Effect of cold rooms on mood

srhope

Although I have long practised many of the measures suggested by other contributors to keep myself warm without heating in my flat through the cold months which seem to never end, I have found, as many have, that a cold room makes me feel miserable and greatly reduces my energy level. No matter that I'm wearing a thick fleece and have my duvet around my lower body, to have a pleasantly warm room with the freedom to move easily feels much better in every respect. When I visit places which are well heated, I immediately feel a boost to my mood. Returning home to a cold flat is a great letdown and stays that way even though much of my body is protected. Is this common?

Astria

How do you define cold? As in, what temperature is your flat?

When I visit places that are well heated I'm typically lethargic and can fall asleep quite easily because my body thinks I'm under a duvet!

When I get back home and it's cooler (about 15c) I spring to life and can do stuff. If I'm sitting down and doing nothing then I might increase the temperature to 17 - 18c to make it more comfortable.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like you are letting the flat get too cold. Not good for the flat and not good for you breathing on cold air all the time. My living room sits around 18c and we find that is ideal for us and the cat. Everyone has different comfort levels and I know people that will happily sit in 12c and some that are happy at 23c.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to turn the heating off completely as I think some people are doing even though it is getting cold outside again now. Although I understand people not having a choice. 

jvjack

I read in a library book about central heating long time ago that the comfort you feel depends very much on the radiant heat leaving your body going to the surfaces arroud you.

So the air temperature might be say 21 degrees but all the walls and furmature are cooler.

A dairy cream sponge cake can take two hours to defrost so a sofa might take the same time to fully reach air temperature. 

If i remember right it is not measurable like with a thermometer.

jvjack

Sorry ,  i waffled on about radiant heat there. 
You asked  "Is this common?"  I'd say yes. With me mood is better whith heat. 
Francisco probly says it best. 

Slinky

I grew up in a really cold house. No heating at all upstairs, apart from a single bar heater in the bathroom, and a couple of small convector heaters downstairs. Ice on the single glazed windows in the morning, so yes I can certainly empathise with the feeling of low temperatures lowering your mood. We existed in the winter, it was miserable.

Yes we've turned the heating down in our house, but it'll never be as bad as my childhood.