On a frigid winter day, we are soothed by the comfort of a fuzzy blanket and our home’s heating system. While a strong-working furnace can keep our fingers and toes from turning into icicles, cranking up the thermostat to the nth degree can also have its consequences. Researchers now say that keeping your home too warm (or vice versa, too cold) can negatively affect your brain, especially among those 65 and older.
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Warmer temperatures can disrupt cognitive function.
A new observational study published inThe Journals of Gerontologyasks the question: Are warmer indoor temperatures detrimental to cognitive abilities in late adulthood? According to their findings, cranking up the thermostat can actually weaken one's attention span.
"Our findings underscore the importance of understanding how environmental factors, like indoor temperature, impact cognitive health in aging populations," said Amir Baniassadi, PhD, lead author and an assistant scientist at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research, in a press release.
Keeping the thermostat between 68–75 degrees Fahrenheit is linked to better attention spans among older adults.
The yearlong study followed 47 adults aged 65 and older living in Boston. Their home temperatures ranged from 61 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Participants self-reported difficulty keeping attention, noting their home thermostat at moments of cognitive impairment (i.e., poor attention span).
The results showed that sharper cognitive function was associated with older adults whose thermostats were set between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Conversely, reports of attention difficulties doubled when temperatures differed by up to seven degrees in either direction.
Researchers say poor home ambient temperatures can cause the human brain to deteriorate. More specifically, adults over 65 living in low-income households or underserved communities are most at risk due to limited or lack of resources.
"This research highlights the need for public health interventions and housing policies that prioritize climate resilience for older adults. As global temperatures rise, ensuring access to temperature-controlled environments will be crucial for protecting their cognitive well-being," said Baniassadi.
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Additional lab studies corroborate this theory.
Baniassadi and his team aren’t the first ones to study the correlation between low/high temperatures and cognitive function. In June 2024, The New York Times reported that hotter climates can take "a toll on our brains, impairing cognition and making us irritable, impulsive and aggressive.”
The newspaper highlighted a 2021 study in which two groups completed a series of cognitive tests in temperature-controlled rooms with a variation of four degrees. The group in the warmer room scored worse (a 10 percent average drop) in memory, reaction time, and executive functioning compared with their peers in the cooler room.
Meanwhile, a 2016 study found that college students living in buildings without air conditioning experienced "significant decrements on cognitive test performance" during heat waves, as opposed to their cohorts residing in temperature-regulated dormitories.
