Your hands, toes, and nose all say the story is different inside.
Energy agencies say that many homes should keep their heating between 19 and 20 degrees Celsius. But a lot of people still feel cold on the couch. It turns out that the number on the thermostat is only a small part of how warm you really feel.
Why you feel cold even when it’s 19–20°C
The thermostat is not telling the truth, at least not completely.
The number on the wall is the temperature of the air, not a promise of comfort. Human bodies respond to a mix of air, surfaces, movement and moisture.
The setting on the boiler isn’t the only thing that affects your “real” temperature. It’s also the temperature of the air, the humidity, the surface temperatures, and the drafts.
Four factors quietly shape your sensation of cold:
Humidity: When the air is dry and below 40% humidity, 20°C can feel sharper and more irritating to the skin and airways.
Drafts: Small air leaks around windows, doors, and floorboards can make you feel much cooler than a one-degree change on the thermostat.
Cold surfaces: Walls, floors, and windows that are cold “steal” heat from your body through radiant exchange.
Activity level: If you sit at a desk or on a couch for hours, your muscles don’t make much heat.
The science of feeling cold
Your body is always working to keep the right amount of heat in and out. Muscles, digestion, and even brain activity all make heat. At the same time, you lose heat through your skin, breathing and any surface you touch.
Your body gives off heat to a cold window or an uninsulated wall when you sit close to one. You might not feel a breeze, but you can still feel the cold. This is why two rooms at 19°C can feel very different: one with thick curtains and rugs can feel warm and cozy, while the other with bare walls and echoey floors can feel cold and empty.
People don’t all feel the same way at 19°c.
Comfort is very different for everyone. Your age, body type, hormones, and health problems all affect how warm you feel.
Profile: Normal response at 19–20°C
Elderly peopleBecause blood doesn’t flow as quickly, they often feel cold, especially in their hands and feet.
KidsCan change quickly from too hot to too cold; tend to move more.
People who work at desksMore likely to feel cold after long periods of time when there is no movement.
Adults who are activeUsually fine at 19°C when moving around, but colder when watching TV.
Diet is also important. If you don’t eat much, skip meals, or follow very low-calorie plans, you may not have enough “fuel” to keep your body warm.
Before you turn up the heat, you should do these things:
Get the right amount of moisture
A hygrometer is a cheap digital meter that can help you manage the heat in your home. It tells you how wet the air is.
Try to keep the humidity inside between 40% and 60%. About 50% is usually the best level for comfort, health, and heating efficiency.
If the air is too dry, you can:
Put a plug-in humidifier in the main living space.
Put bowls of water near radiators to add a little moisture.
When drying clothes inside, do so in moderation and make sure there is enough air flow to keep mold from growing.
When the humidity is too high, windows can get foggy and a damp chill can set in. In that case, open the windows for a short time every day, use extractor fans, and, if that doesn’t work, run a dehumidifier.
Stop the hidden drafts
If you have air leaks, your ankles may feel like they live in a different climate than your head. You might be surprised at how much small, cheap fixes can help.
Put rolled-up towels or draft stoppers at the bottom of doors.
Use adhesive foam strips to fill in the spaces around window frames.
Look in letterboxes and keyholes and put on covers or brushes if you can.
Once drafts are under control, the same 19°C setting often feels much warmer.
Make cold floors and walls warmer
Hard floors pull heat away from your body. You shiver when you step on a cold surface, even if the air is warm enough.
Put down thick rugs, especially near the sofa, bed, and places where kids play.
Use curtains that are lined or thermal and cover the whole height of the window.
Move beds and couches a few centimeters away from the walls on the outside.
You can make 19°C feel like 21°C without touching the boiler controls if you stay away from cold surfaces.
Don’t just make more heat; spread it out.
In some homes, one side of the room is warm while the other is cold. This is usually a problem with circulation, not a lack of heat.
A small, quiet fan on low speed can move warm air into corners that aren’t being used. When set to winter mode, ceiling fans can also move heat that is rising back down toward people instead of letting it pool near the ceiling.
Dress like you mean it.
People often dress for fall inside, but they expect the comfort of late spring. Layering is important.
Put on a base layer made of cotton or a technical fabric that wicks away moisture.
Add a wool or fleece jumper that keeps warm air inside.
Put on thick socks or slippers to keep your feet warm. They lose heat quickly.
A light hat or beanie worn inside on very cold days can make you feel more comfortable than turning the thermostat up a degree, especially if you’re not moving.
Keep your body warm.
Circulation slows down when you sit in front of a laptop for hours at a time. Short, regular breaks to move around can help.
Get up every hour or so and stand for two to three minutes. Get up and move around. Go up the stairs once and stretch your arms and legs. That little bit of muscle activity sends warm blood back to your arms and legs.
When it makes sense to turn up the thermostat
Energy experts often say that 19–20°C is a good goal, especially for living rooms. But that number is not a law. You might still feel cold after dealing with drafts, humidity, and clothes, especially if you are older, sick, or underweight.
If you’ve made your home as comfortable as possible and still feel uncomfortable, you can raise the temperature by one degree, especially for health reasons.
The problem is that each extra degree usually means a big increase in energy use. Many national energy agencies think that raising the temperature from 19°C to 21°C can use 10% to 15% more energy for heating, depending on the property.
Why the problem might be with your house itself
You might not think about it, but insulation and glazing are very important.
Two homes with the same thermostat setting can feel very different. The difference is usually in the insulation, windows, and building materials.
Older single-glazed windows let in cold air and lose heat quickly.
If your loft or roof isn’t insulated, warm air can escape, making your home feel drafty even when the windows are closed.
Thin walls on the outside cool down quickly at night, which makes the inside cooler.
Putting in better insulation costs more money, but it pays off in the long run: you’ll be more comfortable, your bills will be lower, and the temperature inside will be more stable all year round.
Realistic expectations and zones
Not all rooms need to feel the same. A living room can be 19–20°C and bedrooms can be a little cooler. Some people sleep better when the room is closer to 17–18°C, and a good duvet can help keep them warm.
Thinking in zones also helps keep costs down. You can focus on making changes, like adding rugs and draught-proofing, in the rooms where you spend the most time.
More helpful words and tips
What does “thermal comfort” really mean?
Engineers use the phrase “thermal comfort” to mean that most people in a room don’t feel too hot or too cold. It all depends on:
The temperature of the air
The average temperature of the surface around you
Air flow, like drafts or fans
Level of humidity
Your clothes
How active you are
When you think of comfort as this mix, the thermostat stops being a magic button and becomes just one of many tools.
A simple situation at home
Think about a flat that stays at 20°C. The owner is sitting at a desk by a big window with no curtain. The floor is bare wood. The humidity is 30%, there is a slight draft under the door, and they are wearing thin socks.
They add a rug, close the gap under the door with a draft stopper, hang lined curtains, and put on thicker socks without changing the thermostat. They also get up every hour to go for a short walk. The air temperature is the same, but the room doesn’t feel as bad. You don’t feel warmer by using more energy; instead, you feel warmer by using the heat that is already there more wisely.
