The radiator clicks, the kettle whistles, and the first frost has already made the cars look like they have white lace on them. Léa puts on a thick sweater inside, and her partner quietly moves the thermostat from 19°C to 21°C, looking guilty. He isn’t trying to start a fight; he just wants to feel his toes again. An energy bill on the kitchen table that is as long as a shopping receipt reminds them of the “famous” rule: 19°C, not one degree more. The rule that parents, TV experts, and government campaigns have told them.
But the mood is strange. Half of the people around them swear by 19°C, while the other half won’t live in what they call “a slightly heated fridge.” Something doesn’t quite add up anymore when you think about comfort, health, energy sobriety, and the changing housing stock.
The holy 19°C might not be so holy anymore.
Why the 19°C rule doesn’t work for us anymore
The 19°C rule came about when homes leaked more, energy was cheaper, and people didn’t know as much about how to stay warm. It sounded easy, clear, and almost moral: heat to 19°C, save the planet and your money. People have been saying it over and over again for years, but no one has really thought about whether it still fits with how we live.
We work from home more often now, spend more time inside, and many apartments are better insulated, sometimes even too airtight. Researchers have also looked more closely at how our bodies feel temperature. The science has quietly moved on since that famous 19°C.
For example, Marc, who is 43 years old and works from home in a newly built flat. He tried to stay at 19°C all winter because he thought it was the right thing to do. After three weeks, he wasn’t as productive, he kept getting little colds, and he ended up on Zoom calls wrapped in a blanket. His smart watch even showed that his stress level went up on the coldest days.
When he finally told his doctor about it, the answer was simple: raise the temperature a little, especially when you’re sitting for a long time. A little change can make a big difference. His focus came back at 20.5°C, he took off one layer of clothing, and his heating bill only went up a little bit because his building is well insulated. The strict rule just didn’t take into account his situation.
Thermal comfort is more than just a number on a thermostat. It’s a mix of temperature, humidity, air movement, clothing, and how active you are. A slim person who works sitting down all day won’t be able to handle 19°C like a bricklayer on a construction site. Studies in building physics and occupational health now show that there is a “comfort band” instead of just one number.
Experts are talking less and less about one magic number and more and more about ranges. For example, living spaces and vulnerable people should be a little warmer, while bedrooms and short stays should be a little cooler. *The 19°C rule seems more and more like something from a time when subtleties weren’t necessary.* We need something that is more adaptable and more human.
What experts really say about the new recommended temperatures
Energy and health experts are starting to agree on one thing: don’t set a single, hard target. Instead, think in zones and ranges. Many experts now say that the best temperature for living rooms and home offices where you sit for hours is between 19°C and 21°C, depending on how well the room is insulated, how humid it is, and how warmly you dress. The old 19°C is more like the bottom of the comfort scale than the best temperature.
For bedrooms, the trend is a little cooler: **16°C to 18°C** is good for sleeping, as long as you have enough blankets and pajamas. The temperature in kitchens and hallways can stay between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius. The goal isn’t to heat everything the same way; it’s to change the temperature based on what you do in each room and who lives there.
There’s also a social truth that people don’t often say out loud. People with chronic illnesses, poor circulation, or who are elderly or babies often suffer in silence in homes that are kept at 19°C all the time. More and more, general practitioners and geriatricians are speaking out: for vulnerable people, going up to **20–21°C** in main living areas is not a luxury, it’s a way to stay safe. Less chance of getting a respiratory infection and fewer falls because of stiffness or pain.
We’ve all been there: visiting a grandparent who refuses to change the temperature because “that’s what they said on TV” while their hands are freezing. The new rules take this into account. They don’t preach as much and are more about bodies and health.
Energy experts also say that the most expensive thing is not one extra degree in a stable, well-managed home, but constant changes in temperature and bad insulation. The boiler has to work harder when the temperature goes from 17°C during the day to 22°C at night and then back down again. Stable ranges that are changed by zone work better.
To be honest, no one really changes their thermostat four times a day with military precision. That’s why experts now use simple rules of thumb: a main comfort zone around 20°C, a cooler sleep zone, and extra help for the most fragile people. The 19°C slogan worked well on posters. The new ranges are better for real homes.
How to change your home from the old rule to the new balance
The best way to do this isn’t to turn up the heat all at once, but to make small changes over the course of a few days. If you’ve been following past campaigns, your starting point should be around 19°C. For three days, turn up the heat in the main room where you spend the most time by 0.5 to 1 degree. Are you still cold? Listen to your body. Not as tired? Are you sleeping better?
Then change things in each room. Lower the temperature in the bedroom a little, close the doors, use draft excluders, and move the curtains in the evening. The goal is to make a small map of the climate inside: a warmer bubble where you sit still and cooler areas where you just pass through or sleep.
A common mistake is to say, “I’m cold; I’ll just set it to 23°C and deal with it later.” When the bill comes, that burst of comfort will cost you a lot. Instead of just doing what you wear and how the room is set up, you should also wear thick socks, put a throw on the couch, a rug on the floor, and move the desk away from a cold wall. Small, inexpensive changes that can “raise” the temperature of your home by 1 to 2 degrees without touching the boiler.
There is also the guilt that comes with it. You move the thermostat up to 19°C and right away think about your carbon footprint chart. The new expert talk is more nuanced: a well-planned and comfortable 20°C can be better for the environment than a poorly managed and poorly insulated 19°C where you have to buy electric heaters on the side.
Energy consultant Clara Montel says, “The right temperature is one that keeps you healthy, clear-headed, and dressed appropriately, without turning your home into a sauna.” For most people today, the best temperature for living spaces is between 19°C and 21°C.
- Don’t just trust the thermostat; use a different thermometer to check the real temperature.
- Set three temperature zones: one for living and working (around 20°C), one for sleeping (16–18°C), and one for passageways (17–19°C).
- To keep drafts and discomfort at bay, keep the temperature difference between rooms to 2–3 degrees.
- Instead of turning off the heat completely in homes that aren’t well insulated, lower it by 1–2 degrees at night.
- Go over the basics of insulation: make sure that furniture or long curtains don’t block windows, doors, or radiators.
From strict rules to personal climate: choosing your own temperature
The 19°C rule was easy to understand, which was a plus. One number, one rule, one supposed good thing. The truth about 2026 is more complicated. Housing has changed, energy prices go up and down, our lifestyles are a mix of old and new, and our health is under different kinds of stress. Having just one number as a totem doesn’t make sense anymore.
Instead, a more personal and responsible relationship with heating comes out. Not “heat as you like,” but “know how you live, how your body works, how your home works, and then make a conscious choice within the expert ranges.”
This also starts a new kind of conversation in families and between generations. Parents who kept their homes at 19°C for years because they thought it was the right thing to do now know that 20°C won’t destroy the planet as long as the home is well managed. Young people who care a lot about being comfortable learn that every degree costs money and that a sweater can sometimes work better than a dial. The old moral line between “good” and “bad” heating is fading in favor of a smarter balance.
Some people will be fine at 19°C. Some people will be happy with a temperature of 20.5°C in the living room and 17°C in the bedroom. The interesting question is no longer “Are you at 19°C?” but “Have you found the temperature range where you feel good without wasting?” Every home can turn into its own little climate lab.
It might be a good idea to try something new the next time it gets cold. You could watch, test, and change instead of just following a rule that was made years ago. Talk to the kids, the grandparents, and your own body at 8 a.m. on a video call. Look at the bill in light of things like insulation, habits, and devices. **Heating isn’t just about degrees anymore; it’s about making choices that work for you.**
Your thermostat is not a judge. It’s a tool. The 19°C rule was useful for a while. The new suggested temperature is the one that lets you breathe, think, and live, based on common sense, expert ranges, and how you feel.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| New comfort ranges | 19–21°C for living rooms, 16–18°C for bedrooms, 17–19°C for passage areas | Helps set realistic, expert-backed targets without guilt |
| Vulnerable people | Elderly, babies and sick people often need 20–21°C in main rooms | Reduces health risks while staying energy-aware |
| Fine-tuning method | Adjust by 0.5–1°C over several days and observe comfort and bills | Lets you find your own ideal temperature band calmly |
Questions and Answers:
Is 19°C still a good temperature to use as a guide for heating?For healthy adults living in insulated homes, this is a good lower limit, but not the best one for everyone. Experts now say that living spaces should be between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius, depending on your health and lifestyle.
Does raising the temperature by one degree make the bill go up?It makes things use more energy, but how much depends on how well your settings are and how well your insulation works. In a well-insulated, stable home, one extra degree can cost less than big changes in temperature in a poorly managed one.
What temperature is best for sleeping?Most sleep experts say that the temperature should be between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius and that you should have enough blankets and warm clothes. Many people sleep better and deeper when the air is cooler.
Should I turn off the heat completely at night?A moderate setback works well in homes with very good insulation. In older buildings that leak, it’s usually better to lower the temperature by just 1 to 2 degrees than to cut everything and start over in the morning.
How can I tell if my house is too cold for my health?If you still feel cold even when you’re wearing warm clothes, see condensation and mold, or if kids and older people keep getting sick and shivering, your home is probably too cold for you. If that’s the case, try to keep the main rooms at 20–21°C and ask for advice on insulation and support programs.
