Did you know it’s possible to burn fat and lose weight while at the same time saving money when it’s cold outside? All you have to do is turn down the thermostat.
A study showed that sleeping with the thermostat set to 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit increases brown fat. People tend to lose brown fat as they age, but it is a sign of a good metabolism. It burns calories to produce heat and has been shown to protect lab rats from glucose intolerance and obesity from diet.
For the test, researchers had participants spend four months sleeping in temperature-controlled rooms. They all wore the same pajamas, slept under the same kinds of sheets and were given a particular diet. The researchers then set the temperature in their rooms to varying levels for a month at a time.
The researchers found that brown fat increased during the colder months, as did insulin sensitivity, which lowers the risk for type two diabetes. During the months with the warmer temperatures, the effect was reversed.
Now, this isn’t to say that you should give up your diet and exercise routine and just sleep in the cold, but it is something that can give you an extra little boost if you’re trying to lose weight and help your metabolism.