High energy bills are a real concern for many people, but keeping your home warm is also important for your health. Feeling cold isn't just uncomfortable - the temperature in the space we're in can affect how we feel and how our bodies function.
In a season when colds, flu, norovirus, and COVID are more common, winter illnesses are everywhere and it's hard to avoid them completely. While handwashing remains one of the simplest and most effective habits, health experts often point out another thing: a warmer home can help us "stay alert" more easily.
Experts warn that staying in a cold house can be stressful for the body. In a cold environment, the heart has to work harder to maintain body temperature, which can increase blood pressure. Cold air irritates the airways in some people, and you may also experience more stiffness and joint pain.
How warm is "warm enough"?
A question that recurs every winter is: what is the best temperature if we want to reduce the risk of health problems? Numerous health institutions and guidelines in Europe and around the world often agree on the same lower limit: 18°C is cited as a reasonable minimum temperature for most healthy people during the cold months.
The World Health Organization's guidelines on housing and health emphasize that living spaces should be heated sufficiently to protect occupants from the harmful effects of cold, and 18°C is cited as a balanced minimum for the general population in temperate and colder climates.
In other words, it's not necessary to be "short-sleeved" in the apartment, but the idea is to avoid living in a space where the body is constantly fighting the cold.
Who needs higher temperatures?
It is important to note that not everyone is suited to the same temperature. People who are more sensitive to cold often need a higher temperature - for example, the elderly, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases (heart, lungs, etc.), and those who are less mobile or spend a lot of time at home.
For such groups, some public health recommendations go a step further and mention figures such as around 23°C in the living room and around 18°C in other rooms, especially if the house is occupied for most of the day.
Does a cold cause illness?
A cold itself is not a "virus," but it can create conditions in which we get sick more easily. For example, many viruses spread more easily in colder, drier air, and research suggests that the viruses that cause flu and COVID can survive longer in such conditions, increasing the chances of transmission.
As microbiology experts explain, low temperatures in themselves do not cause infections, but they affect a combination of biological, environmental and social factors that can make us more susceptible to respiratory illnesses in winter.
Health authorities also warn that cold weather can weaken the body's ability to fight infections, so more serious complications are often recorded after periods of severe cold weather - such as pneumonia or worsening of existing respiratory problems.
