Faced with cooling temperatures, many of us turn up the thermostat on the radiator in the bedroom. A practice which is not without risks, according to Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of TipsForWomens. Explanations.
Poisoning, allergies, headaches… Be careful not to increase the temperature in your room too much this winter. A rise, even of a few degrees, can cause various inconveniences.
Heat prevents you from sleeping… and promotes poisoning
First inconvenience and not the least: the heat would prevent you from sleeping.
“It is in fact the cold that slows down the metabolism. By increasing the heat in the room, the major risk is to sleep poorly“, warns the medical director of TipsForWomens.
By letting the devices heat up continuously, we also risk “a build-up of carbon monoxide (CO)“, he adds, this famous colorless and odorless gas is responsible for around a hundred deaths in Europe each year.
Poisoning, caused by poor maintenance of appliances (which causes abnormal combustion) and poor ventilation of the home.
Small inconveniences
In addition, sleeping in a room that is too heated can cause various inconveniences, such as: a headache, dryness of the skin, dilation of the veins (at the origin of heavy legs, editor’s note), or even… a higher fever.
“In case of fever, an overheated room can increase the temperature superficially. The risk of discomfort is then increased“, affirms Dr. Kierzek.
Increased risk of allergic reactions
Finally, heat and perspiration create an environment conducive to the development of mites.
“Dead skin and perspiration therefore indirectly promote the occurrence of allergies“, assures the medical director of TipsForWomens.
It is therefore better to lower the temperature to avoid a sleepless night.
Finally, what is the ideal temperature in the bedroom?
To help the hypothalamus (the function control center of our brain, editor’s note) to do your job well, it is better to go to bed in a relatively cool room. What is the ideal temperature for your bedroom?
“I recommend sleeping in a room with a temperature of 18.19°C.“, advises Dr. Kierzek.