Best Baby Room Temperature for Sleep: 68 to 72°F

The ideal room temperature for a baby to sleep is around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 20 to 22 degrees Celsius, a comfortably cool range that lowers the risk of overheating while keeping your baby cozy in appropriate sleepwear.

Getting the nursery temperature right is one of those small details that makes a real difference to safe, settled sleep. Too warm is the bigger concern, since overheating is a known risk factor for sleep related infant death, but you also do not want your baby uncomfortably cold.

This guide gives you the target range, how to measure and adjust it, what to dress your baby in at different temperatures, and the signs that tell you your baby is too hot or too cold.

The Ideal Temperature Range

Most pediatric guidance points to a nursery temperature of roughly 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 20 to 22 degrees Celsius. This range is comfortable for a lightly dressed baby and helps avoid the overheating that is linked to a higher risk of sleep related death.

You do not need to hit an exact number. Think of it as a comfortable, slightly cool room, the kind of temperature at which a lightly dressed adult would feel just right. If the room drifts a little warmer or cooler, you adjust what your baby wears rather than piling on bedding.

How to Measure and Adjust the Temperature

A simple room thermometer, including the one built into many baby monitors, takes the guesswork out of it. Place it away from direct sun, radiators, and drafts so you get an accurate reading of the room your baby actually sleeps in.

Adjust the room with the tools you already have. In summer, a fan can help air circulate, which some research associates with safer sleep, just keep it pointed away from the crib rather than directly on your baby. In winter, avoid placing the crib right next to a radiator or in a cold draft, and use a warmer sleep sack instead of adding blankets.

• Use a room thermometer or monitor to track the actual temperature.
• Keep the crib away from direct sun, radiators, vents, and drafts.
• Use a fan for air circulation in warm weather, aimed away from the crib.
• In cold weather, choose a higher TOG sleep sack rather than adding a blanket.

What to Dress Your Baby In

The safest way to keep your baby at a good temperature is through layers of sleepwear, not loose bedding. A common guideline is to dress your baby in one more layer than you would need to be comfortable in the same room. Wearable blankets, or sleep sacks, come in different TOG weights so you can match warmth to the room.

Room temperature	Suggested sleepwear
Warm, above 74°F	A short sleeve bodysuit or just a diaper with a light sleep sack.
Ideal, 68 to 72°F	A footed sleeper or bodysuit plus a standard sleep sack.
Cool, below 68°F	A long sleeve layer under a footed sleeper with a warmer sleep sack.

Whatever the season, keep the crib itself bare: a firm mattress and fitted sheet, with no blankets, hats, pillows, or bumpers, and no hats indoors, which can contribute to overheating.

Signs Your Baby Is Too Hot or Too Cold

Rather than relying on hands and feet, which naturally run cool, check your baby’s temperature by feeling the chest or the back of the neck. It should feel comfortably warm, not hot or sweaty. Signs of overheating include sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, and restlessness. A baby who is too cold may have a cool chest and belly.

If your baby feels too warm, remove a layer and cool the room. If too cold, add a layer or use a warmer sleep sack. The goal is a baby who feels just right at the chest, sleeping calmly in a comfortably cool room.

Temperature and sleepwear work together. Our guide on what your baby should wear to bed breaks down layers and TOG ratings, and when babies can sleep with a blanket explains safe bedding. For the full routine at every age, see our sleep schedule by age guide.

Frequently Asked Questions