IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v213y2025ics1364032125001479.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The effects of personal comfort systems on sleep: A systematic review

Author

Listed:
  • Xu, Xinbo
  • Zhang, Hui
  • Schiavon, Stefano
  • Lian, Zhiwei
  • Parkinson, Thomas
  • Lo, June C.

Abstract

Creating a comfortable thermal environment is the necessary measure to safeguard human sleep quality but it requires a substantial amount of energy. Personal comfort systems have the potential to improve sleep while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to typical air conditioning systems. Despite some studies reporting favorable outcomes when using personalized approaches to cooling or heating in bedrooms, a comprehensive summary of the impact of personal comfort systems on sleep is lacking. This systematic review of 25 sleep studies estimates the effect of personal comfort systems on sleep quality, sleep stages and sleeping thermal comfort. Configuration of personal comfort systems and sample characteristics are summarized and compared. Calculated effect sizes show that using personal comfort systems are generally effective in improving sleep quality and sleeping thermal comfort. However, there are potential negative effects of personal heating on slow wave sleep and personal cooling on pre-sleep thermal comfort. Relatively mild contact temperatures for both heating and cooling and steady air velocities below 0.9 m/s in warm environments are preferred. The head and feet are the most frequently targeted body parts for cooling and heating, respectively. Most subjects were aged between 17 and 40 years, suggesting a lack of data for both children and the elderly. Four future research directions are proposed: personal cooling at pre-bed phase, human subject tests with radiant systems, dynamic control strategies, and application of machine learning approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Xinbo & Zhang, Hui & Schiavon, Stefano & Lian, Zhiwei & Parkinson, Thomas & Lo, June C., 2025. "The effects of personal comfort systems on sleep: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:213:y:2025:i:c:s1364032125001479
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115474
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032125001479
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2025.115474?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Nan & Wang, Julian & Feng, Yanxiao, 2022. "Systematic review: Acute thermal effects of artificial light in the daytime," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    2. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    3. Sirnik, I. & Sluijsmans, J. & Oudes, D. & Stremke, S., 2023. "Circularity and landscape experience of agrivoltaics: A systematic review of literature and built systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    4. Liu, Gang & Chen, Huizhen & Yuan, Ye & Song, Chenge, 2024. "Indoor thermal environment and human health: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Ghodeswar, Archana & Bhandari, Mahabir & Hedman, Bruce, 2025. "Quantifying the economic costs of power outages owing to extreme events: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    6. Kurt Kräuchi & Christian Cajochen & Esther Werth & Anna Wirz-Justice, 1999. "Warm feet promote the rapid onset of sleep," Nature, Nature, vol. 401(6748), pages 36-37, September.
    7. Veselý, Michal & Zeiler, Wim, 2014. "Personalized conditioning and its impact on thermal comfort and energy performance – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 401-408.
    8. Zhang, Wuxia & Wu, Yupeng & Calautit, John Kaiser, 2022. "A review on occupancy prediction through machine learning for enhancing energy efficiency, air quality and thermal comfort in the built environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Widmer, J. & Christ, B. & Grenz, J. & Norgrove, L., 2024. "Agrivoltaics, a promising new tool for electricity and food production: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    2. İlkay Unay-Gailhard & Mark A. Brennen, 2022. "How digital communications contribute to shaping the career paths of youth: a review study focused on farming as a career option," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(4), pages 1491-1508, December.
    3. Mahin Ghafari & Vali Baigi & Zahra Cheraghi & Amin Doosti-Irani, 2016. "The Prevalence of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Iranian Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-10, June.
    4. Santos Urbina & Sofía Villatoro & Jesús Salinas, 2021. "Self-Regulated Learning and Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-12, June.
    5. Nadine Desrochers & Adèle Paul‐Hus & Jen Pecoskie, 2017. "Five decades of gratitude: A meta‐synthesis of acknowledgments research," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 68(12), pages 2821-2833, December.
    6. Maryono, Maryono & Killoes, Aditya Marendra & Adhikari, Rajendra & Abdul Aziz, Ammar, 2024. "Agriculture development through multi-stakeholder partnerships in developing countries: A systematic literature review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    7. Alene Sze Jing Yong & Yi Heng Lim & Mark Wing Loong Cheong & Ednin Hamzah & Siew Li Teoh, 2022. "Willingness-to-pay for cancer treatment and outcome: a systematic review," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(6), pages 1037-1057, August.
    8. Agnieszka A. Tubis & Katarzyna Grzybowska, 2022. "In Search of Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 in Small-Medium Enterprises—A State of the Art Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-26, November.
    9. John Kaiser Calautit & Hassam Nasarullah Chaudhry, 2022. "Sustainable Buildings: Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-5, November.
    10. García-Poole, Chloe & Byrne, Sonia & Rodrigo, María José, 2019. "How do communities intervene with adolescents at psychosocial risk? A systematic review of positive development programs," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 194-209.
    11. Qing Ye & Bao-Xin Qian & Wei-Li Yin & Feng-Mei Wang & Tao Han, 2016. "Association between the HFE C282Y, H63D Polymorphisms and the Risks of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis o," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, September.
    12. Bishal Mohindru & David Turner & Tracey Sach & Diana Bilton & Siobhan Carr & Olga Archangelidi & Arjun Bhadhuri & Jennifer A. Whitty, 2020. "Health State Utility Data in Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review," PharmacoEconomics - Open, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 13-25, March.
    13. Neal R. Haddaway & Matthew J. Page & Chris C. Pritchard & Luke A. McGuinness, 2022. "PRISMA2020: An R package and Shiny app for producing PRISMA 2020‐compliant flow diagrams, with interactivity for optimised digital transparency and Open Synthesis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), June.
    14. Ding Zhu & Mindan Wu & Yuan Cao & Shihua Lin & Nanxia Xuan & Chen Zhu & Wen Li & Huahao Shen, 2018. "Heated humidification did not improve compliance of positive airway pressure and subjective daytime sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: A meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, December.
    15. Pelai, Ricardo & Hagerman, Shannon M. & Kozak, Robert, 2020. "Biotechnologies in agriculture and forestry: Governance insights from a comparative systematic review of barriers and recommendations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    16. Wesam Salah Alaloul & Muhammad Altaf & Muhammad Ali Musarat & Muhammad Faisal Javed & Amir Mosavi, 2021. "Systematic Review of Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost Analysis for Pavement and a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-38, April.
    17. Joesri Mohamad Saber & Kardina Kamaruddin, 2025. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Training, Competencies, and Job Readiness in the Hotel and Tourism Industry: Trends and Future Directions," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(14), pages 282-297, February.
    18. Claudia Peters & Agnessa Kozak & Albert Nienhaus & Anja Schablon, 2020. "Risk of Occupational Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Health Personnel Measured by Interferon-Gamma Release Assays in Low Incidence Countries—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, January.
    19. Sehee Kim & Mihyeon Park & Sukhee Ahn, 2022. "The Impact of Antepartum Depression and Postpartum Depression on Exclusive Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 31(5), pages 866-880, June.
    20. Habarurema Jean Baptiste & Yan Guang Cai & A. Y. M. Atiquil Islam & Nzabalirwa Wenceslas, 2022. "A Systematic Review of University Social Responsibility in Post-Conflict Societies: The Case of the Great Lakes Region of East Africa," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 439-475, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:213:y:2025:i:c:s1364032125001479. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.