Our brains work best when our homes are at a specific temperature; too hot or too cold and we are more likely to experience cognitive difficulties, according to a recent study.
Scientists at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, investigated the links between home temperatures and brain function among over-65s living in an older persons' community in Boston, Massachusetts.
"Our findings underscore the importance of understanding how environmental factors, like indoor temperature, impact cognitive health in aging populations," said lead author Amir Baniassadi, from the Marcus Institute, in a statement.
Over the course of a year, the scientists monitored the home ambient temperature of the study's 47 participants.
These older adults also reported times at which they struggled with their attention levels throughout the study.
The scientists found that the older adults were least likely to report cognitive difficulties when their home was between 68F and 75F.
Outside of this range, whether hotter or colder, the participants were more likely to complain that they struggled concentrating.
Specifically, a 7F change of temperature in either direction was associated with double the risk of cognitive difficulties.
"This research highlights the need for public health interventions and housing policies that prioritize climate resilience for older adults," said Baniassadi. "As global temperatures rise, ensuring access to temperature-controlled environments will be crucial for protecting their cognitive wellbeing."
As the climate changes, extreme temperatures could contribute to worse brain health and cognitive difficulties.
But this study suggests that even the current climate could pose risks to the cognitive health of older adults, with many experiencing indoor temperatures that could affect their ability to concentrate.
The findings are particularly pertinent for low-income and underserved populations who may have fewer resources to spend on heating or cooling their homes.
The scientists suggested some possible solutions, including improving energy efficiency in housing, integrating smart home technologies into homes to optimize indoor temperatures and expanding older people's access to cooling resources such as air conditioning.
"Given that climate change is expected to increase both frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, it is important to develop technological, financial, and policy interventions that enable older adults to maintain a comfortable and health-promoting home thermal environment," the scientists wrote.
This was an observational study so the scientists could not categorically prove that the temperature differences caused the older adults' attention difficulties.
It also took place within a single city, among adults living in relatively high-quality housing, so the scientists wrote that their study may have underestimated the effects that temperature differences would have on the cognitive health of adults living in poverty and substandard housing.
This study was published in The Journals of Gerontology in December 2024.
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Reference
Baniassadi, A., Yu, W., Travison, T., Day, R., Lipsitz, L., Manor, B. (2024). Home Ambient Temperature and Self-reported Attention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A(glae286). https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glae286
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