Sometimes, it becomes difficult to concentrate on anything else when the temperature drops. One of the most common reasons for sickness in cold weather is a lack of heating at home. When your body isn’t warm enough, it has to work harder to keep itself warm. This body strain can lead to some severe health problems.

On the other hand, an extremely hot house also can be fatal. Some of these problems include respiratory infections, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues such as depression.

Learn about these and other risks associated with not having adequate heating at your house.

1- Respiratory Infections

This is one of the major problems of not having a proper heating system in your house. The most common respiratory infection is pneumonia. This disease affects the lungs by attacking the air sacs. Consequently, the lungs swell and fill with fluid. As a result, the individual begins coughing, producing phlegm or pus. The individual also experiences fever, chills, and breathing difficulties.

Furthermore, cold air is detrimental to the health of most people who have asthma. This is because it tends to irritate the bronchial tubes triggering asthma symptoms. These infections can be severe and even deadly, especially for young children and the elderly.

2- Cardiovascular Diseases

Another major health risk associated with inadequate heating is an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. These are diseases associated with the heart and blood vessels. The diseases are among the top global death causes, with approximately 17.9 million people dying every year. These illnesses arise since your body has to work harder to pump blood throughout your system when it cannot maintain a healthy temperature. Over time, this can damage your heart.

3- Mental Health Concerns, Including Depression

One of the biggest risks associated with living in a cold home is depression. This problem arises where you develop other health problems such as respiratory illnesses. These issues can be very draining financially and emotionally as their medications are extremely costly.

4- Colds

It’s easy for viruses that cause common illnesses like colds or flu to take hold in your body when staying in a cold house. This happens because the viruses multiply rapidly when exposed to cooler temperatures than the average human temperature. So, you’ll likely get colds more often than someone who lives in a warmer place if you’re constantly feeling chilled due to an unheated home.

5- Back Pains

Back pain while living in a cold house or when exposed to cold weather is caused by osteoarthritis. This chronic disease causes joints throughout your body to become weak and stiff. Stiff joints can lead to more pain throughout your body, including the back and neck areas.

6- Headaches

Headaches are prevalent for people staying in houses with inadequate heating. This is because constant exposure to chilly temperatures for long periods of time results in the expansion of blood vessels. As a result, the person develops mild migraines or tension-type headaches that come and go over a few hours or days. Typically, these types of headaches don’t require any treatment other than just lying down in a warm room until they subside on their own.