He who heats little does good. But how does the body react to cold? And who is it dangerous for?
Image: dpa
We have a winter ahead of us, in which we are required not to overdo it with heating. So how do you get through the cold months – healthy and without freezing? A guide.
What is the ideal room temperature for humans?
Dhe perfect room temperature does not actually exist. Official bodies such as the WHO and the Federal Environment Agency say the room temperature should be around 18 to 20 degrees. “Of course it has to do with what you do in this room,” objects Professor Georg Ertl. “Are you moving in the room? Do you sleep in it? That has a significant impact on how cold you get,” says the internist from Würzburg, who is also Secretary General of the German Society for Internal Medicine (DGIM). In addition, according to Ertl, bare numbers say little about when someone feels good. Everyone has a so-called comfort temperature, and this can vary greatly from person to person. Every couple knows that, and everyone who shares an office with someone knows it. Or have you never had a fight about the open window?
Who is particularly at risk when it’s cold?
Elderly people have to be particularly careful when it’s cold because their thermoregulation doesn’t work as well and they often move less than young people. You also have to take good care of babies and small children. Since their skin surface is very large compared to their body volume, they lose heat quickly. “In addition, there are some chronically ill people who should be particularly vigilant,” says Mainz family doctor Marcel Schorrlepp. “These include people with severe cardiovascular diseases and poorly treated high blood pressure. People with lung diseases should also pay attention, because the lung function changes at low temperatures.” Ertl adds: “Angina pectoris, due to constricted coronary arteries, occurs more frequently in winter, just like heart attacks.”