It's spring (well, not officially) but with the last couple of nice days we've had, it sure feels like it. And it seems that everyone is dealing with the colds. My husband had a sinus infection a couple of weeks ago, and a 10 day treatment of antibiotics took care of it.
Thankfully none of my kids fell terribly ill this winter/spring and I attribute it to being able to control the temperature of our home. Yes, you can kill germs with Lysol and Clorox wipes, but why let them grow?
When we lived at our apartment, it would get WAY too hot, thus incubating the germs and we were sick more often. There were nights, even when it was snowing out, that I'd have the heat off and a window open. Because I know that heat allows bacteria and viruses to grow. Cold slows them down. Think about it. Your refrigerator is cold, right? Because cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria and viruses.
My house thermostat never gets set above 72 degrees. That's a rule. If you're cold, you put on a blanket. Our house uses geothermal heat and we've got it set to go to 62 at night. You're under blankets anyway, right? Why have it so hot in the house? It's just incubating germs. Studies have shown that your body falls into a deeper, more restful sleep when you're cooler as well. Deeper sleep also helps your immune system. Win, win, win.
Lower your thermostat. Save a little green in both heating and Doctor bills (and save the environment while you're at it). And don't be afraid to open the windows. As my mom says, "A little fresh air never killed anyone."
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