How to keep warm and healthy this winter
Chest infections and flu are more common during the cooler winter months. But what impact does a cold home have on our health? Here I’ll look at the health risks of cold living conditions, and offer some cost effective ways to help you keep warm and well this winter.
What are the health effects of having a cold home?
Living in cold housing can have a negative impact on both our physical and mental health.
A cold home can make the symptoms of arthritis and asthma worse, and can increase your risk of a heart attack. It can also increase your risk of developing colds and flu. Research has found that anxiety and depression are also more common among people living in cold housing.
Temperatures in the home below 18°C have also been linked to increases in blood pressure and a higher risk of blood clots.
Some people are more at risk of health issues from living in cold housing. These include:
- people over the age of 65
- children under the age of 5
- anyone with existing health conditions such as heart disease or asthma
What temperature should my house be?
It’s recommended to heat your home to at least 18°C, and to wear suitable clothing. For older people and those with health conditions, temperatures around 21°C may be better.
For babies, the ideal room temperature is between 16°C and 20°C. This is because getting too hot can increase their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
How can I stay warm this winter?
Here are some ideas to help you keep warm for less this winter.
- Use draught excluders for your doors to help your home feel warmer.
- Close your curtains as soon as it gets dark to prevent heat loss through your windows. Opening them in the morning can help sunlight warm your home.
- Move furniture away from radiators so the heat can circulate better around the room.
- Set your heating to come on just before you get up and when you come home. And have it turn off just before you go to bed. If it’s really cold, it’s better to keep it set to stay on for longer, rather than turning the temperature up.
- Use thermostatic valves (if you have them) on your radiators to control the temperature of individual rooms. Set radiators in rooms you’re not using on low and keep the doors closed in the rooms you’re using to prevent heat loss.
- Layer up with lots of thin layers, which is better than one thick one to keep you warm. Adding some thick socks and slippers will also help.
- Heated blankets can help you feel warmer if you can afford to buy one. But a cosy blanket can be a good option too.
- Keep moving regularly and don’t stay sitting in one position for too long.
- Have warm, healthy food and drinks to help you keep warm and boost your energy levels.
- Visit your local warm space or hub. The Warm Welcome Campaign is an initiative to help people stay warm through winter and connect with others. Their website helps you find a warm welcome space in your local area. If there isn’t a Warm Welcome Space local to you, you could also visit a nearby church, library, or museum. You could also take it in turns to meet at a friend’s house to reduce energy bills.
How can I help my home stay warmer for longer?
If you’re able to, improving the energy efficiency of your home can make a big difference. One of the most important things you can do is to make sure your home is well insulated. That means you can have the heating on less, saving energy and money.
Common ways to insulate your home include:
- loft insulation
- cavity wall insulation
- draught-proofing windows and doors
Anthony Flatt, Bupa’s Energy Manager, also has a couple of tips to help you keep your home warm.
“It’s important to get your household heating system properly serviced. This will make sure that your heating system is working well. A qualified heating engineer will be able to check the whole system is working as it should be. Most manufacturers suggest these checks and servicing should take place every 12 months. They can also carry out the essential safety checks.
“If your radiators are warm at the top but cold at the bottom, this indicates that your heating system isn’t working as well as it could. Radiators can fill up with ‘sludge’ over time. This is easily solved by using a liquid called ‘inhibitor’. This prevents the build-up of sludge. Again, this service can be carried out by the heating engineer.”
It’s worth checking whether you’re eligible for any grants or benefits to make energy saving changes in your home. For example, you may be able to get support in making your home more energy efficient and help with heating bills.
The helpful websites section in this article has more information on energy grants and how to insulate your home.
How can I stay well this winter?
As well as staying warm this winter, there are other ways you can look after your health during the colder months. Here are my top 5 tips for winter wellness.
- Make sure to go for your seasonal flu vaccination.
- Wash your hands regularly and well to reduce your risk of catching common winter illnesses.
- Try to eat a balanced and healthy diet full of vitamins and minerals.
- Wear shoes with good grip to help reduce the risk of falling on icy ground.
- Open your window for a few minutes before guests arrive and after they leave. This could help to stop the spread of any germs.
Helpful websites
- Simple Energy Advice
Government-endorsed advice on making your home more energy efficient, and financial assistance available. - Centre for Sustainable Energy
Charity providing advice on energy saving tips and home improvements. - Age UK
Charity providing support to older people, with advice on keeping warm and well this winter.
At Bupa, we're supporting the health of our planet. We've committed to a wide range of ambitious sustainability measures - partly because it's the right thing to do, but also because we know that the environment is closely linked to our physical and mental health.
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Sources Sources
- Chest infections – adult. How common is it? NICE. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Cks.nice.org.uk. Last revised May 2024
- Influenza – seasonal. How common is it? NICE. Clinical Knowledge Summaries. Cks.nice.org.uk. Last revised April 2024
- Data sources to support local services tackling health risks of cold homes. Public Health England. Gov.uk. Published January 2019
- Health inequalities: cold or damp homes. House of Commons Library. Research Briefing. Parliament.uk. Published 16 February 2023
- Helping to prevent winter deaths and illnesses associated with cold homes. NICE. Nice.org.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- Minimum home temperature thresholds for health in winter – A systematic literature review. Public Health England. Gov.uk. Published October 2014
- The safest room temperature for babies. The Lullaby Trust. Lullabytrust.org.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- Staying safe in cold weather. UK Health Security Agency. Gov.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- Stay warm at home for cheap. Centre for Sustainable Energy. Cse.org.uk. Last updated October 2022
- Keeping your home warm this winter. Met Office. Metoffice.gov.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- You’re Welcome. Warm Welcome Spaces. Warmwelcome.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- Energy efficiency: what you need to know. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. Gov.uk. Published 7 April 2022
- Apply for support from the Great British Insulation Scheme. Gov.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- Get ready for winter. Gov.uk. Accessed 24 October 2024
- The flu vaccination: who should have it and why (winter 2024 to 2025). UK Health Security Agency. Updated 9 September 2024
- Hand Hygiene: Why, How & When? World Health Organization. Who.int. Accessed 24 October 2024
- 5 ways to stay healthy in winter. British Heart Foundation. bhf.org.uk. Published November 2022
- Preventing falls. Age UK. Ageuk.org.uk. Last updated 19 September 2024
- Ventilation to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency. Gov.uk. Last updated 2 August 2021
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