Researchers specify after study how to adjust your thermostat.
Winter is the time of year when we need to warm our homes to achieve a certain thermal comfort. The ideal temperature of a home varies according to individual preferences but it is generally recommended to heat your home between 18 and 19 degrees. However, a recent American study has just established a link between the ambient temperature of a home and the cognitive abilities of its inhabitants.
The authors of the research followed 47 adults over the age of 65 living in Boston, United States, for a year. The temperature of their home, as well as their self-reported ability to concentrate were observed. The subjects had to evaluate their difficulties in maintaining their attention and rate their feelings according to the indoor temperature. Results published in the Journal of Gerontology showed that subjects’ concentration decreased when rooms were too hot or too cold. These extremes would create heat stress which would disrupt brain function.
Based on these observations, researchers have defined the ideal temperature for the brains of people over 65: it would be between 20 and 24 degrees. It is therefore this temperature range that should be maintained at home as we age. The body would not have to exert significant effort to regulate its internal heat and could therefore conserve more energy for cognitive activities.
In addition, with age, humans are less able to regulate their temperature because fat insulates the body and is lost as we age. Older people are therefore more likely to suffer from the cold than others. “Our results highlight the importance of understanding how environmental factors, such as indoor temperature, influence cognitive health in aging populations”concluded Professor Amir Baniassadi, lead author of the study.
