The winter months are here and if you’re using your heating as the temperatures turn cold outside, you might not be aware that sleeping with it on can lead to health problems.
From nasty colds to swollen feet, experts are warning homeowners to avoid sleeping with the heating on.
Bedroom experts at Winstons Beds have shared a list of eight consequences homeowners may face if they leave their heating on overnight.
Experts say you shouldn’t leave your heating on all night
Leaving the heating on while sleeping will add to the costs of your energy bills but it could also encourage the growth of mould on your walls and cause some health issues.
It’s likely to increase the chance of mould build-up as trapped moisture will be in the air.
How you can reduce your energy bills
The experts advise that bedrooms should have an optimum temperature of between 17C to 19C.
Rebecca Swain, mattress expert from Winstons Beds, said: “We’ve arrived at that time of the year where many of us have had to turn our radiators on because of the cold temperatures.
“While many of us like to heat our bedrooms so we can get to sleep comfortably, we want to urge people not to keep the heating on throughout the entire night.
“The optimum temperature to sleep in is from 17 to 19ºC. Any higher can result in dry skin, coughing, sneezing and even mould taking over.”
8 reasons why you shouldn’t leave your heating on while you sleep
Dry skin
If the heating is left on overnight, the warm air will strip natural oils from the skin which can result in dry and itchy skin.
Difficulty breathing
When the heating is on, it can dry out the air, making the room stuffy and uncomfortable to sleep in.
You might find that it’s harder to breathe in and it could cause dry throats and nasty coughs.
Is it cheaper to keep the heating on low all day?
Sweaty sleep
If having the heating on causes excess sweat in the bed, sleeping can become uncomfortable.
The bedroom experts say that excess sweat can mean you have to remove stubborn yellow stains from bedding.
Wasted energy
The cost of your energy bill at the end of the month will be affected if you leave your heating on overnight.
Budget-friendly ways to keep warm during the night include things like hot water bottles and fluffy socks.
How to prevent condensation in your home
Mould on the walls
Putting the heating on for a short time in the morning can help prevent mould but leaving it on all night can cause the warmer air to hold and trap excess moisture.
The warm air can come in contact with the cold windows, causing window condensation which encourages the build-up of mould.
Bug haven
Fleas, flies and bedbugs thrive in warm environments so you might start to see tiny specs on the bedding.
You can help deter them by spraying some peppermint oil around the room.
Recommended reading:
- Experts share 8 ways to reduce window condensation and prevent mould growth
-
Could bed bugs come to the UK? 7 key signs they're already here and what to do
Cold-like symptoms
If radiators are turned on all night, you might wake up to a stuffy nose and sneezing.
Radiators can accumulate high levels of dust which causes allergies to flare up.
Swollen feet
When your body is trying to cool down, your feet tend to swell so if you notice you’re waking up with swollen feet, it could mean your room’s temperature is too high overnight.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here