MILLIONS of people may be suffering ill health because they leave their heating on overnight, according to new research.
A recent survey by the bedding company Slumberdown has shown that almost a third (29%) of households leave their heating on overnight despite energy bills hitting a record high.
Nearly half (46%) of people who sleep with their heating on throughout the night reported that they felt ill the following morning. When awakening in the morning over a third (37%) of those feeling ill say they suffer from a headache, dry mouth and dehydration. A fifth (20%) admit waking from their slumber overheated and drenched in sweat.
Sleep expert from the company, Professor Jason Ellis, said: “Our bodies do a great deal of work for us during sleep. As part of that process, our body temperature changes over the course of the night and we tend to cool down towards bedtime and then naturally warm up towards the morning.
“As such, we may go to bed warm and cosy but as the research shows, wake up hot and bothered. The key is being comfortable when going to bed and staying comfortable throughout the night.
The more comfortable you are the less likely you will wake during the night or too early in the morning.”
The UK wide study also found that over half of those surveyed (51%) confessed to not changing their duvet for a higher tog winter duvet.
However 70% said they would rather change their bedding to a warmer winter duvet than leave the heating on with a further 76% aware that doing this helps them sleep more comfortably and feeling fresher in the morning.
The average household energy bill is now £1,265 a year, £53 more than a year ago and £793 or 168% higher than in 2004, according to price comparison website uSwitch.com.
