Science Says Dad Leaving The Thermostat Low Is Good For You

November 21, 2016

Threatening to raise the thermostat is a great way to ensure your dad will strongly consider breaking your fingers.

Now, dad of course has a whole slew of reasons, logical and illogical, as to why the thermostat hitting 70 is the greatest crime to happen to mankind. Yes, a lower temperature saves on the heating bill, and there is always that dad pride of being impervious to the cold.

But, believe it or not, science says that dad is right. Keeping the thermostat low actually is healthy for you. You can thank your dad’s obsession with a chilly living room for the following health benefits.

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Science says that a cold room is one of the best cures for insomnia, and inherently that makes sense. Getting under the covers on a cold night in the winter is one of the few benefits of a harsh winter.

But this isn’t just “oh yeah, it’s nice sleeping under the covers,” this is cold hard fact. Yes, that last bit was intended as a dad pun.

For the same reason putting ice on a sprained ankle or running a cut under cold running water helps relieve pain, if you stumble and hit your head while trying to get a fifth blanket while your dad espouses the benefit of “layers,” you will find yourself in less pain in a colder room than one kept at a more reasonable temperature.

Athletic trainers have clued into this secret, and cryotherapy, or a form of extreme-dad-cold therapy, is used to help athletes recover quicker and with less soreness.

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Sleeping in a house kept between 60 and 68 degrees can help increase the rate that you produce melatonin, which helps keep you look more youthful. People put up with a lot more than having to wear a sweater for younger looking skin (we’re just saying).

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This is the most science-y part of this article, and also the biggest benefit.

Ultimately, we all have two kinds of fat — white fat and brown fat. White fat is what you use for energy, and when we’re lazy and let it sit around a bunch it slows our metabolism, increases our risk of Type-2 diabetes, and basically leads to traits of obesity. Brown fat, on the other hand, is what we burn to heat the body, and tends to burn calories and increase metabolism.

Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can increase brown fat count by 42% along with a 10% increase in metabolism. Which means that your dad leaving the thermostat is helping keep you rested, youthful, pain-free, and slim.

Now quit your complaining and get another blanket if you’re really that chilly.