The Bedroom Temperature Italians Sleep At That Would Kill Americans

And what it reveals about climate, comfort, and a radically different idea of nighttime health.

In the United States, bedtime comfort is often measured in degrees — precisely 68°F (20°C), give or take. The thermostat hums. The ceiling fan spins. The weighted blanket comes out, and central air does the rest.

The perfect sleep environment, many Americans say, is cool, dry, and climate-controlled.

In Italy? The approach is entirely different.

Ask an Italian about their ideal bedroom temperature, and you’ll likely get a shrug — or a story about windows, air flow, and how you should never sleep with the AC on unless you want to wake up sick.

It’s not uncommon for Italians to sleep in bedrooms that would feel unbearable to most Americans — too warm in summer, too chilly in winter, and almost never precisely controlled.

And yet, they sleep. Deeply. Without fuss. Sometimes even with the window cracked in winter or closed tight in a summer heatwave. It’s all about balance, not absolute control.

Here’s why Italian bedrooms defy American comfort logic — and what it reveals about how these two cultures approach rest, health, and daily life.

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Quick & Easy Tips

Keep the thermostat between 60°F–64°F (15°C–18°C) for deeper, more restorative sleep—common in many Italian homes.

Use layers of breathable bedding instead of cranking up heat or air conditioning. Cotton or linen sheets help regulate temperature naturally.

Open windows when possible—Italians often rely on fresh air and cross ventilation over artificial heating or cooling.

Try a warm drink before bed (like chamomile tea) rather than heating the room.

Ditch heavy pajamas—lighter sleepwear paired with cozy blankets mimics how Italians adjust to cool rooms.

Most Americans are conditioned to think comfort equals warmth, especially when it comes to bedtime. The idea of sleeping in a room cooler than 68°F sounds like punishment to many. But in countries like Italy, particularly in older homes without central heating or air conditioning, a cooler bedroom is not only standard—it’s preferred. Italians embrace the chill, believing it improves circulation, boosts immunity, and mimics natural circadian rhythms. While Americans might crank the heat at night, Italians open a window.

The contrast isn’t just cultural—it’s economic and architectural. Older Italian homes are built with thick stone or concrete walls designed to retain coolness during the summer and minimize heating needs in winter. Americans, especially in suburban homes with modern HVAC systems, are accustomed to total temperature control. In Italy, energy bills are high, and heating is expensive. As a result, many Italians sleep in rooms that hover near 60°F or lower—an environment that would make many Americans reach for an electric blanket or call it unlivable.

There’s also a deeper, less comfortable truth: the American preference for warm, heavily heated bedrooms may be linked to rising rates of poor sleep, obesity, and even disrupted metabolism. Cooler sleep environments—like those embraced by Italians—have been shown in studies to promote better REM cycles and fat burning. In this way, the Italian habit isn’t quaint—it’s arguably healthier. But the real discomfort may come not from the temperature itself, but from confronting just how differently other cultures define comfort.

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1. The Ideal Italian Sleep Temperature? Not Set on a Thermostat

In Italy, most homes don’t have central air conditioning.
Many also lack centralized heating control in each room.

Instead, comfort is managed manually:

• Shutters are opened at dusk and closed during the day to keep out heat or cold.
• Windows are opened or shut based on airflow and sun exposure.
• Bedding is swapped according to the season, not the temperature setting.

This means the room temperature is often determined by nature, habit, and tradition, not technology.

In summer, that might mean sleeping in 80°F (27°C) heat with a cotton sheet and a fan.
In winter, it could mean bundling up in a 58°F (14°C) room with three blankets and no complaint.

2. Air Conditioning Is Used Sparingly — and Never Overnight

If Americans lean on air conditioning for comfort, Italians see it as something you use briefly — if at all.

Many Italians believe sleeping with the AC on is bad for your health. It dries your throat. It makes you congested. It causes stiff necks, back pain, or even illness.

Whether it’s scientific or not, the cultural belief runs deep.

Even in sweltering summer heat, families may:

• Cool the bedroom for 30 minutes before sleep, then turn the AC off
• Use fans to circulate air without chilling the body
• Rely on tiled floors, natural ventilation, or thick walls to moderate temperature

The result? Many Italians sleep through what Americans would consider heat exhaustion — and wake up feeling just fine.

3. Sleeping Cold in Winter Is Normal (Even Preferred)

In many Italian households, heating is regulated by law — especially in apartment buildings.
Radiators may only be allowed to operate for a few hours per day, during specific months.

This means winter bedrooms often get very cold at night.
Not dangerous, but uncomfortably cold by American standards.

Still, most Italians won’t crank up the heat or add a space heater.
They’ll simply:

• Use heavier blankets (piumoni)
• Wear socks or even a wool sweater to bed
• Place a hot water bottle under the covers
• Sleep in fleece pajamas and double-layered sheets

The idea isn’t to heat the room — it’s to heat the body.

And many Italians will argue they sleep better this way. The cold air is invigorating. The blankets feel cocoon-like. The contrast between the chill and the warm bed is satisfying — not uncomfortable.

4. The Human Body, Not the Room, Should Adapt

This is a major difference in worldview.

American logic says: Set the room to the ideal temperature.
Italian logic says: Adapt your behavior and environment to the natural temperature.

So instead of keeping every room at a fixed number, Italians:

• Change bedding seasonally
• Nap during the hottest hours and stay active at cooler times
• Wear breathable fabrics in summer and layers in winter
• Take into account humidity, airflow, and the feel of the room — not just the number

The room doesn’t have to stay the same all year. You do.
That’s the thinking.

5. Humidity Isn’t Controlled — It’s Managed

In much of Italy, especially the south, summer heat comes with high humidity.
But you won’t find dehumidifiers humming in every bedroom.

Instead, Italians:

• Hang laundry strategically to manage indoor moisture
• Choose linen or cotton sheets that breathe
• Close shutters during the day to reduce interior heat buildup
• Sleep with a window cracked — even if it lets in warm air — just to keep air moving

Americans often fight humidity with machines.
Italians coexist with it, using instinct and airflow rather than gadgets.

6. Bedrooms Are for Sleeping — Not Living

One reason Italians tolerate more extreme temperatures in bedrooms?
Because they don’t spend the day in there.

Bedrooms in Italian homes are primarily for sleep and dressing. You won’t often find:

• Desks or home offices
• Entertainment systems
• People lounging in bed with Netflix or a laptop

If a bedroom is just for sleep, the temperature only needs to be tolerable for those hours.

You go in, fall asleep, and get out in the morning.

There’s no need to make the room feel like a hotel suite — just a quiet, dark, functional space where you rest, however warm or cold it happens to be.

7. A Hot Bedroom Isn’t a Problem — It’s a Season

One of the most striking differences between Americans and Italians is how they view discomfort.

In the U.S., discomfort is a problem to be solved.
In Italy, it’s often seen as a natural part of life — especially seasonal discomfort.

So if the bedroom is hot in July? That’s what July is.

You adapt. You drink cold water before bed. You avoid heavy dinners. You sleep without a shirt. You open the windows and listen to the cicadas.

And eventually, your body adjusts.

No one expects the room to feel like springtime in every season.
The temperature follows the calendar — not a thermostat app.

8. Climate Consciousness Affects Comfort Choices

There’s also a cultural reason behind this approach: energy conservation.

Many Italian families — especially older generations — are deeply aware of energy use. Electricity and gas are expensive. Sustainability matters. Waste is frowned upon.

So cranking the AC or heating the whole house for bedtime comfort just feels… unnecessary.

Even middle-class families will avoid overuse of appliances.
Children are taught early to:

• Close the shutters during peak sun
• Use one light in the house at a time
• Keep doors closed to retain heat
• Turn off the fan when leaving the room

Sleeping warm or cold isn’t just about tolerance — it’s about values.

9. The Myth of Perfect Sleep Comfort Is Rejected

In the U.S., sleep has become a performance.
There are temperature-regulating mattresses, apps that monitor REM cycles, and cooling gel pillows that cost hundreds.

Italian bedrooms? Often simple:

• A basic mattress (sometimes on a wooden frame, sometimes not)
• Cotton sheets
• A good blanket
• A nightstand and maybe a rosary or family photo

Comfort isn’t optimized — it’s habitual.

People sleep because it’s time to sleep. They’re tired. They don’t lie awake evaluating the softness of the pillow or the airflow from the vent.

They fall asleep because that’s what people do at night — whether the room is 62 or 82 degrees.

One Bedroom, Two Realities

To Americans, the idea of sleeping in a stifling or freezing room is outrageous.
To Italians, the idea of spending energy and money to avoid that discomfort completely feels indulgent.

One culture asks, “How can I make this easier on my body?”
The other asks, “How can my body adjust to what’s real?”

The result? A radically different sleep culture.

One that relies on machines and numbers.
And one that relies on tradition, airflow, and a body that learns to live with its environment — not control it.