Why Temperature Control is Good for Your Health

It may not be the first issue you think of in terms of staying well, but the temperature at which we work, relax, eat or sleep is as essential as diet or exercise in maintaining good health. We know this intuitively, of course, but there is also intriguing academic research into the effects of temperature, particularly in the workplace and how our physical, emotional and cognitive functions react to being too cold or too warm.

Hot and Cold Employees

One Cornell study, for instance, found that a lower than optimal temperature meant employees made significantly more mistakes when exposed to temperatures only 5 degrees colder than the optimum. Besides the effect on our sense of well being, this could also have serious implications for health and safety, depending on the situation. We all recognise the importance of keeping warm for those who are vulnerable such as the elderly, young children and those convalescing, but it turns out that all of us are actually happier (and even more generous) when the temperature is right.

Sleep Patterns

The ambient temperature is also a factor for some people in terms of their sleep patterns. Who hasn’t struggled to fall asleep on a night that was way too hot for comfort, for example, or woken up with headache because of heat and humidity?

What Products Are Out There?

So clearly temp control should not be left to chance. Luckily there is a great choice of temperature regulation systems on the market, no matter the size of your house or workplace. Before buying a system however it is definitely worth considering renting for a number of reasons. First, it brings you a great deal of flexibility; you may be unsure of your future living arrangements and it may not be cost effective to invest in a system outright for a property you may be selling soon. Or perhaps you might only need a temperature control system for part of the year – it makes little sense to pay for equipment that is lying unused for a substantial part of the year.

For The Workplace?

Another consideration, particularly for corporate clients and workplaces, is the fact that technology improves over time. As such advances are made, it may be prudent to rent a system as required and allow yourself time to research the ‘next big thing’. Finally of course, your personal financial situation may make renting in the short term a much more affordable solution.

Whatever your final decision you can be sure that, as with natural light and good quality air, getting the temperature right will promote good health for yourself and those in your care. Now isn’t that a cool thought?Image by k_lis, WarmSleepy, used under Creative Commons license.