Bed climate of Korean using ondol heating system

Abstract

1. 1. To examine the influence of different bed conditions (ondol sleep, bed sleep on ondol with same bedding) of the Korean ondol traditional heating system on human response during sleep, bed climates and physiological responses such as skin and rectal temperatures, weight loss, body movement and subjective sensation were measured with 4 grown-up females as subjects while they were sleeping for 7 h. 2. 2. Bed climate: Temperatures under the mattress and inside the quilt were higher on ondol while temperatures on the mattress and humidity inside the quilt were higher on the bed. 3. 3. Rectal temperature was significantly higher on ondol; skin temperature showed no major differences in relation to bed conditions. The frequency of body movements had the highest correlation with bed climate of the parameters measured. 4. 4. Mattress weight decreased on ondol and increased on the bed. 5. 5. The frequency of body movements was significantly higher in ondol sleep. 6. 6. The subjects sensation showed difference on cushion sensation between the two types of bed condition. 7. 7. To obtain the same level of comfort on both ondol and bed sleeping conditions less thermal insulating value is needed for ondol sleep.