Expert delivers grim warning to anyone sleeping with heating on overnight

23 January 2024 , 10:56

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You must turn your heating off before you get into bed (Stock Image) (Image: Getty Images)

It can be all too tempting to accidentally on purpose forget that your heating is still on when you're heading to bed, but an expert has shared grim reasons why you should always ensure it's off before getting your beauty sleep.

There's no better feeling than being toasty and warm in bed as you hear the wind and rain batter your window, but experts have shared that putting your heating on full blast overnight isn't the way forward, as it can cause issues with your skin and hair, wastes energy, and can even cause unsightly and unsafe mould on the walls.

Specialists BestHeating have teamed up with haircare specialists Neäl & Wølf to explain why sleeping with the heating on high should be avoided - and other methods of heating yourself should be used.

Wasted energy

Unless you want a hefty energy bill, it's best that you turn your central heating off before you head off to the land of nod.

Jess Steele, heating technology expert at BestHeating said: "The best way to keep warm at night without leaving the central heating on is to have your radiators running for a few hours in the evening and then set a timer so that the heating comes on an hour before you plan to wake up.

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"That way you don't need to completely turn the heating off and your boiler won't have to work as hard to come back on."

Mould on walls

Another effect of leaving the heating on high overnight is it can also be harming your health and home.

Jess said: "Having the heating on for short periods is a good idea to prevent mould growth, especially in the morning but having it on all night can cause the warmer air to hold and trap excess moisture.

"When the warm air comes into contact with the icy cold windows, it can cause window condensation which then develops into a mould problem."

Dry, damaged hair and skin

Laura Elliott, head stylist and educator at Neäl & Wølf says: "Spending a lot of time in a centrally heated environment can do more damage than good for your locks. Over the winter period, hair can dry out making it look and feel more brittle, split ends become more of a regular occurrence and this could all be down to the central heating.

"To combat these issues and transform lacklustre strands, I would firstly recommend increasing your use of conditioning treatments as this will help to bring some moisture back."

She also recommended avoiding "excessive heat styling as this can strip natural oils further", urging people to opt for heatless styles instead.

Danielle Kate Wroe