Doctors' health warnings over sleeping with the heating on as colder weather begins

The clocks are about to go back, your big coat is peeking its way out of storage, and people are already chatting about going to ‘the markets’.

Yep, it’s getting cold.

The strings of illnesses are doing the rounds, and the multiple layers of clothes just to work from home are piling on.

Maybe you’ve already caved and whacked the heating on or, more likely, you and your housemates are in the stand-off over how long you can leave it.

But others just go the whole hog, turn it on and leave it going for a while, too scared to feel that frosty house chill.

However, if you’ve flicked it on before burying yourself under your covers and can’t be bothered to get back out of bed to switch it off, you could be doing more harm than good. That’s because doctors have shared health warnings over sleeping with the heating on.

The cold is creeping in. (Getty stock)

Previous research from Slumberdown found a whopping 29 percent of Brits leave the heating on overnight. But doing so could have some very bad consequences for your health.

And one of those is down to the impact it will have on your sleep.

The Sleep Foundation reckons the ideal temperature for the best nights sleep is around 15.6 to 20C, varying from person to person. But if your body is getting too warm and toasty while you’re snoozing, then it might end up waking you up when you’re absolutely dripping in sweat.

Plus, if you’ve been feeling a little sniffly, leaving the heating on isn’t going to help clear those sinuses.

Research from the Medical University of Warsaw showed that ‘certain indoor heating methods are important risk factors for the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and asthma’.

It won't be helping your sleep. (Getty stock)

The heating pumping through your room can dry out your nose and throat, weakening any protection.

So, especially if you’ve been feeling a cold coming on, get that heating off.

Oh, and any care you’ve been putting into your skin and money spent on random products might basically be wasted if you’re sleeping with the heating on.

Having the radiator humming away in your room while you get your beauty sleep could be drying your skin out.

Dr Hiba Injibar from Harley Street’s Dermasurge Clinic told Glamour: “Making sure the heating is off during the night is an excellent way of easing skin dryness (especially if you have any skin conditions such as eczema or other inflammatory issues) as well as saving you a bit of money.”