Sleeping in the living room is more comfortable than the bedroom in the heatwave, study finds

/in


  • More than 4.6 million English homes overheated during the summer, study says
  • And it’s worse in bedrooms during the night than in living rooms during the day
  • Living room overheating is the most severe in flats than any other dwelling types 

If you’re struggling to sleep during the current heatwave, a new study suggests you’d be better off sleeping in the lounge. 

Academics at Loughborough University say they’ve performed the largest and most comprehensive study to date on overheating in English homes. 

They found overheating to be more prevalent in bedrooms at night than in living rooms during the day in all English dwellings except flats and bungalows.  

More than 4.6 million homes in England are experiencing overheating during the summer, they claim, but bedrooms are more affected by heat than living rooms. 

The researchers also found that living room overheating was 30 per cent greater in flats than any other dwelling types, including multi-storey homes. 

The study follows a heatwave health alert issued by Public Health England this week, as Brits struggle with stifling temperatures around the 86°F (30°C) mark.  

Overheating is even more prevalent in bedrooms at night than in living rooms during the day, according to the study by experts at Loughborough University

HOW TO SURVIVE THE HEAT 

– Stay indoors

– Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler 

– Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol

– Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially children or animals

– Try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm

– Walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide brimmed hat, if you have to go out  

– Avoid exercising in the hottest parts of the day

– Make sure you take water with you if you are travelling 

– If anyone feels unwell with a high temperature during hot weather, it may be heat exhaustion or heatstroke 

Professor Kevin Lomas, from Loughborough’s School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, who is lead researcher on the study, has pointed to climate change.

Threats from climate change are of worldwide concern – and global temperatures are likely to be 2.7°F (1.5°C) above pre-industrial levels by 2052, he…

Source…