Sleep Expert Shares An Austrian Trick For Getting A Good Night's Rest That Actually Works
Throw open those windows and breathe in the cool night air.
Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash Kaitlin Klimmer is a mom and certified sleep coach whose work helps tired parents find a sleep routine that works for their baby or toddler, no matter what their parenting style may be. Her methods center around the belief that “parenting rooted in consistent, nurturing responsiveness leads to the best outcomes for children and their attachment figures.”
The sleep expert shared an Austrian sleep trick for a good night’s rest that actually works, which she learned living abroad.
Klimmer shared a technique she learned after moving to Austria, one that opened her eyes to a new way of ensuring a solid foundation for sleep.
People in Austria abide by a sleep tactic they call “Lüften,” which means “To air something out” in German.
In explaining lüften, she referenced the Danish method of putting babies down for naps bundled in their strollers, outside.
“Since moving to Austria, I’ve realized they use the same principles of cold and fresh air to help everyone get better sleep,” she said.
Photo: Kinga Howard / Unsplash
Lüften is when you open all the windows in your bedroom to let fresh air in, making the room as cold as possible. Then, you put hot water bottles and heating pads under your covers, to make your bed nice and toasty.
“We close the door to trap all that cold air in the room,” Klimmer noted, so the room becomes lüften, or aired out.
She then takes her kids through their bedtime routine. By the time they’re done brushing their teeth and washing up, their rooms are cold and their beds are warm.
“Fresh, cold air makes us feel sleepy,” she explained. “It helps us fall asleep and when we are asleep, we sleep better in the cold.”
Keeping your bedroom cold can help you fall asleep faster and get higher-quality sleep.
Klimmer cited research showing that cooler temperatures allow for better regulation of our body’s internal temperature while we sleep.
In a 2012 study, titled, “Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm,” researchers Kazue Okamoto-Mizuno and Koh Mizuno posited that “heat exposure increases wakefulness and decreases slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep.”
Photo: Dakota Corbin / Unsplash
In order to fall asleep, our core body temperature has to drop. A higher core temperature translates into less restorative sleep, which is why Klimmer and other sleep experts recommend keeping your bedroom at 60 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.
According to an article published by Healthnews, keeping the bedroom cool helps regulate our hormones, especially the release of melatonin, and stops cortisol levels from rising and keeping us awake.
Klimmer acknowledges that everyone is different and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. Some people sleep well in the cold while others might not. Yet she encourages her followers to try lüften to help their little ones sleep, noting that it’s a low-risk change that could make a big difference.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture and all things to do with the entertainment industry.