Indoor Temperatures Affect Cognitive Function in Older Adults

 Is your competent? doctor making sure hospital and clinic temperatures are in this range? You wouldn't want to bias the cognitive testing that is performed on you. 

Indoor Temperatures Affect Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Summary: A new study reveals that older adults experience the least attention difficulties when home temperatures remain between 68–75 ˚F (20–24 ˚C). Deviations beyond this range double the risk of attention lapses, highlighting how even current climate conditions may harm cognitive health. This risk is especially pronounced for low-income seniors who may lack the means to regulate indoor temperatures.

The findings emphasize the need for climate-resilient housing policies and public health interventions to protect aging populations. As global temperatures rise, safeguarding access to temperature-controlled environments could prevent cognitive decline. Smart technologies and improved energy-efficient housing are proposed as proactive solutions.

Key Facts:

• Optimal Range: Attention performance was best at indoor temperatures of 68–75 ˚F (20–24 ˚C).
• Cognitive Risk: A 7 ˚F (4 ˚C) deviation doubled the likelihood of attention difficulties.
• Climate Concerns: Older adults in underserved communities face higher risks due to limited access to temperature control.

Source: Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research

A groundbreaking study has identified a significant relationship between indoor temperatures and cognitive performance in older adults, shedding light on how climate change may pose an increased risk to cognitive health.

Conducted by scientists at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, the research arm of Hebrew SeniorLife, a nonprofit affiliate of Harvard Medical School, the study found that older adults reported the least difficulty maintaining attention when their home temperatures were within 68–75 ˚F (20–24 ˚C).

Potential solutions include integrating smart home technologies to optimize indoor temperatures, improving energy efficiency in housing, and expanding access to cooling resources. Credit: Neuroscience News

Outside of this range, the likelihood of attention difficulties doubled with a 7 ˚F (4 ˚C) variation in either direction.

The longitudinal observational study, entitled “Home Ambient Temperature and Self-reported Attention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults,” monitored home temperatures and self-reported attention difficulties in 47 adults aged 65 and older over the course of a year.

The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, suggest that even current climate conditions are placing older adults at risk, with many experiencing indoor temperatures that may impair their cognitive abilities.

The implications are particularly concerning for low-income and underserved populations, who may have fewer resources to regulate their home environments.

“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 of the study, an Assistant Scientist II at the Marcus Institute and a leading expert in the study of the effects of climate change on seniors.

“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.”

Following a 2023 study measuring how temperature affected how older adults slept and their cognitive ability, the study currently adds to growing evidence that the effects of climate change extend beyond physical health to encompass cognitive functioning, emphasizing the need for proactive measures.

Potential solutions include integrating smart home technologies to optimize indoor temperatures, improving energy efficiency in housing, and expanding access to cooling resources.

Other researchers on the study, who all work at the Marcus Institute, included Wanting Yu, BSc, Project Director I; Thomas Travison, PhD, Senior Scientist; Ryan Day; Lewis Lipsitz, MD, Director, Marcus Institute and Chief Academic Officer, Irving and Edyth S. Usen and Family Chair in Medical Research, Hebrew SeniorLife; and Brad Manor, PhD, associate scientist.

Funding: The study was supported by a T32 fellowship through the U.S. National Institute on Aging (T32AG023480) and from the TMCITY foundation.

About this aging and cognition research news

Author: Michael Chmura
Source: Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
Contact: Michael Chmura – Hebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Home Ambient Temperature and Self-reported Attention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults” by Amir Baniassadi et al. The Journals of Gerontology Series A

Study finds major health benefits linked to indoor temperature variation

I bet your hospital will never implement these practices. 

Study finds major health benefits linked to indoor temperature variation

24 April 2017 Taylor & Francis

• Under embargo until 25 April 2017 23:01 GMT

Exposure to environments outside a comfortable temperature could help tackle major metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, and should be reflected in modern building practices, finds a study published today.
This new research reveals how exposure to mildly cold or warm environments, outside the standard comfort zone inside buildings of 21 - 22 oC, increases metabolism and energy expenditure which may help to tackle obesity. For those with type 2 diabetes, exposure to mild coldness influences glucose metabolism and after 10 days of intermittent cold, patients had increased insulin sensitivity by more than 40%. These results for diabetes treatment are comparable with the best pharmaceutical solutions available.
As a result of the positive benefits, the authors advocate that living conditions in modern buildings, such as homes and offices, should be dynamic and incorporate drifting temperatures in order to support healthy human environments. Such measures should go hand in hand with the classical lifestyle factors such diet and physical exercise.
The research, "Healthy Excursions Outside the Thermal Comfort Zone", published in Building Research & Information, [URL live and free to view 26 April 2017] outlines how preventable metabolic syndrome health conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, may be influenced by exposure to a variable indoor temperature.
The lead author of the study and Professor of Ecological Energetics and Health at Maastricht University Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt commented, “It has previously been assumed that stable fixed indoor temperatures would satisfy comfort and health in most people. However, this research indicates that mild cold and variable temperatures may have a positive effect on our health and at the same time are acceptable or even may create pleasure.”
Richard Lorch, editor in chief, commented: "This ground-breaking research provides a new approach to how we think about the heating and cooling our of buildings. The health benefits from a short exposure to a more varied temperature range will redefine our expectations on thermal comfort.  In turn, this will change our practices for heating and cooling our buildings."
The research, part of a forthcoming Building Research & Information special issue entitled "Rethinking Thermal Comfort", examines the practices of thermal comfort, and offers solutions providing healthier, comfortable, low-energy solutions in buildings. In developed countries, buildings account for up to 40% of energy demand and constitute a significant proportion of CO2 emissions. A reduction in heating and cooling of buildings will have a positive health effect on the occupants, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The full article will be live and free to read on 26th April 2017 here:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09613218.2017.1307647