Sleep environments and sleep physiology: A review.

Area of Science:

• Sleep science
• Human physiology
• Environmental health

Background:

• Sleep loss negatively impacts cognitive function, mood, physical recovery, and task performance.
• Factors like age, health, and environment influence sleep quality.
• Thermal factors, including skin temperature and sweating, significantly disrupt sleep.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the impact of sleepwear and bedding on the thermal microclimate during sleep.
• To highlight the importance of thermal properties for sleep quality, particularly for athletes.
• To identify research gaps and future directions in sleep thermal environments.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing research on sleep, thermal microclimates, and sleepwear/bedding.
• Analysis of factors affecting sleep thermal regulation.
• Discussion of current and potential research methodologies.

Main Results:

• Research on the specific effects of bedding and sleepwear on sleep thermal microclimates is limited.
• Thermal properties of sleep environments are crucial for sleep quality and recovery.
• Physically active individuals may have unique thermal needs during sleep.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for more research into the relationship between sleepwear, bedding, and thermal microclimates.
• Optimizing the thermal environment through bedding and sleepwear can enhance sleep quality and performance.
• Future research should explore novel methods to study and improve sleep thermal regulation.