The winter months are here and if you’re using your heating as the temperatures turn cold outside, you might not be aware that sleeping with it on can lead to health problems.

From nasty colds to swollen feet, experts are warning homeowners to avoid sleeping with the heating on.

Bedroom experts at Winstons Beds have shared a list of eight consequences homeowners may face if they leave their heating on overnight.

Experts say you shouldn’t leave your heating on all night

Leaving the heating on while sleeping will add to the costs of your energy bills but it could also encourage the growth of mould on your walls and cause some health issues.

It’s likely to increase the chance of mould build-up as trapped moisture will be in the air.

How you can reduce your energy bills

The experts advise that bedrooms should have an optimum temperature of between 17C to 19C.

Rebecca Swain, mattress expert from Winstons Beds, said: “We’ve arrived at that time of the year where many of us have had to turn our radiators on because of the cold temperatures.

“While many of us like to heat our bedrooms so we can get to sleep comfortably, we want to urge people not to keep the heating on throughout the entire night.

“The optimum temperature to sleep in is from 17 to 19ºC. Any higher can result in dry skin, coughing, sneezing and even mould taking over.”

8 reasons why you shouldn’t leave your heating on while you sleep

Dry skin

If the heating is left on overnight, the warm air will strip natural oils from the skin which can result in dry and itchy skin.

Difficulty breathing

When the heating is on, it can dry out the air, making the room stuffy and uncomfortable to sleep in.

You might find that it’s harder to breathe in and it could cause dry throats and nasty coughs.

Is it cheaper to keep the heating on low all day?

Sweaty sleep

If having the heating on causes excess sweat in the bed, sleeping can become uncomfortable.

The bedroom experts say that excess sweat can mean you have to remove stubborn yellow stains from bedding.

Wasted energy

The cost of your energy bill at the end of the month will be affected if you leave your heating on overnight.

Budget-friendly ways to keep warm during the night include things like hot water bottles and fluffy socks.

How to prevent condensation in your home

Mould on the walls

Putting the heating on for a short time in the morning can help prevent mould but leaving it on all night can cause the warmer air to hold and trap excess moisture.

The warm air can come in contact with the cold windows, causing window condensation which encourages the build-up of mould.

Bug haven

Fleas, flies and bedbugs thrive in warm environments so you might start to see tiny specs on the bedding.

You can help deter them by spraying some peppermint oil around the room.

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Cold-like symptoms

If radiators are turned on all night, you might wake up to a stuffy nose and sneezing.

Radiators can accumulate high levels of dust which causes allergies to flare up.

Swollen feet

When your body is trying to cool down, your feet tend to swell so if you notice you’re waking up with swollen feet, it could mean your room’s temperature is too high overnight.