For most people, the ideal apartment temperature is 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C) during waking hours. That range balances comfort, health, and energy costs. But the best setting for your apartment depends on the season, who lives there, and what you’re doing, whether you’re working from home, sleeping, or away for the day.
The Standard Range for Health and Comfort
The World Health Organization recommends a minimum indoor temperature of 64°F (18°C) for healthy adults who are reasonably active and dressed appropriately. For people over 65 or anyone with a chronic health condition, that minimum rises to 68°F to 70°F (20°C to 21°C). The U.S. Department of Energy suggests setting your thermostat to 68°F to 70°F in winter while you’re awake, which aligns well with both comfort and efficiency.
Healthy adults between 1 and 64 can get away with slightly cooler temps during the day if they’re moving around and wearing warm layers. But sitting still at a desk in a 62°F apartment is a different story. Sedentary activity makes you more sensitive to cold, so if you work from home, you’ll likely want to stay closer to 68°F or above.
Best Temperature for Sleeping
Your body naturally drops its core temperature as you fall asleep. This cooling process triggers melatonin release and helps blood vessels in your hands and feet dilate, which is strongly linked to falling asleep faster. A warm room fights against that process.
Most sleep researchers recommend a bedroom temperature between 60°F and 67°F (15.5°C to 19.5°C). Your body and bedding create what researchers call a “bed climate” of around 89°F to 93°F between the sheets, regardless of room temperature, so the cooler air outside the covers actually helps regulate that balance. If you’re waking up sweaty or kicking off blankets in the middle of the night, your apartment is probably too warm for good sleep.
Summer vs. Winter Settings
In winter, 68°F to 70°F while you’re home is the sweet spot. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by dropping the thermostat 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day, such as while you’re at work or sleeping. So setting it to 60°F to 62°F overnight and while you’re out makes a real difference on your bill without sacrificing comfort when you’re actually there.
In summer, the strategy flips. Keep your apartment warmer than your usual preference when you’re away, and set the air conditioning to the highest temperature that still feels comfortable when you’re home. For most people, that lands around 75°F to 78°F. Setting your AC below 70°F in summer drives up energy costs fast and can also create condensation problems on windows and walls.
Why Cold Apartments Are a Health Risk
Letting your apartment get too cold isn’t just uncomfortable. It raises your blood pressure. When your body detects cold air, blood vessels constrict to conserve heat, and that constriction pushes blood pressure up. A large Japanese study of nearly 2,900 participants found that for every 10°F drop in indoor temperature, morning systolic blood pressure increased by about 8 mm Hg. That’s a meaningful jump, especially for older adults or anyone already managing high blood pressure.
The effect gets more pronounced with age. A 60-year-old man’s blood pressure stays in a healthy range as long as indoor temperatures stay above about 54°F. But for an 80-year-old man, the indoor temperature needs to be above 75°F to achieve the same result. This helps explain why cardiovascular events spike during winter months, particularly in poorly heated homes.
The National Institute on Aging warns that even mildly cool apartments between 60°F and 65°F can lead to hypothermia in older adults. If you have an elderly family member or neighbor, 68°F is the minimum their home should be set to.
Settings for Babies and Young Children
Overheating is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The CDC advises keeping babies from getting too hot and avoiding covering their heads during sleep. Most pediatric guidance suggests keeping a nursery between 68°F and 72°F. A good test: if the room feels comfortable to you in a single layer of clothing, it’s likely fine for a baby dressed in one layer plus a sleep sack. If you’re sweating, it’s too warm for an infant.
If You Have Pets
Dogs and cats are more temperature-resilient than most people assume, but there are limits. USDA guidelines state that indoor temperatures for dogs should not drop below 50°F for short-haired breeds, toy breeds, puppies, senior dogs, or sick dogs. Hardier breeds can tolerate down to 45°F for short periods as long as they have dry bedding and a solid surface to rest on. On the warm side, dogs should not be in temperatures above 85°F for more than four consecutive hours.
Cats have similar tolerances. If you turn the heat down while you’re at work in winter, keeping it at or above 60°F is generally safe for healthy adult pets. Make sure they have a warm spot to curl up, like a blanket or bed away from drafty windows.
Humidity Matters as Much as Temperature
A 72°F apartment at 20% humidity feels dry and scratchy. The same apartment at 50% humidity feels comfortable. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends keeping relative humidity between 40% and 60%. Below that range, you’re more likely to deal with dry skin, irritated airways, and static electricity. Above it, you’re creating conditions for mold and dust mites.
Common household molds grow fastest between 77°F and 86°F at high humidity, but they can survive and spread at normal room temperatures if humidity stays at 80% or above. At 60% humidity, mold spores have a much harder time germinating. So if your apartment runs humid, especially in a bathroom or basement unit, keeping humidity below 60% matters more than adjusting the thermostat. A simple hygrometer (under $15 at most hardware stores) lets you monitor this.
A Practical Thermostat Schedule
If you want a single setup that covers health, comfort, and your energy bill, here’s what works for most apartments in winter:
- While you’re home and awake: 68°F to 72°F
- While you’re sleeping: 60°F to 67°F
- While you’re away: 58°F to 62°F (higher if you have pets or elderly household members)
In summer, aim for 75°F to 78°F while you’re home, and let it rise a few degrees when you’re out. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, setting it to warm back up 30 minutes before you arrive home means you never walk into a freezing or sweltering apartment. The key is consistency: large temperature swings throughout the day force your heating and cooling system to work harder than steady, moderate setbacks do.