The 7 ways turning your heating on too early can harm your health – from agonising itchy skin to lung inflammation
IT is getting to the time of year where you might be turning your heating on — but doing so could harm your health, doctors claim.
From agonising itchy skin to making it hard to breathe, turning the temperature up can aggravate existing conditions or cause new problems.
However, there are a range of ways to keep the issues at bay.
Dr Neel Patel, a GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, says you need to be prepared to use medications.
He said: “If you know you suffer from any of these conditions in winter, ensure you have the medication required to alleviate your symptoms.
“Whether that’s migraine relief tablets, allergy medication or an asthma inhaler, prepare for the cold weather by stocking up now.”
If that doesn’t help, try turning down the heat.
Dr Patel said: “Both a room that is too warm and a room that is too cold can be bad for your health so it’s about finding a balance.
“18°C is usually the temperature recommended for bedrooms while 21°C is ideal for living rooms.”
Asthma
Winter can be a tough time for asthma sufferers, with heating making the air in homes particularly aggravating.
Dr Patel said: “Central heating can make the air inside our homes very dry. This can cause lung conditions like asthma to flare up.
“You may find the dry air triggers coughing and shortness of breath.”
Around 5.4million Brits suffer asthma, which causes the airways to become inflamed when exposed to a trigger.
Sinus infections
Dry air when the heating on can also cause other problems.
Dr Patel said: “The dry atmosphere can also lead to sinus infections as the air dries out the layer of mucus lining your nose, leading to blocked sinuses.”
However, there are some things you can do to prevent the issue.
He said: “One thing to try is investing in a humidifier to regulate the amount of water vapour in the air.
“However, if you’re on a budget, simply placing a bowl of water near heaters should have the same effect.”
Allergies
Heating can also trigger flare ups of allergies.
Dr Patel said: “As radiators heat the air in a room, a process known as convection is produced.
“This causes dust to circulate around the room which can trigger allergies.”
Headaches and migraines
Hot rooms can also cause headaches and migraines because of dehydration.
Dr Patel said: “Although dehydration is something we usually associate with summer, it is easy to become dehydrated when in a centrally heated environment all day.
“This can lead to headaches and even migraines if you’re prone to them.”
He recommends you make sure you’re drinking enough fluids.
Dr Patel said: “It can be easy to forget to drink enough water in the colder months.
“You still need to aim for six to eight glasses of non-alcoholic fluid each day if you want to avoid dehydration.”
Skin conditions
Skin conditions like eczema can also flare up during the winter months.
Dr Patel said: “If you have eczema or dry, sensitive skin, you may notice it’s worse in winter.
“The reason for this is central heating dries out the air and reduces humidity which can trigger eczema and skin irritation.”
However, these can be treated with ointments and moisturiser.
He said: “You can look after your skin in winter by moisturising regularly. Ointments can be quite greasy but are most effective at keeping moisture in the skin.
“Lotions contain less oil and are therefore not greasy but may be less effective. Creams sit somewhere in between.”
Itchy eyes
A lack of moisture in the air can increase your risk of itchy eyes.
Dr Patel said: “The dry air can cause your tears to evaporate too quickly, making your eyes feel gritty, dry and itchy.”
This can also be made less of a problem by using a humidifier or placing a bowl of water in the room.
Nosebleeds
Finally, the dry air can also cause nosebleeds.
Dr Patel said: “You may also find you get more nosebleeds in the winter months.
“Again, this is due to the lack of moisture in the air which can result in dryness and scabs inside your nostrils.”