You may have discussed the topic with your partner, cohabitant or spouse. Because while one is freezing and lying with extra duvets, the other is boiling over with heat. So what really is best? Both for health, the indoor climate and the house you live in? And is there any conclusion? We asked two experts on the subject. Do you sleep with the window open in winter? Yes, I must be cold when I sleep ? No, it’s freezing outside after all ?️ Show result These should be careful – As long as you don’t freeze, it’s perfectly fine to sleep with the window open. It is not dangerous. That’s what Johan Øvrevik says. He is subject director for climate and environment at the Institute of Public Health (FHI) and professor at the University of Oslo. He says that FHI regularly receives questions about exactly this with indoor temperature. And even if he gives the thumbs up for an ajar window, you shouldn’t overdo the ventilation either. Johan Øvrevik from FHI says that some groups should be a little careful about how cold they are in the bedroom. Photo: Anders Fehn / news – It is especially the elderly and people with poor health who should make sure that it is not too cold at home. – You shouldn’t go around freezing. Then research shows that there is an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. For these people, he recommends an indoor temperature of 18 degrees – and perhaps a few notches higher. – But for healthy people this is not a problem. We have duvets that keep us warm, says Øvrevik. Healthy people can sleep well with the window open and in a cold indoor climate. Photo: Roberto Nickson / Unsplash But what about the myth that you can get sick from freezing air? Øvrevik says that is not just a myth. – There are things that indicate that if you breathe a lot of cold air, you will have a slightly poorer immune system in the nose. So the risk of infection may be slightly higher. But the professor reassures at the same time: – Inside your bedroom, it probably has limited meaning. Blast air for five minutes If your health is not harmed by sleeping with the window open, can the home you live in do it? Yes, says Kolbjørn Mohn Jenssen. He is a trained biologist and general manager of the company Mycoteam, which works with moisture and rot damage. For the indoor climate, he recommends two solutions: Keep the window ajar – but not wide open – at night Storm air for five minutes in the morning, preferably at both ends of the home if possible Kolbjørn Mohn Jenssen advises against leaving the window wide open at night. Photo: Jarle Nyttingnes – The air from outside is usually much fresher than the air you have inside. Even when it is below zero, he says and adds: – If you air all night, you don’t need blast air. But if you sleep with the window open again, you should ventilate properly for five minutes in the morning. Can lead to mold and rot damage But there is also a danger in letting it get too cold in the bedroom. – If the walls get very cold, condensation can form. It is the case that warm air holds much more moisture than cold air, says Jenssen. For those who sleep with the window open at night, he recommends taking a look in the window sill when you wake up. What does the window look like when you wake up? Photo: Randy Laybourne / Unsplash – Is there condensation there? Or are there water drops or frost on the window? Then you must pull both the bed, wardrobe and other things out from the walls and check that there is no mold behind, he says. This applies particularly if you live in an older home with poor insulation. – It doesn’t matter much if you live in a house from 2010. But if you live in an old brick block or a house from the 50s, 60s and 70s, you should be more observant. Then I would rather recommend shock ventilation for a short period, says Jenssen. But perhaps the most important question remains: What is best for domestic peace? There, too, FHI has a clear recommendation. – I think we should be a bit generous towards a potential partner. If he lies down and freezes at night, then we shouldn’t trump having the window wide open, says Øvrevik. – FHI recommends that you take care of domestic peace and care for each other at Christmas. ALSO READ:
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Sleep with the window open or closed? This is what the experts say – news Nordland
