Minnesotans Summer Thermostat Settings Might Surprise You

Here in Minnesota, we love our summers. We love hot summer days, stormy summer nights, and getting outside to enjoy that summer sun.

But when you're discussing indoor temperatures for summer, that's another story!

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY ABOUT SETTING DAYTIME THERMOSTATS

The experts say that our thermostats should be set somewhere between 72 and 78 degrees during the day in our homes. They say if no one is home, then you should help your central air or air conditioning units out by turning up the temperature 5 degrees or so to give that cooling equipment a bit of a break and save on your electric bill. 78??? They must be talking to people who live in Arizona. Minnesotans, do you really like it that hot? I don't know about you, but my life is comfortable anywhere between 60 and 72 degrees. Outside of that, I'd better be on vacation somewhere.

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EVENING THERMOSTAT TEMPS

I was shocked to learn that maybe I'm actually keeping my house hotter than most people when you are talking about sleeping temps.

My family likes our house cool, somewhere around 68 degrees, pretty much all the time. We don't rotate from that too much. We like it cool during the day, and we like it cool during the evening. (Or so I thought). I was shocked to find out that my evening "cool" isn't even close to what most people prefer!

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WHO CAN AFFORD TO SLEEP AT THESE TEMPS?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the best temperatures for sleeping at night are keeping your thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees. Holy cow! I thought 68 was on the cool side! Now and then, I'll have to turn it down to 67, but lower than that? I would be hibernating. I don't think I'd ever get up and go to work. I'd just be snoozing under some thick blankets.

Then again, maybe that's the secret. Maybe all of those people who swear by a 62-degree bedroom are onto something. Sleep experts say cooler temperatures help your body naturally lower its core temperature, which signals that it's time to sleep. In theory, that means falling asleep faster and staying asleep longer. I could get used to that. I don't think it would work for me, regardless, since my little dog needs to go outside a few times in the evening.

WE ALL RUN A LITTLE DIFFERENT

I realize that thermostat settings can become a full-blown family debate. One person is comfortable, another is sweating, and someone else is wrapped up in a blanket burrito on the couch. Every household seems to have that one family member who sneaks over to the thermostat and quietly adjusts it when nobody is looking. I literally had to put a box around my thermostat to keep people from changing it. Seriously!

TEMPERATURE RELATIONSHIPS

And let's be honest, in Minnesota, we have a unique relationship with temperature. We survive wind chills of 30 below in the winter, then spend the summer arguing over whether 68 degrees indoors is too cold. It's funny when you think about it.

So now I'm curious. If sleep experts say 60 to 67 degrees is ideal, what temperature do you keep your house at night? Are you part of Team Arctic Tundra, sleeping in a room that's practically refrigerator-cold? Or are you like me, perfectly happy at 68 degrees and wondering how anyone can comfortably sleep in temperatures that seem better suited for storing leftovers?