Taking care of yourself as you get older becomes more difficult every year. There are a thousand different things you have to think about when it comes to your health and general well-being. The last thing on your mind is your home temperature. However, it's a more important issue than you think. Here's what you need to know:
Aging and Hypothermia
As you get older, you're more prone to a variety of different health issues, including some you might not realize, such as hypothermia. If you're over 65 and your internal body temperature drops below 95 degrees, it can cause problems with your heart, liver, kidneys, and more.
It's important to understand the signs of hypothermia. If you see someone is constantly shivering, their breathing is shallow, they have a weak pulse, their coordination is poor, they're slurring their speech, or they seem confused, disoriented, or low on energy, there could very well be a problem with their internal body temperature.
Avoiding Hypothermia
The best way to prevent hypothermia when you get older is to make sure your environment stays warm enough. Keep your home temperature at around 68 to 70 degrees. Then, seal all air leaks to make sure that heat isn't escaping. Consider a home energy audit to find out where in your home air is leaking out and then hire an HVAC contractor to seal them up. Common places for leaks include around windows, under doors, along your baseboards, and behind outlets and light switches.
You could use a space heater to warm up your bedroom, but be careful. Heaters can be a fire hazard if they're not used properly. If you're going to use one, be sure you do it safely. If you're not comfortable using a heater in your home, a better option is to add another blanket or two to the bed when it gets cold and dress in a couple more layers. Not only is it safer, it uses less energy.
For more help achieving your ideal home temperature, contact us at Air Assurance. We provide top-quality heating and cooling solutions to Broken Arrow.