Turning Down the Heat is Good for You

 
This will be my first time joining in on the Freeze Yer  Buns Off Challenge hosted by Crunchy Chicken.  What is this challenge? It is to keep your heat at a lower temperature during the winter. Why would anyone want to do that you ask?

1. Lower your heating bill. For every degree you turn down the thermostat you will save money. Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent of heating costs,
2. You will use less energy overall even when you warm up your house from a cooler temperature.
3. Do you really need to heat the house while you are away? Will the dog care? We have three dogs. Two enjoy being outside. The other is under a blanket when it is 108 outside. They really don’t care about the temperature in the house.
4. People sleep better when a room is cooler. Medical professionals and sleep experts have some variation in what they propose, but in general it seems to fall in the 60 - 70F degree range. However, the majority say that the cooler you can keep it (between 60 and 65) the better sleep tends to be
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5. Reduce the risk of SIDS. If you have a baby studies have shown that not only do baby’s sleep better  in cooler temperatures, but they are also at a lower risk for SIDS by sleeping in a room that is between 61º F and 68º
6. When the house is cooler it is more conducive to baking and making soups and chili.
7. A cooler house lets you use your sweaters.
8. A cooler house is good for snuggling
9. A cooler house gives you an excuse to make hot cocoa.
10. Keeping your house cooler may help you loose weight. Those who keep their houses no warmer than 68 degrees as less likely to be obese.

While this is my first year joining the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge, I grew up in a house that was kept at low temperatures. My parents kept the bedrooms at 55 degrees at night, we even opened windows in our bedrooms to get fresh air. Folks I grew up in New England. I grew up with blizzards and snow during the winter. We are not talking the South. So yes the house did get down to 55 at night. I am pretty sure my Dad would turn up the heat in the morning before he got us kids up. I do know that he stoked the wood stove and got this going again. 
When my husband and I got married we carried on this tradition. When we lived in our little town house we kept the temperature at 65 degrees in the winter. I remember my mother in law claiming that we would freeze her grandchildren when they were born.  But we adapted, we worn sweaters, fleece and sweat pants while were at home. My kids have adapted and survived too.  No they don’t wear mittens. In fact they are quite comfortable going out at 65 degrees in shorts outside.
Now living in Oklahoma we have what I like to refer to as bi-polar weather, no that is not a reference to the North and South Pole. It is a reference to the fact that we arrive at our average temp not the normal way, but rather by having our temperature be 10 degrees above normal on Monday and 10 degrees below normal on Friday. Thanks to this crazy weather we often go until nearly Thanksgiving before turning the heat on.
Do you like to keep your house toasty in the winter, or would you like to join this challenge? You can join up with others on The Freeze Yer Buns Off challenge on Facebook.
What temperature do you like to keep your house at over the winter?

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