To wish people would stop saying “just put a jumper on”?

[Notcontent]

There have been sooo many thread over the years with people saying how no one really needs heating - how e.g. 16 degrees is positively sweltering - and if you feel the cold you should just put a jumper on and a bit of cold never hurt anyone…

This is complete rubbish and I think this myth needs to be debunked. It’s not helpful. Of course many people are being forced to have their heating off but that does not mean this is good for their physical or mental health.

I was prompted to start this thread as I was listening to a radio 4 science programme that tackled this topic head on. In summary:

• when we get really cold (e.g. a room at 10 degrees) our body has to work really hard to keep our core warm and this places great strain on our body - increased heart rate, blood pressure, decreased congnitive ability, etc;

• surprisingly, for a lot of people 23 degrees is the right temperature if you are just sitting around - this does not surprise me as if I am working from home, if I have my thermostat set to 19.5 degrees, I still have to wear ugg slippers and a big jumper;

• getting chilled does make you likely to get sick - this is because we are constantly being exposed to viruses, which we do fight off (the cold virus in particular) but when we get chilled our body’s immune response is severely impaired.

I was thinking it started at zero but a second look it looks like it starts at 10 degrees so yes, 16 degrees. It's not particularly obvious where the numbers are.

i wasn’t suggesting we need to have 23 degrees. What I was saying is that for most people having no heating is going to have an impact on their health…. My thermostat is currently showing 19 degrees and I am certainly not sitting around in a T-shirt.

It says 12c and 60F which doesn't make sense, is it a dud

When it gets really cold and the heating isnt on I cant sleep because my face is freezing, I cant sleep with my face covered as I cant breathe very well at the best of times. Its bloody miserable when you cant get to sleep night after night because your nose is basically an icicle, putting a jumper on doesnt help

Why thank you! 😘

I bought a heated throw to use when I work from home and it's been the best thing! I am a really cold person and kept cranking the heating up in the day which I really can't afford to do. The throw is just amazing!

Do you live somewhere very cold? We never have heating on at night unless it's literally freezing weather.

I have just seen it starts at 10c, silly me, it's 16c

They died young.
I am older, but even in the 1950s, 1930 etc, hardly any of my grandparents/step grandparents lived past 50 ears of age.

No thanks.

When I was at work, sat on my bum in front of a computer, it was never much above 16 degrees in winter even when warmer outside. I kept a special knee-length woolly at work which kept me warm - took it off to go home!

And lung problems.
Family history of lung problems.

Google what cold air does to lungs for those susceptible.

In our small office at work after much discussion we have found the temperature comfortable for everyone is 21.3 with 50ish humidity. Anything else and someone is either too hot or cold.

In order to achieve this we have our heating unit set at 23.0 as it's a bit inaccurate.

Ours is currently showing 16.9 degrees, we're all in tshirts and perfectly fine! Will have to get much colder than this before we spend money on the heating.

Perhaps you just really feel the cold?

Can't help wondering how humans evolved over 1000s of years without central heating

they'd more body hair but yo got to think that in Shakespeare times life expectancy was 35 in the UK. The lack of central heating was probably a contributing factor.

@Notcontent

We never have the heating on at night.

Even in - temps.

We're fine.

I'm not suggesting it's OK for people to be without heat if they need it and obviously some people really are vulnerable to the cold.

Young, healthy adults? Not so much

YANBU it’s alright telling me and DH to put loads of layers on but trying to keep two young toddlers happy and warm is a battle. We’re lucky that our house is incredibly well insulated and so we have the heating (oil) on for 10 mins in the morning and we’re done for the day. But I hate the temp to drop below 21 in the house.

My heating isn’t turned on and it’s not cold enough to turn it on. Both DH and I work from home. I’ve just starting wearing slippers again, but otherwise it’s normal clothes. I’ve added an extra layer of clothing, that’s all. We have heated throws but it isn’t even cold enough to get them out. I don’t actually know what the temperature in the house is. It tends to be cold, though.

I find temperature a weird thing. Sometimes I'll be freezing and it will be 20, sometimes I'll be warm at 18. I think as well as layers and shelter, factors such as hormones, if you've just eaten, your mood even, how active you are, or if you have nice layer of fat will determine how hot or cold you feel. It takes a lot of trial and error but currently my bedroom is 19 and I'm nice and toasty in my pyjamas and oodie, having had a hot bath earlier. Heating has been off for a few hours.

*When it gets really cold and the heating isnt on I cant sleep because my face is freezing, I cant sleep with my face covered as I cant breathe very well at the best of times. Its bloody miserable when you cant get to sleep night after night because your nose is basically an icicle, putting a jumper on doesnt help

Do you live somewhere very cold? We never have heating on at night unless it's literally freezing weather*

This I grew up in the far north west of Ireland which likely is 1 of the coldest places in the 2 islands and yet never do I recall in my life heating been on over night.

Depends on your house as well doesn’t it? We are in an upstairs flat in a terraced house, lots of passive heat from downstairs and either side, good loft insulation, double glazed windows and thick curtains. Our house retains heat amazingly well.

12C outside, more like 18C inside. No heating needed yet (I would happily put it on if needed). Not great in summer (nights are sweltering), great in winter.

I think people are struggling to come to terms with this. And as someone who grew up without central heating I'm of the mindset that putting another jumper on works. I don't want to pay vast amounts of money to heat up the house.

DH and I have always had crap heating since we've been together so we are used to be cold and were skint so have never really used that much heating.
It's not exactly great but it's temporary.
We've got millions of blankets, dressing gowns, hot water bottles, oodies (real and knock-off), slippers and slipper socks. Its well cozy when we all curl up on the sofa together in the evenings and when I wfh during the day I just get wrapped up.

Now at work our building is huge and open and everyone complains about the temp. The bosses complain about the price, the staff complain cos it's too cold, other cos it's too warm. It's impossible to keep everyone happy 🤷‍♀️

they'd more body hair but yo got to think that in Shakespeare times life expectancy was 35 in the UK. The lack of central heating was probably a contributing factor.

not really- mainly infant and maternal mortality- if you have a lot of babies and children dying it brings down the average considerably. Also no antibiotics so people died of fairly minor infections, and of course lots of workplace accidents. Life expectancy of 35 is at birth so if you lived to 5 years old you could live to a reasonable age.

This is very true. I prefer to be too cold to too warm, takes a lot for me to feel the cold and I much prefer to add a layer of clothes until eventually I will turn on the heat. I’ve only lived somewhere with central heating for a couple of years though. Before that I lived in some very cold places (ice inside single glazed windows, broken storage heaters, crappy fireplaces, curtains moving from strong wind outside because of draught) and putting on a jumper does not fix a freezing face. I also remember having about four pairs of socks on at times under slippers and still having to get up and walk around because my feet were numb with cold and making tea just to warm my hands. Layers are good for keeping your core warm, not extremities. Wearing a hat and gloves in the house just feels ridiculous.

23! Degrees !!! Blimey thats way 🥵- no heating on at mo south East - 16 degrees in flat - sat in t shirt all day