Did you wake up cold today? The cool autumn nights and mornings remind us about how much our heaters matter. Adjusting the heating is a key step to sleeping well. Our answers for the right temperatures are in this article.
Set your thermostat for the night
At night, the human body does not have the same needs as it does in the day. The body regulates itself and its temperature, decreasing it while you sleep. The Environment and Energy Control Agency (ADEME) recommends an ambient temperature of 16°C at night, compared to 19°C during the day. Babies who have not yet developed the same regulatory abilities as adults sleep in a warmer room, heated to 19 or 20°C.
Do you have a thermostat ? This device allows you to regulate the boiler and the programmed temperature by time. While it is often arranged in the living room, it can cover all the heating needs of a home. Different types of products exist on the market: manual thermostat, programmable, connected.
A programmable and intelligent thermostat allows you to lower and increase the heating at any time of the day and night:
- at 16°C during your deep sleep phase but never exceeding 18°C, this cool temperature makes it easier to fall asleep;
- at 19°C one hour before rising, to wake up and prepare gently, avoiding heat shock;
- at 14°C when leaving for work;
- again at 19°C one hour before your return home;
- a constant temperature during the weekend when you are at home all day.
Learn how to adjust your heater
Are you coming home from work frozen and tired ? You will certainly find your home temperatures much too cold. To sleep well against your pillow it is useless to pump up the heaters! The rooms will not heat faster. A few too many degrees and you risk discomfort and spending energy at a loss. In other words: money thrown out the window.
The thermostatic valve of your heater is the first parameter to adjust. It controls the entry of hot water into your gas heating system, regulating the temperature. Does the tip rotate in a vacuum or is stuck? Remove the head and make sure the tip is not blocked by moving it.
If everything is working right, adjust the valve according to your heating needs. These values correspond to different temperatures, including :
- Level 1, from 12°C to 14°C, for an unoccupied room;
- Level 2, from 16 to 17°C, for a bedroom occupied at night;
- Level 3, 20°C, for a busy room during the day.
Also, avoid sleeping next to a heater, which can disrupt your rest and harm your health. A radiator should never be positioned near the head of the beat. If your heating is mobile, put it by your feet; the extremities of the body are the hardest to warm up.
Sleeping in a room that is too hot can cause headaches, dryness of the skin and throat, just like sleeping in a room that is too cold can result in a cold.
Some tips to sleep better at night
The places where you nap such as your bedroom and living room, should invite you to rest and be comfortable. A well-adjusted heater with a thermostat, a thermostatic valve or a knob on an electric radiator contributes greatly to this.
Are you the cold blooded type ? Here’s some tips to help those who can never feel warm feel comfortable :
- Close the curtains and shutters to limit heat loss;
- Take a warm shower, not hot;
- Wear relatively thick winter pajamas;
- Use a warm duvet and a blanket in case you get very cold.
It is important to know that ADEME is formal : reducing the indoor temperature by 1°C is equivalent to saving 7% on energy consumption. And because heating tends to be the most expensive bill in households, this method can be tricky, especially for small budgets !
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