partner and I prefer different temperatures?

People can feel the same room differently because of personal preference, sleepwear, bedding, and other factors. Agree on a room setting that both can tolerate, then adjust individual bedding where possible.

Can a cooling mattress make the bedroom cooler?

No. A mattress does not change the room's air temperature. Its surface may feel different against your body, so check the AC, bedding and mattress separately if you feel hot at night.