If you are having trouble sleeping, did you know that adjusting a number of the settings in your home via your HVAC can actually improve the quality of your sleep?
And as you likely already know, good sleep is essential to your health and happiness. We’ve assembled our best tips and tricks to get your air conditioning system working properly for you to promote good sleep habits.
Turn the Fans on
It is a good idea to leave your ceiling fans on year-round because it helps with your energy efficiency. Saving money on your energy bills should ease your mind right off the bat.
It can also help you fall asleep and stay asleep too. That lovely breeze from the fan is soothing and can lull you nicely into a deep sleep. Fresh, circulating air is good, and you can give your air conditioning a break.
Set the Thermostat Accordingly
When you approach sleep, your body temperature falls. You need the temperature of the room that you are sleeping in to do the same thing. Ideally, your room temperature should fall to 60Fº-67Fº at night.
Make this a seamless operation by putting in a programmable thermostat, if you don’t already have one. You can set the temperature to fall automatically every night just before bedtime.
It will signal your body that it is time to go to sleep. If it is more convenient, think about putting in zone heating, which will let you control each room individually. This can be helpful if you work shift work and the family wants to use the rest of the home, or if you prefer the rest of your home generally to be warmer.
Set the Humidity to the Right Level
It is essential that you’ve got the right balance of humidity in your home in order to get good quality sleep. If it is too low, your skin will get very dry and itchy, which will wake you up.
If it is too high, you will be uncomfortable and clammy. You won’t be able to relax, and you may not be able to breathe well.
Also, high humidity encourages the growth of mold spores and other allergens, which could trigger respiratory problems, which will interrupt your sleep.
Eliminate this problem by installing a whole-home humidifier. Set it to between 50-60 percent. In our busy lives here in, Plainfield, IL, it can be hard to fall asleep.
In addition to following the advice above, try dimming the lights, avoiding big meals close to bed and switching off electronics before bed. It can be helpful to read or to listen to soothing music too.
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Brian Sloan is the President of TR Miller Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical, one of the western Chicago suburbs' leading family owned home service companies, serving homeowners across more than 80 communities throughout Will, Kendall, DuPage, Kane, and Cook counties.
TR Miller is more than a business to Brian, it's a family legacy. The company was founded by his father, Tim Miller, and Brian and his brother Jim have played an important role in growing the business from a small local operation into a full service residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical company serving homeowners throughout the greater Chicagoland area.
Brian's perspective on the home services industry comes from firsthand experience. Before taking on leadership responsibilities, he worked in the field as an HVAC Service Technician and Fabrication Technician, diagnosing heating and cooling systems, assembling custom HVAC components, and supporting residential installations throughout the western suburbs.
That hands on foundation continues to influence the way Brian leads TR Miller today. He understands both the work taking place inside a customer's home and the systems, training, and support required behind the scenes to consistently deliver a great customer experience.
Over the course of his career at TR Miller, Brian has worked across nearly every major area of the business, including operations, marketing, sales, job coordination, customer service, finance, and leadership. Today, as President, he is responsible for the overall strategy, growth, culture, and performance of the organization.
That breadth of experience across both the technical and business sides of home services has helped shape how TR Miller operates: combining the systems and accountability of a professionally run organization with the care, responsiveness, and personal connection of a family business.
Brian's philosophy is straightforward, make home services convenient and reliable while giving homeowners the information they need to make the best decisions for their homes and families. That means educating customers, providing clear options and upfront pricing, and making sure homeowners understand both what was found and why a repair or replacement may be recommended.
Under Brian's leadership, TR Miller has expanded beyond HVAC into plumbing and electrical services, grown across multiple locations, invested heavily in technical and leadership development, and been recognized seven times on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest growing privately held companies.
Credentials & Affiliations:
- President, TR Miller Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical
- Membership Officer, YPO Chicagoland
- Board Member, Nexstar Network
- Former Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce
- Associate's Degree, Waubonsee Community College
- Former HVAC Service Technician & Fabrication Technician, TR Miller
